Magic Bleeds - book 4 of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews - explored Kate's relationships with various people and groups in the different aspects of her life.
For familial relationships, Kate meets her crazy aunt Erra - and has to stop her from killing everyone Kate has ever loved. Going against every lesson taught her by Voron, Kate has finally accepted others in to her life and in order to save her friends, Kate is willing to sacrifice herself. Even disposing of her aunt could draw unwanted attention from her father and Kate doesn't believe herself strong enough for that confrontation yet (and really, Ilona Andrews is contracted until book 7 so it can't end now!).
Regarding romantic relationships, Kate and Curran have finally hooked up. However, due to their stubborn personalities - plus the shapeshifter politics - has caused huge headaches and huge compromises for both parties. Kate has officially chosen Curran, and his Pack, over The Order, and as Curran's mate, she is now the alpha of all alphas. Changing her status within the Pack caused a huge upheaval, especially when Curran was in the coma; however, Kate was determined to prove herself worthy - against the better judgement of her advisors!
Kate's friendship with her best friend Andrea is now strained, since Kate was free to quit The Order when the Pack needed her. As an estranged beastkin who could have been killed in her youth by other shapeshifters, Andrea feels more loyal to The Order. Even the prejudices of Moynohan aren't enough to dissuade Andrea's faith in the core belief of The Order.
There was an interesting take on biblical stories as well, keeping with the author's theme of mythology. The author chose to use the story of Esau and Jacob, with Esau being the first vampire created by Roland. Another take was on Samson; in this version Samson being one of Erra's crazy offspring - who was growing out his hair because he was balding.
This book was a good read. It wasn't as action packed as the others and Kate's heartache coloured her decisions; however, it was nice to see Kate act more human for a change - it's hard to relate to a character who feels no fear and doesn't have the same emotions as everyone else. I definitely think it's a shame that I'm going to have to wait 8-9 months before I can read the next book. I also do look forward to reading more about Kate's world, her friends and even her family.
Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Ink Exchange
Melissa Marr is an amazing writer with a soft spot for tattoos - this affection is apparent in her book Ink Exchange, book 2 in the Wicked Lovely young adult series.
This book follows Leslie, Aislinn's best friend, who goes in for a tattoo and ends up as an energy conduit to help feed the Dark Court. Coddled in the Dark Court, Leslie's spirit starts to wither and she starts to tend towards destructive behaviours (ie, starting fights) just for a fleeting glimpse of any emotion, even pain. Only the combined power of Aislinn and Donia (the Summer and Winter Queens, respectively) can free Leslie since she desperately wishes to belong to a world that does not include the faeries.
What struck me the most about this book was the spirituality placed on the tattoos. To Leslie, a tattoo was the one thing that she had control of and the inking was her way to reclaim her body. Looking at the process of picking a design and getting it etched permanently onto one's body was fascinating from the perspective of someone who has never gotten a tattoo (but who really wants one!). The machinery, the inks, the whole process was interesting and was told so vividly that for someone with a curiousity like mine, it was greatly appreciated! And at the end of the story, Leslie comes to realization, with a maturity that is not too common, that it was her own actions and choices that defined her and changed her situation - not the tattoo itself.
I was also greatly surprised when at the end of the story Leslie opted out of the Faery world and out of the lives of Irial and Niall. While I believed that Leslie would have to make a hard choice at the end, I honestly believed that it would be a choice between the guys - but not choosing to leave them both. Again, that shows a maturity not normally found in books for young adults.
Overall, I'm highly impressed by the character of Leslie in this book: on the outside she doesn't seem like such a wonderful person, but she's a survivor and her story is one of survival. I would definitely recommend this story to others - if you like stories involving faeries, even better! I already know the next story follows Niall and his leadership in the Dark Court but I am still looking forward to reading about it!
This book follows Leslie, Aislinn's best friend, who goes in for a tattoo and ends up as an energy conduit to help feed the Dark Court. Coddled in the Dark Court, Leslie's spirit starts to wither and she starts to tend towards destructive behaviours (ie, starting fights) just for a fleeting glimpse of any emotion, even pain. Only the combined power of Aislinn and Donia (the Summer and Winter Queens, respectively) can free Leslie since she desperately wishes to belong to a world that does not include the faeries.
What struck me the most about this book was the spirituality placed on the tattoos. To Leslie, a tattoo was the one thing that she had control of and the inking was her way to reclaim her body. Looking at the process of picking a design and getting it etched permanently onto one's body was fascinating from the perspective of someone who has never gotten a tattoo (but who really wants one!). The machinery, the inks, the whole process was interesting and was told so vividly that for someone with a curiousity like mine, it was greatly appreciated! And at the end of the story, Leslie comes to realization, with a maturity that is not too common, that it was her own actions and choices that defined her and changed her situation - not the tattoo itself.
I was also greatly surprised when at the end of the story Leslie opted out of the Faery world and out of the lives of Irial and Niall. While I believed that Leslie would have to make a hard choice at the end, I honestly believed that it would be a choice between the guys - but not choosing to leave them both. Again, that shows a maturity not normally found in books for young adults.
Overall, I'm highly impressed by the character of Leslie in this book: on the outside she doesn't seem like such a wonderful person, but she's a survivor and her story is one of survival. I would definitely recommend this story to others - if you like stories involving faeries, even better! I already know the next story follows Niall and his leadership in the Dark Court but I am still looking forward to reading about it!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Magic Burns
I've decided to catch up on this series (I have books 1-4) before reading any new ones. If I don't catch up, I may never get around to finishing it. Plus you lose the flow of the story and characters and then you start to wonder which name belongs to which person. And I'm especially glad I continued since the second book was laden with mythology, both Greek and Celtic, a subject that I absolutely adore. If I thought it would be a viable job option, I would study mythology for a living. Honestly.
Magic Burns is book 2 in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.
In Kate's world, technology and magic are at war for complete supremacy, with magic slowly winning. According to Kate, "[t]heory said that magic and tech used to coexist in a balance. Like the pendulum of a grandfather clock that barely moved, if at all. But then came the Age of Man, and men are made of progress. They overdeveloped magic, pushing the pendulum farther and farther to one side until it came crashing down and started swinging back and forth, bringing with it tech waves. And then in turn, technology oversaturated the world, helped once again by pesky Man, and the pendulum swung again, to the side of magic this time" (p 16). Every seven years a magical flare arrives, where magic and tech shift more frequently, with the magic building up each time, and never truly going away. And right now they're leading up to a flare.
This book you learn more about Kate's magic: Julie, an orphan that Kate takes under her wing is a human m-scanner: a sensate. She can determine the magic used by its colour. She is also able to blend into the magic so it doesn't sense her; however, when under attack, Julie finds Kate's magic too alien to blend with. It is also impossible for Kate to ever be infected with the Lyc-V (lycanthrope virus) or the vampire bacterium.
The story explains how Kate's mom sacrificed herself so that Kate and her father may survive. And how Kate's father (who is actually not her birth father) was a warlord by the name of Voron (meaning 'raven') and how he left it behind for Kate.
