Book Review — Dead Heat

Title:  Dead Heat
Author:  Patricia Briggs
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Pages:  Paperback, 305
Publisher:  ACE Fantasy
ISBN:  978-0-425-25628-2
Opening Lines:  "The fae lord stalked back and forth in his cell of gray stone.Three steps, turn, four steps, turn, three steps."

Rating

"For once, werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles's role as his father's enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal. Or at least their visit starts out that way . . .

"Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The fae have started a cold war with humanity that's about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire."

~ Jacket copy

I got it in my head to finally read further into the Alpha and Omega series.  The first two books floored me, and I loved them.  Sadly, when I grabbed one of the newer ones, I couldn't fully remember what came before.  This started on a quest to read through the first books and finally catch up.  So, there you have it, that's why I picked this one up: it was the next in the series and I had to get my hands on it!

Anna has been plodding along on a gelding that she was given when she first moved to Montana.  While the worse is a good, solid animal, Charles feels that it doesn't fit her.  After receiving a call from an old friend, he decides her "need" is a good excuse to visit Arizona on the pretext of buying her an Arabian.  That, however, causes them to stumble upon a sick fae who could be threatening the Arizona pack.

This book was on par with the others.  I found myself tearing through it and enjoying it just as much.  Briggs did a wonderful job showing that Charles and Anna are finally getting to a point of being comfortable in their relationship.  In addition, it was nice to see that Charles had a life outside of being Bran's enforcer and pack treasurer.    Even though the book was as engrossing as the others, something felt a little off and forced about it.  I loved the concept of the fae Briggs created and the inherent tension after the events of the last book.  However, Briggs' love of horses seemed to overpower the actual plot.  Joseph's character and everything surrounding the Arabian ranch wasn't a vehicle that was used well.  In some respects, it felt forced and almost as though it was a side thing.  The other books felt completely seamless and all the elements blended together smoothly.  For me, this was one did not.  The characters were great, the felt fairly well developed, but . . .  My reservations aside, it was a good book and a fun read!  It helped continue to story and gave good introduction into the new issues with the fae.  It will be quite interesting to see how that turns out in later books.  It makes me wonder whether the new focus will be the publicity of the werewolves, or whether that will be completely glossed over by everything else!  

Book Review — Nightlife

Title:  Nightlife Author:  Rob Thurman Genre:  Urban Fantasy Pages:  Paperback, 339 Publisher:  ROC ISBN:  978-0-451-46075-2 Opening Lines:  "People . . . They do the craziest shit."

Rating

"Welcome to the Big Apple.  There's a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, a boggle in Central Park, and a beautiful vampire in a penthouse on the Upper East Side—and that's only the beginning.  Of course, most humans are oblivious to the preternatural nightlife around them, but Cal Leandros is only half human.

"His father's dark lineage is the stuff of nightmares—and he and his entire otherwordly race are after Cal.  Why?  Cal hasn't exactly wanted to stay around long enough to find out."

"He and his half brother, Niko, have managed to stay a step ahead for four years, but now Cal's dad has found them again. And Cal is about to learn why they want him, why they've always wanted him: He is the key to unleashing their hell on earth. The fate of the human world will be decided in the fight of Cal's life . . ."

~ Jacket copy

Shortly after this book came out, my former sister-in-law sent it to me as a Christmas present.  I eagerly picked it up, started reading it, and then promptly put it back down.  It was clear from the writing that it was her first book, and I couldn't convinced myself to push any further.  However, after a lot of nagging, "guilting", and pouting on the part of my former SIL, I dusted off the book and gave it another chance.  The second time must have been a charm!  I was able to tear through it in a few days.  

A few months ago at a gaming session, this book came back to mind.  I remembered loving it and needed to reacquaint myself with it.  Sadly, I couldn't find my damn copy and went on a quest to get my hands on it again.  Sadly, I had a similar experience to the first time I tried reading it.  Yes, it was interesting, but . . .

Cal is a monster.  He's the misbegotten spawn of a union between a drunken fortuneteller and something that has all the vestiges of a demon.  His mother is loath to even acknowledge his existence, his father lurks in the shadows and watches every movement, and his half brother is left as his only guardian.  After escaping from his father's realm four years ago, Cal and his older brother have been on the run.  Now, however, after things appear to be calming down, Niko (his older brother) spots a dreaded Grendel in Central Park.  

