The Demon Queen and the Locksmith is a fun read about three kids who have to save their town from a terrible threat. To aid them, they gain supernatural powers and assistants.
Spencer Baum has done a good job in portraying lonely Kevin and his newfound friends Jackie and Joseph. They come off as three likeable kids who manage to struggle their way through an extraordinary situation. I think that is what I like the most about The Demon Queen. Sometimes books for a younger audience portray angsty or heroic kids. Fantasy is kind of predisposed towards protagonists like that. That can be fun. But the greatest characters are the ones that are grey.
I see The Getaway is listed as a paranormal romance story, but I feel that is kind of misleading. It seemed more like a thrillerish kind of story (kind of a thriller, but not quite).
Gavyn Donatti and his wife, Jazz, are going away for the week-end. On the way to their remote cabin, they end up getting lost and crash their car.
Jazz wakes up in a strange place where a guy called Seth tries to take care of her. Something seems really off about the whole situation, and something is.
The Getaway is a fun short-story about encountering craziness in unexpected places and how to deal with the nuts.
Dawningis my introduction to the Nini Decker universe. My appetite was whet and the novel presented quite a dilemma for the main character Dashrael.
In a blatant show of racism, the chancellor tells Dashrael to kill the spouse of the overseer’s daughter along with their half-breed child.
That is pretty much what this story is about. Dashrael coming face to face with his target and the choices he makes and sadly the consequences his choice has for him personally.
Granted, this is human/elven racism. But, you know, this is reality for quite a few people on this planet. If you dare fall for someone of another color/ethnicity/religion than yourself, lives are at risk. I have to say that it is one of the more confusing aspects of humanity.
A thought-provoking story – and well-written. As my first Vivi Anna experience, I was well-pleased.
What would you do if you one day discovered you had an unexpected ability? Like running fast, really fast. Fast enough to break the world record. It would be a great ability to have if you had to run away from trouble (or maybe to).
Callie Courtnae suddenly discovers this ability and is asked to join a school in Montana that specialises in youth with record-breaking abilities. She goes and discovers that the people at her school are extraordinarily beautiful and a lot quicker than she herself is. Hmmm, I smell a rat.
The premise for A Diamond in my Pocket is pretty good. It is difficult to come up with something new in the world of fantasy. But Angell manages to put a couple of twists in that I don’t think I’ve read before. However, however, however. The characters needed a bit more work and the novel tightening. I wish A Diamond in my Pocket could have fulfilled its potential, because it did have plenty of that.
The goose that lays the golden egg. What is her story? Gooseis Anderson’s attempt to answer just that. How did the goose happen to begin laying gold eggs? You have to admit it is kind of unusual. What was her road to Jack? And what happened after Jack brought her home with him?
I like Lorraine’s take on this classic folk tale. It is light and humorous and short. 258 words short. I found it well-worth the read.
Lady of Devices is Shelley Adina’s first novel in the Magnificent Devices’ series. This steampunk novel is set in an alternate Victorian era. As usual with steampunk novels, steam runs the world. Steam is the hot thing, the Power alternative that will last forever.
We meet Lady Trevalyan, a 17-year old with decidedly unconventional interests. No embroidery for this girl.
I’ve always liked spunky female characters. Women who dare defy whatever society deems as feminine behavior. Claire is one such lady.
When her father shoots himself because of bad investments, the family is left with a lot less money than they had hoped. Claire has to choose between waiting for her mother to find her a husband or try to make a living. She decides to make a living and sets out to explore her possibilities.
Claire soon discovers that the “real world” can be dangerous, especially if you are a woman. This is where her spunkiness comes in handy. This girl has grit. She just screams a bit in her head and gets on with whatever she has to do to survive.
What can I say, I am a sucker for these kinds of portrayals. There is no denying I want my female characters to be strong. I also want my authors to write in a manner that engages my interest and keeps it. Shelley Adina manages to do just that. Her sentences tie together wonderfully and her images are hilarious.
“Claire Trevelyan closed her eyes as a gobbet of reddish-brown foam dripped off the ceiling and landed squarely on the crown of her head. It dribbled past her ears and onto the pristine sailor collar of her middy blouse, and thence, gravity having its inevitable effect, down the blue seersucker of her uniform’s skirt to the floor.” It’s practically so I can feel the goo running down my head.
The final story about our reluctant hero, Eli Monpress, is here in the form of Spirit’s End.