Mostly, the story focuses on mythology: first Greek, with the sightings of the Stymphalian birds and then on to Celtic myths; more specifically on Morrigan, her son Morfran and their battles with the Fomorian. Since, y'know, every deity needs a foe to fight. There's even an triumvirate Oracle to consult, which lives in the belly of a giant tortoise.
This book was extra fun because of the mythology. It has made me want to read up on Celtic myths, as well as Merlin and King Arthur, since Morrigan and Morfran are part of the stories. Due to the magic waxing on and becoming more powerful, I expect the next book to contain even more mythos! I also do expect something to happen between Kate and Curran. My favourite part of the story was right at the end when he leaned in for a kiss, then said "psych" and walked off.
I find Kate and her many boys interesting. Normally it annoys me when all the guys want to get into the pants of the main female; however, I think Kate's attitude towards it is refreshing. She knows that Saiman only wants her because she said "no" and that Bran is only doing it because she's female. And she doesn't think of them that way. The way she looks at Curran now makes me laugh because she is convinced that the only reason why she finds him sexy is because she needs to get laid; however, to listen to her talk to Julie about sex, it makes me think that there's more to Kate than she lets on. While she definitely isn't waiting for marriage before having sex, I think that she does place more importance on it than just a one-night stand. And I find it refreshing.
Magic Burns is book 2 in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.
In Kate's world, technology and magic are at war for complete supremacy, with magic slowly winning. According to Kate, "[t]heory said that magic and tech used to coexist in a balance. Like the pendulum of a grandfather clock that barely moved, if at all. But then came the Age of Man, and men are made of progress. They overdeveloped magic, pushing the pendulum farther and farther to one side until it came crashing down and started swinging back and forth, bringing with it tech waves. And then in turn, technology oversaturated the world, helped once again by pesky Man, and the pendulum swung again, to the side of magic this time" (p 16). Every seven years a magical flare arrives, where magic and tech shift more frequently, with the magic building up each time, and never truly going away. And right now they're leading up to a flare.
This book you learn more about Kate's magic: Julie, an orphan that Kate takes under her wing is a human m-scanner: a sensate. She can determine the magic used by its colour. She is also able to blend into the magic so it doesn't sense her; however, when under attack, Julie finds Kate's magic too alien to blend with. It is also impossible for Kate to ever be infected with the Lyc-V (lycanthrope virus) or the vampire bacterium.
The story explains how Kate's mom sacrificed herself so that Kate and her father may survive. And how Kate's father (who is actually not her birth father) was a warlord by the name of Voron (meaning 'raven') and how he left it behind for Kate.
Mostly, the story focuses on mythology: first Greek, with the sightings of the Stymphalian birds and then on to Celtic myths; more specifically on Morrigan, her son Morfran and their battles with the Fomorian. Since, y'know, every deity needs a foe to fight. There's even an triumvirate Oracle to consult, which lives in the belly of a giant tortoise.
This book was extra fun because of the mythology. It has made me want to read up on Celtic myths, as well as Merlin and King Arthur, since Morrigan and Morfran are part of the stories. Due to the magic waxing on and becoming more powerful, I expect the next book to contain even more mythos! I also do expect something to happen between Kate and Curran. My favourite part of the story was right at the end when he leaned in for a kiss, then said "psych" and walked off.
I find Kate and her many boys interesting. Normally it annoys me when all the guys want to get into the pants of the main female; however, I think Kate's attitude towards it is refreshing. She knows that Saiman only wants her because she said "no" and that Bran is only doing it because she's female. And she doesn't think of them that way. The way she looks at Curran now makes me laugh because she is convinced that the only reason why she finds him sexy is because she needs to get laid; however, to listen to her talk to Julie about sex, it makes me think that there's more to Kate than she lets on. While she definitely isn't waiting for marriage before having sex, I think that she does place more importance on it than just a one-night stand. And I find it refreshing.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Magic Bites
Magic Bites is book 1 in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.
In this urban fantasy series, magic is contantly competing with technology for supremacy in the world. As it fluctuates back and forth, the people of the world have adapted to both by having access to both magical and nonmagical items: for example, feylanterns when magic is in control and electrical lights when tech is in. However, it seems like magic is currently in the lead, since Kate comments on how "[f]ew people owned cars that ran during tech. There was no need to invest in them, since it was plain that magic was gaining the upper hand" (page 90).
Magic also brought back the creatures of legends: vampires and shapeshifters. Part of a group called The People, the vampires were piloted by necromancers - or necronavigators - who would use them to spy on others from the safety of their office. The necronavigators would keep the vampire like a pet, feeding and raising them, but the mindlink between them would prevent the vampire from mindlessly destroying everything in its path during bloodlust.
The Pack, the faction of shapeshifters, were led by Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, who ruled over all the different alphas and their small groups. He was, of course, a lion. Most of these creatures were were-something (ie, werewolf, werecat, etc) which were creatures born human who could turn into an animal. However, there were also some creatures who were born animal and could shift into a human. Corwin was one such animal, a cat-were.
Another major player in this world is The Order: known as The Order of Knights of Merciful Aid. These people were trained and devoted to the destruction of harmful beings to humanity; unfortunately, they were also a form of justice unto their own. If enlisted, they would destroy anything that threatened humanity - even if it was your elderly aunt who would turn in to a harpy and sit in your tree.
Due to the fanatical nature of The Order, Kate dropped out before she became a full-fledged member. It was her failure to follow in the footsteps of her guardian that caused the rift between her and Greg. Armed with her magical saber, Slayer, she is determined to find out who killed Greg, even if it means going back to The Order.
During the investigation, many interesting clues come out as to what Kate actually is. Her connection with the undead and being able to cross a blood ward to destroy a powerful vampire hint that she has blood ties with Roland - the legendary father of the undead. However, a standoff with a necromancer at the end of the book suggests that her actual father was much more powerful than Roland. And much older. It explains why she destroys any traces of her blood left behind with fire and why she never allows Nataraja (the vampire leader) to force her to show her full power. Unfortunately, the nature of Kate's ancestry isn't explored any further in this book.
I found this book to be an easy read and I liked how the author left some things to the imagination (like Kate's history) and is gradually doling it out in small doses. Since I read a lot, there are times that I'm able to guess the storyline before it happens - which can ruin surprise endings if I have it figured out well in advance. I did like how Crest was painted poorly and ended up innocent in the end; I had him pegged as suspicious from the moment he met Kate, so I was surprised that I was wrong.
I love new angles to old stories, so I'm excited to see how this pans out. The next book in the series is Magic Burns, but I'm not sure if I'll read that one next or another one. I downloaded some cool new books on to my Kobo that I'm really excited about, so right now it's a case of not being able to choose which story to read. For the sake of continuity, I may read the next one, but we'll see.
In this urban fantasy series, magic is contantly competing with technology for supremacy in the world. As it fluctuates back and forth, the people of the world have adapted to both by having access to both magical and nonmagical items: for example, feylanterns when magic is in control and electrical lights when tech is in. However, it seems like magic is currently in the lead, since Kate comments on how "[f]ew people owned cars that ran during tech. There was no need to invest in them, since it was plain that magic was gaining the upper hand" (page 90).