Please do not mistake my intro, this book is not a bad book and has the markings of a great story!  In fact, if I recall correctly, the later books get progressively better and are riveting.  For me, however, this book really fell short.  

At best, most of the characters are extremely two dimensional and lack a real zest or spark which gives them something a bit more.  Most of them are easily forgettable once you put the book down.  

The pacing of the book felt off, too.  There were points when it felt rushed, veered off, and slowed down considerably.  

Honestly, I am sitting here trying to squeeze myself for something to say, but nothing is coming out.  When it gets right down to it, there was nothing truly memorable about this book.  What I remember most comes from later books and how the characters were later developed.  It is obvious that this book was a first one, and the author definitely started to come into her own. I might recommend this series to people just for the later books, but I almost wish this one could be skipped.  

If you want a simple read that doesn't require too much commitment and big words thrown in for good measure, this isn't a bad book to pick up.  It is definitely a far introduction to the later books, which are far better—if memory serves.

Book Review — Moon Called

Title:  Moon Called
Author:  Patricia Briggs
Genre:  Urban fantasy
Pages:  Paperback, 288
Publisher:  Ace, January 31, 2006
ISBN:  0-441-01381-3
Opening Lines:  "I didn't realize he was a werewolf at first."

Rating

"Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

"She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

"But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself . . . and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble."

~ Jacket copy

My SIL gave me this book as a Christmas present, and I've been hooked since that point.  My work schedule is rather crazy, so it is rather hard to find time to just sit and relax with a book.  Wanting to finally catch up with the series, I decided to pick this book up again.  I loved it the first time and thought it would be nice to rediscover it.

After receiving a degree in History, Mercy Thompson finds herself owning her own garage and working as a mechanic.  It really was not what her mother had planned, but it pays the bills and keeps Mercy happy.  However, trouble is brewing on the horizon and shows up on her doorstep in the form of Mac, a lost werewolf.  Growing up with a Montana werewolf pack, Mercy is fully aware of the ramifications of taking Mac under her wing, but she cannot turn him down.  Unfortunately, when he is discovered, she is forced to bring Adam, the local Alpha, into the mix.  What Mercy doesn't realize is that she just stepped into large political upheaval spurned by the struggle between wolf and man.

I loved this book the first time I read it, and it still held the same appeal.  To me, it is an interesting story to have a walker raised by werewolves and completely caught up in the life and political matters of the pack while still managing to be outside of it.  It is obvious that the author has put a lot of thought into this series, as well as research.  Honestly, it's pretty nifty seeing a woman as a mechanic :)

Even though I love this book, there are points that kind of drag, and it feels a little rushed at the end.  Seeing the Marrock and pack in Montana allowed the audience to see a piece of Mercy's past and introduced them to Samuel; however, it felt as though the author could have spent less time there.  The ending, while it made sense, felt way too rushed, and I wished the author gave the audience a little more time to adjust to it.

Adam's friend will be an interesting addition, especially considering his role in revealing the werewolves to the public.  However, after being a lone wolf for so long, it seemed rather strange that he so easily accepted a pack.

There are some questions I have while re-reading it, but it was still a good read.  And, considering the fact that I don't really have time to focus fully on a book, it was wonderful to just kind of zone out into it.

I'm curious to see if the other books are just as enjoyable as the first time :)

Current Pages: 10144
Current Progress:

35/50 books

Book Review — Succubus on Top

Title: Succubus On Top
Author:  Richelle Mead
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Pages:  Oversize paperback, 326
Publisher:  Kensington Publishing Corp
ISBN:  978-0-7582-1642-7
Opening Lines:  "Demons are scary."

Rating

"Love hurts, and no one knows it better than Georgina Kincaid. If she so much as kisses Seth Mortensen, the shy, sexy writer she's been dating, she'll drain his life force. Admittedly, the shape shifting and immortality perks of a succubus are terrific, but it's completely unfair that a she-demon whose purpose is seduction can't get down with the one mortal who accepts her for who she is. . .

"It's not just her personal life that's in chaos. Doug, Georgina's co-worker at a local bookstore, has been exhibiting bizarre behavior, and Georgina suspects something far more demonic than double espressos. She could use an assist from Bastien, an irresistibly charming incubus and her best immortal friend, but he's giving Georgina some highly distracting come-hither vibes. Georgina is going to have to work solo on this one--and fast, because soon, Doug's life won't be the only one on the line."