I really cannot tell you why, but there is just something about this cover that doesn’t work for me. It fits with the story and everything, but I’m not really into it. Oh well, personal taste and all.
The story is another matter all together. Rachel Aaron has nailed the ending of the Eli Monpress saga in the novel Spirit’s End. Eli is everything we have gotten used to. Still playful, creative and fiercely desiring to be free of the Shepherdess, Eli takes us on a journey that lets us get to know the Lord of Storms better and the make-up of his world.
Miranda is thrown into the role of Rector for the Spirit Court and her work is challenging, to say the least. As usual she suspects Eli of having devious goals. Her suspicions are based on experience, so they could be correct. Banage is arrested by his ex. Eli is arrested by his mother. That Eli’s mom and Banage’s ex happen to be one and the same person is kind of funny and all part of a cunning plan on Sara’s part. Joseph is king and HATES it while Nico acts as his companion. Nico is an interesting character. Possessed by a demon seed, she is now more demon than human. All the same, her human side rules the relationship.
I’ve reviewed The Legend of Eli Monpress and The Spirit War. Spirit’s End fits nicely with the other two books and carries with it the same carefree, yet serious character of the other two novels. Rachel Aaron has done a good job in portraying the world of Eli Monpress.
Diana Rowland keeps on getting better by the book. Touch of The Demon is the best novel thus far in the Kara Gillian series. We have arrived at book no. 5 in the series and have at least one more to go. The other four are: Mark of the Demon, Blood of the Demon, Secrets of the Demon and Sins of the Demon.
The cover is taken from one of the scenes in the novel. This scene is one of the more action-filled ones. Action is something Touch of the Demon has plenty of. There is everything from snow-ball fights to flesh-carving. Some of the violence is quite explicit and so is some of the sex.
When Kara gets stuck in the demon realm, she discovers that her pre-conceptions about demons are quite faulty. I guess we all experience that when we are faced with the objects of our prejudices. Often, we have to revise our point of view. Some of us do it well, while others have to struggle. Kara struggles with the way she views the motives behind various actions.
Another thing I enjoy about Rowland’s writing is the way she deals with concepts of friendship and loyalty. What is friendship? Is it possible to be friends in spite of being from different races? How do you deal with betrayal of epic proportions? Reading Touch of the Demon will answer how Kara views these issues.
Rowland’s writing is tighter than ever and her text is reaching the point of flowiness that I claim is necessary for the exceptional writer.
First of all – the cover. Michael Whelan is the artist. When you go to this link you will get a look at how cover artists work and how little they actually get to work with. And still he manages to provide something that captures the dynamics of the novel.
My goodness, what an ending to a series I have loved. I do not think I was alone in worrying when Brandon had to finish the Wheel of Time series. My worries were laid to rest with his first installment: The Gathering Storm. A Memory of Light is amazing. No wonder Sanderson teaches creative writing.
What is it that makes A Memory of Light so good? As I have told you in my About page, I am terrible at analysing. Really, really bad. But there are aspects to the art of writing that I might have gotten a feel for.
A Memory of Light is tight. It’s not difficult to see that this novel must have been edited time and again to get that flowy feeling that I always go on about. There are very few mistakes and Brandon shows us that you can write a novel more than 900 pages long and still feel as though you could have read more.
The jump from character to character is flawless. Perrin‘s over-carefulness, Mat‘s playfulness, Egwene‘s “I know best” attitude and Rand’s “I must die” attitude are all incorporated into the writing without detracting from the plot.
Be prepared for fighting, lots and lots of fighting. We are, after all, at the ending of the world and the final battle. People die. People I have grown to care about. I hate that, because I really do love the quirky set of The Wheel of Time. But I see the necessity of it. I still hate it.
Once again we are exposed to friends who betray and friends who risk their lives for you. In a sense, that is what The Wheel of Time has been about for me. This group of four (five) characters from Two Rivers stays loyal to each other in spite of huge differences of opinion. Friendship, what a precious gift to bestow on each other.
I am going to say something I do not often say: Please read A Memory of Light. You’ll have to read the first 13 novels for it to make sense, but it will be worth it. That is how good I think A Memory of Light is.
You know how sailors were supposed to tie themselves to something so they would not be lured by the beautiful voices of the sirens, well, Piper Cavenaugh is one. A human siren. Not bad.