Magic also brought back the creatures of legends: vampires and shapeshifters. Part of a group called The People, the vampires were piloted by necromancers - or necronavigators - who would use them to spy on others from the safety of their office. The necronavigators would keep the vampire like a pet, feeding and raising them, but the mindlink between them would prevent the vampire from mindlessly destroying everything in its path during bloodlust.
The Pack, the faction of shapeshifters, were led by Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, who ruled over all the different alphas and their small groups. He was, of course, a lion. Most of these creatures were were-something (ie, werewolf, werecat, etc) which were creatures born human who could turn into an animal. However, there were also some creatures who were born animal and could shift into a human. Corwin was one such animal, a cat-were.
Another major player in this world is The Order: known as The Order of Knights of Merciful Aid. These people were trained and devoted to the destruction of harmful beings to humanity; unfortunately, they were also a form of justice unto their own. If enlisted, they would destroy anything that threatened humanity - even if it was your elderly aunt who would turn in to a harpy and sit in your tree.
Due to the fanatical nature of The Order, Kate dropped out before she became a full-fledged member. It was her failure to follow in the footsteps of her guardian that caused the rift between her and Greg. Armed with her magical saber, Slayer, she is determined to find out who killed Greg, even if it means going back to The Order.
During the investigation, many interesting clues come out as to what Kate actually is. Her connection with the undead and being able to cross a blood ward to destroy a powerful vampire hint that she has blood ties with Roland - the legendary father of the undead. However, a standoff with a necromancer at the end of the book suggests that her actual father was much more powerful than Roland. And much older. It explains why she destroys any traces of her blood left behind with fire and why she never allows Nataraja (the vampire leader) to force her to show her full power. Unfortunately, the nature of Kate's ancestry isn't explored any further in this book.
I found this book to be an easy read and I liked how the author left some things to the imagination (like Kate's history) and is gradually doling it out in small doses. Since I read a lot, there are times that I'm able to guess the storyline before it happens - which can ruin surprise endings if I have it figured out well in advance. I did like how Crest was painted poorly and ended up innocent in the end; I had him pegged as suspicious from the moment he met Kate, so I was surprised that I was wrong.
I love new angles to old stories, so I'm excited to see how this pans out. The next book in the series is Magic Burns, but I'm not sure if I'll read that one next or another one. I downloaded some cool new books on to my Kobo that I'm really excited about, so right now it's a case of not being able to choose which story to read. For the sake of continuity, I may read the next one, but we'll see.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Magic in the Storm
It seems like I'm ripping through these books, but the truth is that I read some of them and just waited a few days before posting. But I am finally caught up in the Allie Beckstrom series. And wow, did it ever end in a cliff hanger!
The magic in Portland is being drained and a wild storm is approaching. The Alliance is split into different factions and Terric, Shame's possible Soul Complement, has returned to help save the city. Allie is called away to hound a scene involving one of her Hounds and at the hospital learns that Greyson has escaped. Chase and Shame go to hunt Greyson while Zayvion goes to Allie to protect her on the off-chance that Greyson has found her there. When they arrive to help Shame and Chase, they learn that Shame has been attacked by Chase. Enlisting the help of Terric, they attempt to locate her. In the process, Shame is manipulated by Chase to attack Allie and Zayvion takes a big hit, with his soul being sucked in to a gate. Terric and Shame, both injured, help Allie to keep Zayvion's body alive.
When Allie wakes up the next day, magic is gone. She learns that her step-mother's house has been ransacked for secret technology: disks that hold magic. She also learns that the Authority is behind it. Finally, there's a meeting in the park in St. Johns and Allie is ordered to ground the wild magic to the disks. And that's when all hell breaks loose.
Chase and Greyson crash the party, splitting the Alliance down the middle. With the help of Jingo Jingo (a death magic master), Greyson opens a solid gate and the only thing holding back the Hungers is the spirit of Cody. Allie's dad convinces Allie to rescue Cody and that Allie's mom, of all people, will protect him. Somehow, through the part of him still attached to Greyson, Allie's dad was able to talk to Allie's mom to strike a bargain. Anyhow, Allie also learns that by closing the gate, Zayvion will be permanently stuck and will consequently die. So, what does she do? She goes in. Of course.
Umm, yeah. She has the same reckless attitude and she's still being manipulated by her dad, but at least her heart is in the right spot, even if her head isn't. So, needless to say, I will be reading the next book, even if it's just to see what happens next. Sometimes I really hate reading series.
The magic in Portland is being drained and a wild storm is approaching. The Alliance is split into different factions and Terric, Shame's possible Soul Complement, has returned to help save the city. Allie is called away to hound a scene involving one of her Hounds and at the hospital learns that Greyson has escaped. Chase and Shame go to hunt Greyson while Zayvion goes to Allie to protect her on the off-chance that Greyson has found her there. When they arrive to help Shame and Chase, they learn that Shame has been attacked by Chase. Enlisting the help of Terric, they attempt to locate her. In the process, Shame is manipulated by Chase to attack Allie and Zayvion takes a big hit, with his soul being sucked in to a gate. Terric and Shame, both injured, help Allie to keep Zayvion's body alive.
When Allie wakes up the next day, magic is gone. She learns that her step-mother's house has been ransacked for secret technology: disks that hold magic. She also learns that the Authority is behind it. Finally, there's a meeting in the park in St. Johns and Allie is ordered to ground the wild magic to the disks. And that's when all hell breaks loose.
Chase and Greyson crash the party, splitting the Alliance down the middle. With the help of Jingo Jingo (a death magic master), Greyson opens a solid gate and the only thing holding back the Hungers is the spirit of Cody. Allie's dad convinces Allie to rescue Cody and that Allie's mom, of all people, will protect him. Somehow, through the part of him still attached to Greyson, Allie's dad was able to talk to Allie's mom to strike a bargain. Anyhow, Allie also learns that by closing the gate, Zayvion will be permanently stuck and will consequently die. So, what does she do? She goes in. Of course.
Umm, yeah. She has the same reckless attitude and she's still being manipulated by her dad, but at least her heart is in the right spot, even if her head isn't. So, needless to say, I will be reading the next book, even if it's just to see what happens next. Sometimes I really hate reading series.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Magic in the Shadows
Magic in the Shadows is book 3 in the Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk. This time around, Allie is dealing with spirit of her dead father taking up residence in her head. Nola, her best friend in the whole wide world, is also staying at Allie's place while she deals with the custody battle surrounding Cody. And Zayvion? He's helping Allie cope with the stresses and training involved with the Alliance, because if the Alliance decides that Allie is too unstable, they will Close off her magic, and memories, of anything to do with the Alliance, including Zayvion.
And Allie is definitely unpredictable. Using tricks that she learned from her father, the Alliance is scared of her. However, despite the fact that she opened a gate in a highly warded area, they need Allie and decide to keep her around (memories intact). This has some of Allie's new found friends pleased (Shamus, Zayvion's best friend, and Maeve, Allie's teacher and Shame's mother) while pissing off others (namely Chase, Zayvion's ex-girlfriend and possible soul complement to Greyson, the fellow who killed Allie's dad and was also the necromorph running around town killing things and setting the Hungers free). Did I mention that Allie animated a gargoyle that now lives with her and likes to talk to her sink?