~ Jacket Copy

Well, since I liked the first one, this seemed like a logical choice :)

Georgina has finally decided to pursue a relationship with her favorite author, Seth.  However, they cannot have a physical relationship without her sucking his life force.  So, while struggling with that, Doug starts acting weird, she's sensing a weird immortal signature on him, and her old friend, Bastien, comes into town and needs help wooing a political figure.  Could things get any worse for Georgie?

Okay, to be honest, it was brain candy, but I enjoyed it.  I wouldn't say it was up to par with the previous book, but it was definitely enjoyably and a distraction.

It was interesting to see an incubus, and the relationship he had previously had with Georgina.  And I loved the history flashbacks that gave little tidbits and insight into her past.

The whole thing surrounding Doug, the band, Alec, and the drug ended way too easily.  It makes me wonder whether it's going to come back into play.  Also, Georgie giving the drug to someone at the end kind of upset me, because it completely went against what she was trying to do in the rest of the book.

Bastien, while interesting, seem was though it was just try to give something besides her non-physical relationship with Seth.  And it was rather obvious what was going on with Dana from the start.  Not sure why neither Georgie nor Bastien were able to pick up on that.  However, the stuff surrounding Jody seemed a tad bit unbelievable and just thrown in for extra juice.

It will be interesting to see where this thing with Seth goes.  Honestly, I'm not sure how long the author can continue drawing this one out before they either say "screw it" and get physical or it ends.  As it stands, they are rather boring.  And most of the stuff dealing with their relationship seems dull.

All in all, it was a mind numbing read and exactly what I needed.  And, of course, I cannot wait to get my hands on the other books to see how everything turns out :)

Current Pages: 9856
Current Progress:

34/50 books

Book Review — Succubus Blues

Title:  Succubus Blues
Author:  Richelle Mead
Genre:  Urban fantasy
Pages:  Paperback, 360
Publisher:  Zebra (reprint edition), August 2010
ISBN:  978-0-8217-8077-0
Opening Lines:  "Statistics show that most mortals will sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge, and love.  In that order."

Rating

"When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

"But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore—free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

"But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny . . ."

~ Jacket copy

This has been on my to-read list for quite awhile.  However, I never remember to pick it up when I'm shopping for books, and it has never crossed my mind to track it down at the library.  Despite the fact that I adore our library, it would be a miracle if they had it.  While I was at our local used bookstore with my mom, I discovered the vast majority of this series on the shelves and decided to finally take the plunge.  Plus, $3.50 was not that bad of a price.
 

Georgina has been in a slump lately.  She is only willing to feed on the less than savory characters when she needs a fix.  And even that is rather grudgingly.  Unfortunately, because of her nature as a succubus, she refuses to date, get close to men, and tries to keep her male interactions to the local immortal population: demons, vampires, angels, etc.  However, she doesn't expect to fall for her favorite author or get swept off of her feet by a dashing linguistics professor.  Of course, since even kissing someone means sucking their life force, this really spells trouble for Georgie.  And, if that isn't enough, some of the local immortals are being killed and beat up by some unknown assailant.

With all of this on her plate—and working at a local bookstore with tons of wonderful books to read—what is a girl to do?
  

I'm not really sure what I expected when I started this book.  To be honest, it wasn't necessarily what I got.  The author put an interesting spin on the succubi and their possible dilemmas.  In a lot of ways, it reminded me of Highlander and asking whether immortality was truly worth it.

It was rather interesting that the book wasn't full of torrid sex scenes.  The title and main character would suggest otherwise.  That being said, however, there were a few steamy scenes later in the book.  To me, it seemed as though the author wanted to make the less a part of Georgina's story.  Further, she really focused on character development and didn't race through the plot.  It was a neat turn.  

The little snippets of Georgina's past were really neat, and it was able to give a lot of depth to the character.  I found myself desperately wanting to know more of what happened; however, it might completely ruin the story.  The other characters were mostly sideliners and didn't have a large role.  They might end up playing bigger parts later in the book.

The relationship between Jerome and Carter reminded me an awful lot of Crowley and Aziraphale.  Granted, it was less comedic and reminded me of a longstanding bond/brotherhood, but the similarities were there nonetheless.  It makes me wonder how the author is going to play with that one.