Making people do what she wants by using the “Voice” is terribly tempting to Piper. However, experience has taught her that she will eventually get into trouble by doing so. Its duration is only 10 minutes and that really puts limitations on what it can be used for.
One evening Piper gets into trouble. She was seen using her Voice by the supernatural community. A community Piper had never heard of, seen or wanted to know about. Now she is about to be tried for her crimes. The Voice is considered extremely dangerous and desirable by various species of the supernatural community and Piper is thrown into trouble like never before.
The Rhine Maiden is a fun read. It has a couple of preachy moments and not very subtle ones. But Erin Evans is a fun author with a fun protagonist in the rather stressed character of Piper Cavenaugh. Piper is not your laid-back kind of person. Oh, no! Definitely not! But she is fun.
You will find plenty of action and humor in The Rhine Maiden.
Angelfall is Susan Ee’s debut novel and the first book in the Penryn & The End of Days series. Wow. That woman has talent. The story of Penryn’s hunt for her sister is moving and exciting. It shows how low people can stoop and high they can rise once they are thrown into chaos through war. The angels have decided to destroy civilisation as we know it and Penryn and her family are one of the many victims. The situation is not made any simpler by Penryn’s mother being schizophrenic paranoid or her little-sister Paige having to use a wheel-chair.
Penryn’s mother is nuts. She is a frightening person that comes around every once in a while. But Penryn manages to communicate with her and is the parent in their little family. She has to make all of the tough decisions.
Then they are torn apart when the angels decide to take Penryn’s little sister – all because Penryn happened to throw a sword. Now Penryn ends up saving an angel (Rafe), making a deal with him and traipsing through dangers in her search for Paige. It isn’t easy being 17 years old and stuck with this kind of life.
There is plenty of action and the author manages to get whatever messages she has across without preaching. I loved it.
I love this cover. Something about the colors maybe.
The V.V. Inn series comes with a warning. “This is not a young adult series and is intended for readers over 18.”
I’ve wondered why there is always a warning when sexual content is explicit but hardly ever when the violence is?????? Makes no sense to me. That being said – there is sexual content, and it is explicit.
The Hunt is a mystery with lots of sex thrown in. Well written sex scenes. This 50-year old woman was turned on by it and that is saying a lot.
Another thing that C.J. manages to do quite well is to jump from one character to the other. Not perfectly, but better than quite a few other authors I’ve read. Each character contributes to solving the question of why Vivian’s old enemy is the representative of the vampire Tribune and what the hunt is really about. Everything is not as it seems.
The Hunt is Ellison’s second book. She certainly has a gift for writing, one that will give great pleasure to many readers.
I just finished reading GreenRider to my youngest son. When you have a dyslexic audience, reading to them is always IN. I cannot imagine how frustrating it must be to love literature, yet be so hindered by something that I take so much for granted. Maybe it is somewhat like my need for a wheel-chair.
Anyways. Back to Green Rider.
Check out this cover illustration for the UK edition of Green Rider by April Schumacher. WOW! It catches the spirit of the novel perfectly.
As I read this book out loud, there are a couple of things I want to point out. Kristen writes beautifully. Names like Karigan G’ladheon just roll off my tongue. Reading was a delight. Tension, fear, beauty and humour came through the translation from page to mouth. Wonderful! What a gift.
Karigan G’ladheon is a typical hero character. She is conflicted about the many challenges that come her way, but she desperately wants to do what is right for her country. Danger is drawn to her, or perhaps Karigan is drawn to danger. Action is practically thrown her way. Thank goodness Karigan seems to have a gift of getting out of all of the life-threatening situations. Like Captain Mapstone claimed. Karigan seems to survive due to sheer spunk. Gritting her teeth, Karigan gets on with whatever comes her way. Gray riders, militia, dangerous creatures or spirits is just part of what Green Rider has to offer.
The plot is easy to understand. Someone is out to take over the country of Sacoridia (they think). Someone else has another agenda. Karigan supports the throne and stability. Battle ensues between the “good” and the “bad”. Presentation is everything and Kristen Britain Excels at this. Good job. In fact, excellent work! Enjoy.