Yeah, Allie's life does sound like a rather ludicrous soap opera, hey? And it sort of reads as one, since Allie acts like a girl who has something to prove. The Alliance is afraid of her because she holds the power of light and dark, on a scale that may be greater than Zayvion's (who is a Guardian of the Gates), but Allie is almost too stubborn to take the training properly, making her dangerous since she has a hard time controlling her magic. Now that they are recognized Soul Complements (magic users who, on top of being able to use their magic in such a way to enhance the other's powers, are also able to touch each other's minds in the process - a technique that is rare and has the tendency to drive the couple involved insane) they are even more dangerous. And Allie can't even take that seriously.
The storyline is interesting. Some of the people are interesting. But the rest of the time they're angsty and read like teenagers. I keep thinking that they're around my age, but they're not (I think they're in their early 20s?) and that makes a world of difference. And the main thing that annoys me, is that when Allie is thinking sex, she can't keep her head in the game.
I'm hoping that now that Allie is taking self-defense training and magic training that it'll make her a more capable character who won't rely on her tough girl attitude to bluff her way through situations. I just hope she doesn't turn in to a character with superhero abilities.
I've already started book 4, Magic in the Storm, so I hope that I'm not getting in to things that haven't started since the end of book 3.
And Allie is definitely unpredictable. Using tricks that she learned from her father, the Alliance is scared of her. However, despite the fact that she opened a gate in a highly warded area, they need Allie and decide to keep her around (memories intact). This has some of Allie's new found friends pleased (Shamus, Zayvion's best friend, and Maeve, Allie's teacher and Shame's mother) while pissing off others (namely Chase, Zayvion's ex-girlfriend and possible soul complement to Greyson, the fellow who killed Allie's dad and was also the necromorph running around town killing things and setting the Hungers free). Did I mention that Allie animated a gargoyle that now lives with her and likes to talk to her sink?
Yeah, Allie's life does sound like a rather ludicrous soap opera, hey? And it sort of reads as one, since Allie acts like a girl who has something to prove. The Alliance is afraid of her because she holds the power of light and dark, on a scale that may be greater than Zayvion's (who is a Guardian of the Gates), but Allie is almost too stubborn to take the training properly, making her dangerous since she has a hard time controlling her magic. Now that they are recognized Soul Complements (magic users who, on top of being able to use their magic in such a way to enhance the other's powers, are also able to touch each other's minds in the process - a technique that is rare and has the tendency to drive the couple involved insane) they are even more dangerous. And Allie can't even take that seriously.
The storyline is interesting. Some of the people are interesting. But the rest of the time they're angsty and read like teenagers. I keep thinking that they're around my age, but they're not (I think they're in their early 20s?) and that makes a world of difference. And the main thing that annoys me, is that when Allie is thinking sex, she can't keep her head in the game.
I'm hoping that now that Allie is taking self-defense training and magic training that it'll make her a more capable character who won't rely on her tough girl attitude to bluff her way through situations. I just hope she doesn't turn in to a character with superhero abilities.
I've already started book 4, Magic in the Storm, so I hope that I'm not getting in to things that haven't started since the end of book 3.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Shalador's Lady
Shalador's Lady, by Anne Bishop, was a much anticipated continuation of the Black Jewels series that I've read in the past. The Shadow Queen (the previous book in the series) started the story of Lady Cassidy and Gray, with this book continuing the story.
In this story, Theran Grayhaven has met Cassidy's rival, Lady Kermilla, and is determined to put Kermilla into position as Queen of Dena Nehele. Cassidy is devastated when she learns this and runs away to Shalador, leaving her rival at Grayhaven. Kermilla uses Cassidy's absence to abuse the staff, rack up huge bills with the local merchants and cause trouble. However, in Shalador, Cassidy used her time to help enrich the land and the lives of the people around her. Even Gray has started to flourish with the help of Daemon Sadi's tutelage and has taken it upon himself to learn the role of First Escort to prevent his cousin from disbanding Cassidy's court.
When Cassidy split Dena Nehele into two with her own Territory to rule (Shalador Nehele), the Warlords in the provinces left behind quickly join ranks with her. The ones who do not give Theran an ultimatum: get rid of Kermilla or lose Grayhaven. Since Kermilla has caused many of the Warlords to remember what it was like to live under the rule of bad Queens, the Warlords refuse to serve under her. Taking Talon's advice, Theran breaks his own heart instead of breaking his honour.
While I think this story will continue, I think that Gray and Cassidy (as the main characters) are finished - now that Theran has a new Queen, a Sceltie by the name of Lady Rhahn.
I really like Anne Bishop's books - all of them. She has strong female characters and tender males (which, I'll be honest, confuse me sometimes). I'm used to male authors who have graphic war scenes; however, with Anne Bishop, her war scenes are more anti-climatic, simply because the issues are solved in only a page. As such, I feel almost cheated when, instead of going to war, Cassidy's Steward solves the issue by dividing the Territory.
Another disclaimer: the later books are milder than the first three. The witches in the Dark Jewels Trilogy are much crueler and the rule under those Queens involved rape and torture to control their subjects. Sometimes graphic, sometimes just implied, it is a way of life for the characters until Jaenelle created the Witch-Storm. So, if you can't stomach that sort of thing, don't read the Trilogy. It is possible to fully enjoy the series without having read the Trilogy.
Having said that, I would call this a chick lit series as there is a huge focus on family and family ties. There is brotherhood between brothers, comrades and strangers with common goals. Though the men can rise to "the killing edge" they are also quick to rein in their brothers, as well as offer advice and friendship which is something that you don't normally see in books with warriors. Unless it's written by a female author. The one thing that I think the author has nailed is the dynamics of female cattiness and female friendships.
While I do recommend the book and the series, I do think a reader's preferences for a series should be taken into account. I personally really enjoy the series, but others may not.
In this story, Theran Grayhaven has met Cassidy's rival, Lady Kermilla, and is determined to put Kermilla into position as Queen of Dena Nehele. Cassidy is devastated when she learns this and runs away to Shalador, leaving her rival at Grayhaven. Kermilla uses Cassidy's absence to abuse the staff, rack up huge bills with the local merchants and cause trouble. However, in Shalador, Cassidy used her time to help enrich the land and the lives of the people around her. Even Gray has started to flourish with the help of Daemon Sadi's tutelage and has taken it upon himself to learn the role of First Escort to prevent his cousin from disbanding Cassidy's court.
When Cassidy split Dena Nehele into two with her own Territory to rule (Shalador Nehele), the Warlords in the provinces left behind quickly join ranks with her. The ones who do not give Theran an ultimatum: get rid of Kermilla or lose Grayhaven. Since Kermilla has caused many of the Warlords to remember what it was like to live under the rule of bad Queens, the Warlords refuse to serve under her. Taking Talon's advice, Theran breaks his own heart instead of breaking his honour.
While I think this story will continue, I think that Gray and Cassidy (as the main characters) are finished - now that Theran has a new Queen, a Sceltie by the name of Lady Rhahn.
I really like Anne Bishop's books - all of them. She has strong female characters and tender males (which, I'll be honest, confuse me sometimes). I'm used to male authors who have graphic war scenes; however, with Anne Bishop, her war scenes are more anti-climatic, simply because the issues are solved in only a page. As such, I feel almost cheated when, instead of going to war, Cassidy's Steward solves the issue by dividing the Territory.