My biggest beef with this book was the killer's true identity.  For me, when the audience first meets them, it was obvious to me.  At some level, I'm not really sure why Georgina didn't figure it out before.  However, the twist involving the killer was a bit too farfetched for me, so that one kind of blindsided me.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read.  If you're looking for a good, light urban fantasy, this one should definitely be on the list!

Current Pages: 9196
Current Progress:

32/50 books

Book Review — A Perfect Blood

Title:  A Perfect Blood
Author:  Kim Harrison
Genre:  Urban fantasy
Pages:  Paperback, 497
Publisher:  Harper Voyage, February 10, 2012
ISBN:  978-0-06-195790-1
Opening Lines:  "The woman across from me barely sniffed when I slammed the pen down on the counter."

Rating

"Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other.

"Pulled in by the FIB to help investigate, former with-turned-day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: others want to create their own demons, and to do so they need her blood.

"She's faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more—but this time Rachel's toughest challenge might be humanity itself."

~ Jacket copy

I love Kim Harrison and the Hollow series.  Honestly, it is one of my most dearly loved urban fantasy series.  Since Laurel K. Hamilton really screwed up the Anita Blake series, I ended up falling into this one when the first book came out.  They have had me hooked since the first page of the first book!

After the horrible fiasco of Pale Demon, Rachel has now become a day-walking demon.  With that, however, she has lost her citizenship/status as a living creature.  She cannot get a driver's license, register her car, vote, etc.  Unfortunately, she does not have all of the perks of being a demon either: no crossing the lines, no accessing the line energy, and she cannot do witch charms.  All of this is because of the silver charmed bracelet Trent made her.  While it protects her from the demons and the collective—they are convinced she is dead—she also loses all of her demon powers.  When a human hate group enters the picture and starts mutilating and killing witches, Rachel is SOL without her demon and witch magic.  However, because the humans are trying to make demons, she feels it is her responsibility to get involved and stop the killings before they go any further.  What she doesn't expect is the depth of the conspiracy behind the hate group, her inevitable feelings concerning demon magic, and the budding attraction to Trent.

From the first page until the last, this was a wonderful book!  Even though it appears as though only a few years time has past since the first book, Rachel has really grown as a character.  She is still rather impulsive and quick to action without thought.  However, I feel as though her actions are more firmly rooted in experience and maturity.  In addition, with her changing feelings toward the demonic side of her and her acceptance of being a demon, I feel that her moral and ethical quandaries will only continue that growth.  She is also starting to see that not everything is black and white.

Since Rachel was not willing to enter into a relationship with Ivy, I felt as though Harrison has been moving her to more of the periphery.  Granted, I didn't want to see the two get together; however, it is sad to see her becoming part of the shadows.  However, aside from taking her all the way into dead vampire, I'm not sure where a storyline following Ivy could go at this point.  Rachel also commented that she felt Jenks and Ivy drifting away without her.  While I can understand and see that they are moving on in their lives, my heart really hurt.  I have come to see the three of them as a pseudo Three Musketeers.  The books would not be the same without their crazy antics.

It is nice to see that Jenks is learning to survive without Matalina.  She was a huge stabilizing force in his life, and it was really touch-and-go there for awhile.  It makes me curious what will happen with Belle.  Honestly, I don't see anything romantic happening, but her caring for him and his children is quite comical.

In the beginning, I always hated Trent.  And, I hate to admit it, he has grown on me over the last few books.  Whether I like it or not, there is a method to his madness.  In addition, even from the get-go, I have always felt a sort of sexual tension between him and Rachel.  Throughout the course of this book, I held my breath and hoped they would figure it out.  And, when I read the bonus chapter, I started bouncing around saying, "I knew it!"  It gives me much hope!

The story was rather disturbing, but well played out.  In some ways, I would have liked to know a little more about Chris and Jennifer.  Also, I couldn't fully understand how they would be able to wipe out all of the Interlanders.  I felt was though Harrison didn't fully explain that.  It was also neat to finally see piece of the demons' true nature. 

And, of course, Al :)  The books would not be complete without him.  The time spent in Trent's garden made me smile and laugh.  He is a great character, and I will always love to see more of him.

All in all, this was a fun book!  Now I want to run out to the store and buy the next in the series.  To hell with the fact that I have been buying them in paperback since the first book.  I need to know what happens and see whether Rachel and Trent finally put their heads out of their asses!  Had family not come into town to visit, this book would have been finished in a matter of days.  It is a page-turner!