Cassie Alexander’s debut into the world of urban fantasy comes in the form of her Edie Spence trilogy. Her real-life job as a registered nurse serves as inspiration for her novels about registered nurse Edie Spence. I am pretty certain these books are targeted at an adult readership
Cover for audiobook
Choosing Edie Spence as her protagonist is probably the best move Ms. Alexander could have done. Edie isn’t afraid of a little/or a lot of blood and gore and finds that her nursing skills come in handy in her new night job. She had previously worked as a regular nurse working with regular people. To protect her drug-addict brother, Edie made the choice to sign up for hush-hush work at a hush-hush facility at County General. Remember that the next time you go to your own County General. Somewhere below-ground there just might be a secret facility catering to the health needs of the super-natural/para-normal community.
Being on the nursing staff taking care of the rather unusual clientele of zombies, vampires, shape-shifters, weres, etc. can be a bit dangerous to your health. Ms. Spence discovers this when she is present at the death of Mr. November. Because of her nature, Edie ends up looking after a vampire, being chased by a vampire and falling for a zombie. One might just say that her life became a little more challenging after her introduction to the “Other” side of reality.
Nightshifted is a fun and dark novel. Edie is a wonderful character and someone I would have liked to have met. Sometimes authors manage to make their characters seem so real and believable, the way Cassie has managed with Edie. Good job.
The Book of Deacon is a trilogy that should be read in the following order: The Book of Deacon -> The Great Convergence -> The Battle of Verril.
Cover art by Nick Deligaris
THE BOOK OF DEACON (2010)
My husband bought me an android for x-mas and we downloaded Kindle. They had/have a free offer on the novel The Book of Deacon. This is how I entered the world of Myranda, Lain, Myn, Ivy, Ether and Deacon.
First of all I want to say that you should go to Deligaris’ link and take a look at his art. There is some seriously cool stuff there.
Imagine what it must be like to live in a country ravaged by war for 150 years. This setting is where we find Myranda, our main protagonist. At the beginning of the war young men were the main victims. Then women were brought in as soldiers. Now cities and towns are left with the old and children, emptied of the people who are supposed to bring in the new generation. Seems kind of insane, does it not?
Myranda hates the war and all it stands for. She does not understand the need for this long-lasting enmity. As a sympathiser, she is ostracised by the general population. The general population of the Northern Alliance hates Tressorians. Having one of their own say that perhaps peace would be a good thing, grates on them and they tend to act aggressively. It is ever so in society. If you go against popular opinion, you are going to meet sanctions.
These sanctions have left Myranda feeling terribly alone. When she meets another who is hated as much as she is, Myranda opens up. Leo, the malthrope, saves Myranda from trouble and Myranda is left feeling grateful and lonely for his company.
The Book of Deacon does an excellent job of showing exactly how prejudiced we can be. It is also an incredibly good tale for both old and young. There is plenty of action and adventure. Joseph Lallo is one of those gifted persons that grabs hold of me. These authors are so much fun for an avid reader.
Cover art by Nick Deligaris
THE GREAT CONVERGENCE (2011)
I liked The Book of Deacon so much that I had to buy The Great Convergence. This is a serial, so reading these books in order is a must.
Myranda is caught in her black/white way of thinking. To her you have to do your best to follow the Prophecy. If not, you are a traitor. These books are as much about Myranda’s journey toward maturity and understanding as it is about friendship, loyalty and courage. Her thinking undergoes a radical change from the way it was at the beginning.
Finding the four other Chosen of the prophecy is her main goal. Discovering all of them is not a simple task. After all, the Northern Alliance and the Red Shadow are interested in putting an end to her quest.
Another malthrope turns up. Ivy pretty much has split personality. Her moods are what determines the personality she has. Anger, happiness, sorrow and fear are all taken to extremes and in ways that affect those around her. Arrogant Ether shows up and does her thing. She is a fun character. Her ability to annoy the others is priceless.
Cover art by Nick Deligaris
THE BATTLE OF VERRIL (2012)
It is always nice to not have to wait for the next book in a serial. As I had gotten into the game so late, I got to read The Battle of Verril right after Convergence. The promise of the previous two books was fulfilled in the last installment of The Book of Deacon. Each of the characters change into someone who is able to fulfill their part of the prophecy.
Answers to questions left open in The Great Convergence are found and solutions are discovered at the last moment.
Action and adventure are still the main ingredients of the series. Heroic deeds are obviously part of a quest and evil villains keep the plot moving. Mystical figures, monsters and friends appear suddenly. Myranda and Myn are kept busy through the novel going from one action scene to the next. The others are break-necking along them.
I found The Battle of Verril a read-through novel. It was impossible to put down.
humanitysdarkerside 