Another disclaimer: the later books are milder than the first three. The witches in the Dark Jewels Trilogy are much crueler and the rule under those Queens involved rape and torture to control their subjects. Sometimes graphic, sometimes just implied, it is a way of life for the characters until Jaenelle created the Witch-Storm. So, if you can't stomach that sort of thing, don't read the Trilogy. It is possible to fully enjoy the series without having read the Trilogy.
Having said that, I would call this a chick lit series as there is a huge focus on family and family ties. There is brotherhood between brothers, comrades and strangers with common goals. Though the men can rise to "the killing edge" they are also quick to rein in their brothers, as well as offer advice and friendship which is something that you don't normally see in books with warriors. Unless it's written by a female author. The one thing that I think the author has nailed is the dynamics of female cattiness and female friendships.
While I do recommend the book and the series, I do think a reader's preferences for a series should be taken into account. I personally really enjoy the series, but others may not.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Magic in the Blood
Magic in the Blood is the second book in Devon Monk's Allie Beckstrom series.
In this book, Allie still hasn't recovered her lost memories of Zayvion Jones, but her physical reaction to him makes her think that she had fallen hard for him. She also starts to see ghost-like apparitions when she is casting magic. Unfortunately, they can see her and their touch can steal magic from her and leave a rash-like wound behind. On top of that, she's being stalked by a thug out of prison who will kill her if she doesn't deliver a fellow Hound, Martin Pike, to him. Allie is also approached by the MERC side of the police to Hound a job involving some missing girls. Overwhelmed, she goes to visit her father's grave, but her magic reveals that the coffin is empty.
Allie goes to a Hound meeting to speak with Pike and ends up with one of the members promising back up while she's working. Afterwards, her Hounding job goes bad when the ghosts show up and jump her. And the blood magic she finds at the scene of the crime belongs to her friend Pike, but as it feels wrong, Allie is determined to find out what really happened. A meeting with Zay explains the ghosts as the remnants of magic users in the past. While on her way to meet with the police, Allie is magically called to visit the thug - and sees a critically wounded Pike along the way. Retracing his steps, Allie finds a few dead bodies along the way and finishes the thug herself. Pike's dying words about a doctor having her blood leads her to Hound her own scent to an abandoned warehouse.
In the warehouse is Pike's protege, Anthony, along with the missing girls. And her father's body. The doctor shows up and attempts to open a gate between the living and dead using her and her father's blood. All hell breaks loose as Allie's father's spirit attempts to possess her body to stop the doctor. In the end they win, but Allie loses memories of her father in the warehouse. Zayvion lobbied on her behalf to gain Allie entrance into his secret magic club and Allie is glad to learn magic that would allow her to gain control of her powers.
This book is interesting. I like several things about this book: how any magic used has a price - whether it's a cold or headache; the Veiled creatures; and how Allie's father tried to possess her. I like how Allie is a magical conduit, with her arms having a positive and negative end - despite how everyone else in that book is determined that it isn't possible.
And that is also what I don't like about it. Allie is a smart-talking lone wolf (not literally - not weres in this book!) how is almost obsessively anti-social. She chalks it all up to being a Hound, but she has some serious trust issues that I hope she grows out of. I get how she doesn't trust Zayvion - how could she when she's forgotten him? - but it's a little painful to watch, especially since he is aware that she doesn't trust him either. She also gets thrust into a leadership position by her fellow Hounds and immediately has an uprising as one of the younger female Hounds storms out stating she'll never follow her. The younger Hound's issues stem from jealousy - how annoying.
I think I'll read the next book (Magic in the Shadows) in this series immediately. The next book after that (Magic on the Storm) is out May 4th, so I might as well catch up on this series ASAP.
In this book, Allie still hasn't recovered her lost memories of Zayvion Jones, but her physical reaction to him makes her think that she had fallen hard for him. She also starts to see ghost-like apparitions when she is casting magic. Unfortunately, they can see her and their touch can steal magic from her and leave a rash-like wound behind. On top of that, she's being stalked by a thug out of prison who will kill her if she doesn't deliver a fellow Hound, Martin Pike, to him. Allie is also approached by the MERC side of the police to Hound a job involving some missing girls. Overwhelmed, she goes to visit her father's grave, but her magic reveals that the coffin is empty.
Allie goes to a Hound meeting to speak with Pike and ends up with one of the members promising back up while she's working. Afterwards, her Hounding job goes bad when the ghosts show up and jump her. And the blood magic she finds at the scene of the crime belongs to her friend Pike, but as it feels wrong, Allie is determined to find out what really happened. A meeting with Zay explains the ghosts as the remnants of magic users in the past. While on her way to meet with the police, Allie is magically called to visit the thug - and sees a critically wounded Pike along the way. Retracing his steps, Allie finds a few dead bodies along the way and finishes the thug herself. Pike's dying words about a doctor having her blood leads her to Hound her own scent to an abandoned warehouse.
In the warehouse is Pike's protege, Anthony, along with the missing girls. And her father's body. The doctor shows up and attempts to open a gate between the living and dead using her and her father's blood. All hell breaks loose as Allie's father's spirit attempts to possess her body to stop the doctor. In the end they win, but Allie loses memories of her father in the warehouse. Zayvion lobbied on her behalf to gain Allie entrance into his secret magic club and Allie is glad to learn magic that would allow her to gain control of her powers.
This book is interesting. I like several things about this book: how any magic used has a price - whether it's a cold or headache; the Veiled creatures; and how Allie's father tried to possess her. I like how Allie is a magical conduit, with her arms having a positive and negative end - despite how everyone else in that book is determined that it isn't possible.
And that is also what I don't like about it. Allie is a smart-talking lone wolf (not literally - not weres in this book!) how is almost obsessively anti-social. She chalks it all up to being a Hound, but she has some serious trust issues that I hope she grows out of. I get how she doesn't trust Zayvion - how could she when she's forgotten him? - but it's a little painful to watch, especially since he is aware that she doesn't trust him either. She also gets thrust into a leadership position by her fellow Hounds and immediately has an uprising as one of the younger female Hounds storms out stating she'll never follow her. The younger Hound's issues stem from jealousy - how annoying.
I think I'll read the next book (Magic in the Shadows) in this series immediately. The next book after that (Magic on the Storm) is out May 4th, so I might as well catch up on this series ASAP.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Silver Borne
In Silver Borne, book five of this series, Patricia Briggs returns to the Tri-Cities and my favourite coyote-shifter, Mercy Thompson.
Unfortunately, a date with Adam goes bad after Mercy realizes that someone in the pack was messing with her mate bonds. That same night, Samuel is taken to the hospital after a car accident and Mercy realizes that his Wolf counterpart, Sam, has taken control since Samuel tried to commit suicide. Mercy's attempt to keep Sam's condition secret gets found out after a Bounty Hunter tries to kill Sam at Mercy's garage. Fortunately, the police arrive with Adam and they notice that the warrant for Adam's arrest is forged.