Current Pages: 7969
Current Progress:

29/50 books

Book Review — Midnight Blue-Light Special

Title:  Midnight Blue-Light Special
Author:  Seanan McGuire
Genre:  Urban fantasy
Pages:  Paperback, 328
Publisher:  Daw Fantasy, March 5, 2013
ISBN:  978-0-7564-0792-6
Opening Lines:  "Verity stood with her hands folded in front of her and her feet turned out in first position, watching her father read her report card."

Rating

"Telepathic mathematicians. Chess-playing dragons. Bogeyman nightclub owners. Talking mice. The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity—and to protect humanity from them. Verity Price is just trying to do her job, keeping the native cryptid population of Manhattan from getting into trouble, and doing a little ballroom dancing on the side. But her tenure on the East Coast is coming to an end, and she's still not sure what she wants to do with her life.

"Enter Dominic De Luca, an operative for the Covenant of St. George, and Verity's on-again, off-again boyfriend. When he tells her that the Covenant is sending a full team to assess how ready the city is for a purge, Verity finds herself between a rock and a hard place. Stay, and risk her almost-certain death, for flee, and leave the cryptids of New York with nothing between them and the Covenant.

"It's not the kind of choice that ever comes easy. With allies and enemies on every side, and no safe way to turn, it's going to take some quickstepping for Verity to waltz out of this one. There's just one question on everyone's mind. Is this the last dance for Verity Price?"

~ Jacket copy

This book is the second in the InCryptid series, so it was the next logical choice after finishing Discount Armageddon!

After the aftermath of the last book, Verity is finally settling into her new role at the Freakshow, her ever-changing relationship with the cryptid population of NYC, and trying to discover the true nature of her budding romance with Dominic. However, even though everything seems as though it is finally falling into place, Dominic tells her that the Covenant is coming into town to assess his work and field reports. He has been lying on them, and the Covenant is not convinced that he is going to reach a decision about a possible Purge.

Wanting to keep Verity safe, Dominic begs her to leave town and take any cryptid she can with her. But, being a Price girl, Verity is determined to keep the population of cryptids safe from the Covenant and try to convince them that a Purge is unnecessary. However, she questions where Dominic’s true loyalties lie, whether she can make it through this storm on her own, and keep the city safe.

This book was just as awesome, fun, and hilarious as the first book. McGuire was able to keep up the momentum and pace set in the previous book. Reading them one right after the other, I felt as though the transition was seamless between the two. Granted, time had passed; however, I didn’t feel as though I was lost or that she was skipping a lot of important stuff.

Verity did a lot of growing in the book. She was finally faced with making the decision between her dance career and following in the family business. While I will not tell her choice, it was definitely an adult and defining moment in her life. Further, she is starting to see that her cavalier attitude isn’t always a wise choice. Her actions—while surely that of a twenty-three-year-old—need to be thought out. I also appreciated seeing her inner turmoil concerning her relationship with Dominic. Even though she loved it, she was really forced to find her priorities.

It was interesting to add the familial element in this book. I really thought Uncle Mike’s character was neat. I will like to see him and her adopted grandmother in later books. He was needed to push the plot on; however, his role wasn’t huge.

I loved Istas! She was a neat minor character in the previous book; however, she really took on more of a major role in this one. Her talk about carnage, rat casserole, and her Gothic Lolita threads is absolutely priceless! I hope she is in future books, and that her character continues to develop.

The one thing I really didn’t like was when Sarah took over the narration. Granted, I understand the circumstances that brought it about; however, I didn’t like the plot device. For me, Sarah has always been a rather weak and boring character. In the first book, she had a few funny lines and unique quirks, but she never held my attention. I wish that McGuire had found some other way to tell that side of the story, or just didn’t include it. For a cuckoo especially, Sarah is just too damn whiny and annoying. That being said, in the end, she got a tiny bit neater.

The continued romance between Dominic and Verity should prove to be an interesting story. With her grandmother’s past, it was easy to see it coming. However, it didn’t take away from the romantic and “awww” factor!

For me, this book was another hit right out of the ballpark! Seanan, I need the next books STAT! If you haven’t read the first book, GO DO IT! These books take all of the best elements of the October Daye and Newsflesh series and combine them in an awesome, funny package.

Current Pages: 6379
Current Progress:

22/50 books