Adam agrees that Sam deserves a chance to prove himself, but when Mercy and Sam go to return a book to its owner, the fae torch Mercy's home. Thinking Mercy was home, despite some of his pack knowing otherwise, Adam runs into Mercy's place looking for her and receives serious burns. After sorting out that mess, Mercy and Adam return back to his place and Mercy confronts Mary Jo. Unfortunately, Adam is challenged for the Alpha position while Mercy is occupied.
Adam takes care of that debacle and then promptly passes out from his injuries. And that's when Mercy finds out that Gabriel has been kidnapped by the fae, who tries to exchange him for the object that she carries. Knowing that Adam wouldn't approve, Mercy sets off with Jessie and Sam to meet Zee and another fae, Ariana (which means Silver). Ariana also happens to be a long-lost love of Samuel's. Seeing her gave him a reason to take back control of his wolf - it also gave him a new reason to keep on living. Using magic, Ariana locates Gabriel at a fairy mound and Zee creates a back entrance. Unfortunately, it was a trap and they are forced to bargain their freedom, which results in Mercy getting left behind. While attempting to force Mercy under thrall, Bran makes contact and helps Mercy out.
I absolutely love this series. Mercy is funny, she's outspoken and she bluffs her way through almost every situation. Honestly, I wish I could be as insightful and calm as Mercy. She confronts people as needed and with a clear head. And when that doesn't work, she shoots them. Seriously.
Here are two of my favourite quotes from this book:
After a dominance fight for the Alpha position between Adam and Paul:
and after Mercy gets captured by the fairy queen who is attempting to enslave her through hypnosis:
I have several reasons for those being my favourite quotes. In the first quote it shows Mercy's impulsiveness and protective nature (by shooting a man to prevent him from challenging Adam when he's injured) and it also shows Adam's respect and admiration for her (by backing up her order to the Pack).
The second quote just makes me laugh - especially when she states that she stopped paying attention to what was being said to her. It also shows her being quick-witted (both with the reference to the Bible verse, but also to her knowledge of fairy-lore).
I love the relationship between Adam and Mercy: it's still very new, but they would do anything to protect each other - even from themselves. Despite Mercy always getting in to trouble, she knows that Adam will always show up to rescue her. And I especially love the fact that though there is a relationship in this book, this isn't a paranormal romance!! As a friend described it, a paranormal romance is urban fantasy whose storyline wouldn't be able to stand on its own without the relationship. And I'd like to say that as much as I like Adam and Mercy together, they were friends first in this series and if their relationship had never evolved, the story could've kept going.
I think this series could be appreciated by many people. While there is sex in the series, it's fairly mild and left mostly to your own imagination, as it should be. If you like smart female leads (as I do) you'll like this series. A good friend of mine borrowed the first book thinking she couldn't make fun of it without reading it first - and she's since asked me for the rest of the books. :)
Just read it, it's cute.
Unfortunately, a date with Adam goes bad after Mercy realizes that someone in the pack was messing with her mate bonds. That same night, Samuel is taken to the hospital after a car accident and Mercy realizes that his Wolf counterpart, Sam, has taken control since Samuel tried to commit suicide. Mercy's attempt to keep Sam's condition secret gets found out after a Bounty Hunter tries to kill Sam at Mercy's garage. Fortunately, the police arrive with Adam and they notice that the warrant for Adam's arrest is forged.
Adam agrees that Sam deserves a chance to prove himself, but when Mercy and Sam go to return a book to its owner, the fae torch Mercy's home. Thinking Mercy was home, despite some of his pack knowing otherwise, Adam runs into Mercy's place looking for her and receives serious burns. After sorting out that mess, Mercy and Adam return back to his place and Mercy confronts Mary Jo. Unfortunately, Adam is challenged for the Alpha position while Mercy is occupied.
Adam takes care of that debacle and then promptly passes out from his injuries. And that's when Mercy finds out that Gabriel has been kidnapped by the fae, who tries to exchange him for the object that she carries. Knowing that Adam wouldn't approve, Mercy sets off with Jessie and Sam to meet Zee and another fae, Ariana (which means Silver). Ariana also happens to be a long-lost love of Samuel's. Seeing her gave him a reason to take back control of his wolf - it also gave him a new reason to keep on living. Using magic, Ariana locates Gabriel at a fairy mound and Zee creates a back entrance. Unfortunately, it was a trap and they are forced to bargain their freedom, which results in Mercy getting left behind. While attempting to force Mercy under thrall, Bran makes contact and helps Mercy out.
I absolutely love this series. Mercy is funny, she's outspoken and she bluffs her way through almost every situation. Honestly, I wish I could be as insightful and calm as Mercy. She confronts people as needed and with a clear head. And when that doesn't work, she shoots them. Seriously.
Here are two of my favourite quotes from this book:
After a dominance fight for the Alpha position between Adam and Paul:
I'd been keeping an eye on Henry throughout the fight. I glanced at him just as he stepped up to the mat.
"Alpha," he called. "I chal-"
He never got the whole word out - because I drew my foster father's SIG and shot him in the throat before he could.
For a split second everyone stared at him, as if they couldn't figure out where all the blood had come from.
"Stop the bleeding," I said. Though I made no move to do it myself. The rat could die for all I cared. "That was a lead bullet. He'll be fine." Though he wouldn't be talking-or challenging Adam-for a while. "When he's stable, put him in the holding cell, where he can't do any more harm."
Adam looked at me. "Trust you to bring a gun to a fistfight," he said with every evidence of admiration. Then he looked at his pack. Our pack. "What she said," he told them. (page 248)
and after Mercy gets captured by the fairy queen who is attempting to enslave her through hypnosis:
The fairy queen had continued to talk in my head, but I wasn't paying attention to what she said.
"Whom do you serve?" she asked aloud....Not as though she were interested in the answer.
"'Choose this day whom you will serve....But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.'" It seemed appropriate to quote [the Book of] Joshua at her.
"What?" she asked, startled.
"What were you expecting me to answer?" I asked, feeling a little let down. Some of the very old fae react poorly to scripture, but this one didn't seem to mind-not the scriptures anyway. (page 317-318)
I have several reasons for those being my favourite quotes. In the first quote it shows Mercy's impulsiveness and protective nature (by shooting a man to prevent him from challenging Adam when he's injured) and it also shows Adam's respect and admiration for her (by backing up her order to the Pack).
The second quote just makes me laugh - especially when she states that she stopped paying attention to what was being said to her. It also shows her being quick-witted (both with the reference to the Bible verse, but also to her knowledge of fairy-lore).
I love the relationship between Adam and Mercy: it's still very new, but they would do anything to protect each other - even from themselves. Despite Mercy always getting in to trouble, she knows that Adam will always show up to rescue her. And I especially love the fact that though there is a relationship in this book, this isn't a paranormal romance!! As a friend described it, a paranormal romance is urban fantasy whose storyline wouldn't be able to stand on its own without the relationship. And I'd like to say that as much as I like Adam and Mercy together, they were friends first in this series and if their relationship had never evolved, the story could've kept going.
I think this series could be appreciated by many people. While there is sex in the series, it's fairly mild and left mostly to your own imagination, as it should be. If you like smart female leads (as I do) you'll like this series. A good friend of mine borrowed the first book thinking she couldn't make fun of it without reading it first - and she's since asked me for the rest of the books. :)
Just read it, it's cute.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Reckoning
A couple notes first: I totally veered off reading "Fahrenheit 451" for a couple reasons. One, I was informed that the third (and final) book in a series I was reading was in, so of course this post is actually about that. Two, it's very "1984", in that its an older, dystopia-style book that takes a while to wrap my brain around. Three, I may be able to get back into it now that I've started reading "Twilight". I'm really not digging that book so much.
Now onto my real post.
The Reckoning, as I said earlier, is the third and final book in a young adult series by Kelley Armstrong. First, a quick recap, since I didn't review these books. This series features Chloe Saunders, a teenage girl who can see ghosts. Unfortunately, she became brutally aware of this fact after she was traumatized at school by the ghost of a formal janitor. After being sent to the psych ward, it was suggested that she go to a special school where she could be treated for schizophrenia. While there she meets other teenagers being treated for various mental disorders. One of the guys suggests that she isn't schizophrenia...she's a necromancer.
After that, things get interesting. The teenagers break out, get caught, escape, and finally meet up a contact that can help them. And that's where book three comes in.
This review is a little harder to do since it is in the middle of the story and it'll be a little harder to explain without going back to everything and I can't avoid spoiling at least a little of the story for those who haven't read it yet.
Chloe, Derek, Simon & Tori are being housed in a safe house from the Edison group with a friend of Kit's (Derek & Simon's father), by the name of Andrew. However, despite knowing that they're genetically modified supernaturals, Andrew & his fellow rebels can't help but be afraid of the powers that the teens are displaying. A freak encounter between Chloe, Derek & a couple of werewolves turns out to have been a staged event by someone claiming to help them. And that someone doesn't care if they end up dead.
A betrayal at the safe house causes the teenagers to end up back at the Edison group hospital, where Chloe learns her aunt is still alive, but held captive. Chloe frees a demi-demon to save herself and Kit finally makes an appearance.
This review probably makes no sense, and probably sounds super anti-climatic. Which, in fact, it was. I liked the story overall, especially how it ended between Derek & Chloe, but it really felt unfinished. The story ended with them being on the run. A story can't end like that since there's always the chance of them getting caught - either by the bad guys or by the good guys.
This story had a lot of the same threads as her other series, The Women of the Otherworld: werewolves, witches, sorcerors & necromancers. I kept expecting to read about Paige or Elena showing up as a mentor. Especially with the book feeling unfinished, maybe they'll cross paths in a future book.
With Chloe being a necromancer, this book was pretty spooky & gory at times. She really grew stronger and more self-confident through the series and it's really apparent when she meets up with her aunt again. In fact, Chloe mourns her own loss of innocence for her aunt's sake.
Overall? I think if you like The Women of the Otherworld series, you'd like this. It's very cute & innocent when it comes to teenage love. It's about self-sufficiency and the bonds of friendship to overcome obstacles.
I also need to get better at writing endings for my reviews. :)
Now onto my real post.
The Reckoning, as I said earlier, is the third and final book in a young adult series by Kelley Armstrong. First, a quick recap, since I didn't review these books. This series features Chloe Saunders, a teenage girl who can see ghosts. Unfortunately, she became brutally aware of this fact after she was traumatized at school by the ghost of a formal janitor. After being sent to the psych ward, it was suggested that she go to a special school where she could be treated for schizophrenia. While there she meets other teenagers being treated for various mental disorders. One of the guys suggests that she isn't schizophrenia...she's a necromancer.
After that, things get interesting. The teenagers break out, get caught, escape, and finally meet up a contact that can help them. And that's where book three comes in.
This review is a little harder to do since it is in the middle of the story and it'll be a little harder to explain without going back to everything and I can't avoid spoiling at least a little of the story for those who haven't read it yet.
Chloe, Derek, Simon & Tori are being housed in a safe house from the Edison group with a friend of Kit's (Derek & Simon's father), by the name of Andrew. However, despite knowing that they're genetically modified supernaturals, Andrew & his fellow rebels can't help but be afraid of the powers that the teens are displaying. A freak encounter between Chloe, Derek & a couple of werewolves turns out to have been a staged event by someone claiming to help them. And that someone doesn't care if they end up dead.
A betrayal at the safe house causes the teenagers to end up back at the Edison group hospital, where Chloe learns her aunt is still alive, but held captive. Chloe frees a demi-demon to save herself and Kit finally makes an appearance.
This review probably makes no sense, and probably sounds super anti-climatic. Which, in fact, it was. I liked the story overall, especially how it ended between Derek & Chloe, but it really felt unfinished. The story ended with them being on the run. A story can't end like that since there's always the chance of them getting caught - either by the bad guys or by the good guys.
This story had a lot of the same threads as her other series, The Women of the Otherworld: werewolves, witches, sorcerors & necromancers. I kept expecting to read about Paige or Elena showing up as a mentor. Especially with the book feeling unfinished, maybe they'll cross paths in a future book.
With Chloe being a necromancer, this book was pretty spooky & gory at times. She really grew stronger and more self-confident through the series and it's really apparent when she meets up with her aunt again. In fact, Chloe mourns her own loss of innocence for her aunt's sake.
Overall? I think if you like The Women of the Otherworld series, you'd like this. It's very cute & innocent when it comes to teenage love. It's about self-sufficiency and the bonds of friendship to overcome obstacles.
I also need to get better at writing endings for my reviews. :)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Sweet Far Thing
"Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the World!
You, too, have come where the dim tides are hurled
Upon the wharves of sorrow, and heard ring
The bell that calls us on; the sweet far thing.
Beauty grown sad with its eternity
Made you of us, and of the dim grey sea.
Our long ships loose thought-woven sails and wait,
For God has bid them share an equal fate;
And when at last, defeated in His wars,
They have gone down under the same white stars,
We shall no longer hear the little cry
Of our sad hearts, that may not live nor die."
-From The Rose of Battle by W.B. Yeats
The third book in the Gemma Doyle series, The Sweet Far Thing (Libba Bray), is a voyage of self-discovery as Gemma and her friends approach their debut; a rite of passage for English ladies from children into womanhood.
Gemma tries to unravel the mystery of Wilhemina Wyatt, a former Spence girl who has been appearing to her in visions with the note "The Tree of All Souls lives". To learn more about the Tree of All Souls, Gemma speaks with Circe, an enemy trapped within the well of eternity who was put there by Gemma in the previous book. However, while the door of light will not appear to Gemma, they discover another entrance in the rubble of the East Wing which has started to be rebuilt.
Unfortunately, the line between sanity & madness starts to blur after Gemma and her friends venture into the Winterlands: after which Gemma starts to see creatures from the realms in the human world. Men from the work camp start to go missing and trouble breaks out between the workers & the gypsies when symbols in blood are written on the new stones.
Can Gemma figure everything out before the magic drives her mad?
This book was definitely the longest and had the most information in it. Due to that fact, it took longer for me to read, making it difficult for me to even remember my favourite quotes (which, you'd think by now, I'd start marking with post-its). The first book delved into choices & their consequences; the second talked about secrets. This book covered both topics as well as self-discovery. It covered love & love lost; getting what you want from life instead of using "magic" to make it happen; courage & strength; and most importantly, loss. It was very fitting that the author ended this book with the debut of Gemma and Felicity into society, as this event marked a girl's entrance into womanhood.
This book also spends more times in the realms than the last one. A battle is brewing as the magic is leaking into the Winterlands from the Tree of All Souls. This is definitely the darkest book as the characters are forced to face their deepest fears and desires to gain what they want most. The story turns spooky when Gemma starts to see things that no one else can and has what others think of as fits of madness. And when Pippa starts to talk about herself as being the Chosen One.
The ending is sad & a little heartrending, but I don't think it was possible to end any other way. I'm sure I'll kick myself for not mentioning this-or-that later, but like I said, this book was the largest and has definitely been my favourite. I'm happy to say that the final books lived up to the expectations of the first and that the story progressed without cheating the readers or making light of the situations at hand. It also ended on a hopeful note: about a girl choosing her own destiny in an era where that was unheard of.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Rebel Angels
The title of the book Rebel Angels (by Libba Bray) was inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost, a poem about the angel Lucifer trying to overthrow heaven.
In this second book of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, the girls are back and dreaming about Christmas; all except for Ann who, due to a lack of family, will be staying behind at Spence. Felicity comes up with the genius idea of reinventing Ann as the long-lost niece of some Duke who can trace their ancestry back to Russian royalty so she can enjoy the wonders of the London elite as well.
There is a mysterious new teacher at Spence, Miss McCleethy, who seems to have an immediate dislike for Gemma. Her very presence also causes Gemma to slip into horrifying visions of three girls in white dresses, who are obviously ghosts. Gemma, Felicity and Ann discover that they can still enter the realms and that Pippa is there! However, Kartik warns Gemma that by smashing the runes she loosed the magic in the realms for anyone to use; therefore she must find the Temple and bind the magic to the Eastern Star, which, unbeknownst to Gemma, would allow the Rakshana to control the magic. Kartik is also told that once she has done this, he is to kill her.
Upon their return to London, Gemma meets a young man, Simon Middleton, who is the son of a Viscount and who takes an immediate liking to her. Ann is met with smashing success and treated kindly. Felicity discovers that her father is home again and that her young distant cousin, Polly, has been orphaned and will be staying at her house.
However, Gemma's visions turn more horrifying as they also show Pippa as a creature of the realms. The ghosts plague her even more and she discovers Nell Hawkins, a member of the Order, in Bedlam. After meeting her, Gemma learns that Nell has deliberately driven herself mad to prevent Circe from discovering where the Temple is. Miss McCleethy is also in London and following her leads the girls to a bookstore where she purchases a book on secret societies. Reading the book they discover that many member of the Order use anagrams of their names when in hiding. They also learn that Claire McCleethy spells out: They Call Me Circe.
Each trip into the realm shows the garden growing more wild and dangerous as they discover that other creatures also live in the realms: the water nymphs who lure you into the water for your skin; the gorgon head that has been spelled onto a boat who may not cause harm or lie to a member of the Order but who also lies by omission; the horrible skeleton warriors; and even ghosts who have yet to pass that have been tempted into staying and are heading into the Winterlands.
However, the mad ramblings of Nell offer light as to where the Temple may be found:
In this second book of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, the girls are back and dreaming about Christmas; all except for Ann who, due to a lack of family, will be staying behind at Spence. Felicity comes up with the genius idea of reinventing Ann as the long-lost niece of some Duke who can trace their ancestry back to Russian royalty so she can enjoy the wonders of the London elite as well.
There is a mysterious new teacher at Spence, Miss McCleethy, who seems to have an immediate dislike for Gemma. Her very presence also causes Gemma to slip into horrifying visions of three girls in white dresses, who are obviously ghosts. Gemma, Felicity and Ann discover that they can still enter the realms and that Pippa is there! However, Kartik warns Gemma that by smashing the runes she loosed the magic in the realms for anyone to use; therefore she must find the Temple and bind the magic to the Eastern Star, which, unbeknownst to Gemma, would allow the Rakshana to control the magic. Kartik is also told that once she has done this, he is to kill her.
Upon their return to London, Gemma meets a young man, Simon Middleton, who is the son of a Viscount and who takes an immediate liking to her. Ann is met with smashing success and treated kindly. Felicity discovers that her father is home again and that her young distant cousin, Polly, has been orphaned and will be staying at her house.
However, Gemma's visions turn more horrifying as they also show Pippa as a creature of the realms. The ghosts plague her even more and she discovers Nell Hawkins, a member of the Order, in Bedlam. After meeting her, Gemma learns that Nell has deliberately driven herself mad to prevent Circe from discovering where the Temple is. Miss McCleethy is also in London and following her leads the girls to a bookstore where she purchases a book on secret societies. Reading the book they discover that many member of the Order use anagrams of their names when in hiding. They also learn that Claire McCleethy spells out: They Call Me Circe.
Each trip into the realm shows the garden growing more wild and dangerous as they discover that other creatures also live in the realms: the water nymphs who lure you into the water for your skin; the gorgon head that has been spelled onto a boat who may not cause harm or lie to a member of the Order but who also lies by omission; the horrible skeleton warriors; and even ghosts who have yet to pass that have been tempted into staying and are heading into the Winterlands.
However, the mad ramblings of Nell offer light as to where the Temple may be found:
Like I said after reading A Great and Terrible Beauty, I was terrified to read this story for fear that my expectations would be set so high that this book couldn't possibly live up to them."Where shall we go, maidens? Where shall we go? You must leave the garden. Leave it behind with a sad farewell. Down the river on the gorgon's grace, past the clutches of the slippery, nippery nymphs. Through the golden mist of magic. Meet the folk of the fair Forest of Lights. The arrows, the arrows, you must use wisely and well. But save one. Save one for me. For I shall have need of it. ...
"Offer hope to the Untouchables, for they must have hope. Travel on, far beyond the lotus blossoms. Follow the path. Yes, stick to the path, maidens. For they can lead you stray, away, with false promises. Beware the Poppy Warriors. The Poppy Warriors steal your strength. they will gobble you up. Gobble, gobble! ...
"Do not leave the path, for it is hard to find again once lost. And they will take song to the rock. Do not let the song die. You must be careful with beauty. Beauty must pass. There are dark shadows of spirits. Just beyond the Borderlands, where the lone tree stands and the sky turns to blood...in the Winterlands they plot and plan with Circe. They will not rest till the army is raised and the realms are theirs to rule."Go where no one will, where it is forbidden, offer hope....go where the dark hides a mirror of water. Face your fear and bind the magic fast to you!" (pgs 360-361)
In essence, I was right.
However, this book did not try to do what the last one did. I believe that the last book was of choices and living with the consequences of them. In this book, the underlying theme was secrets and lies: Gemma's family is falling apart because her father is addicted to laudanum; however, they are not to speak of it. Ann's experiences in London is because of a huge secret. Felicity's behaviour toward Polly and her parents is due to yet more secrets. Kartik has a secret mission from the Rakshana that was divulged in the beginning of the book.
This book explored more of the realms and the horrible burden of trying to live a lie; to pretend that a girl is what she seems to be: a girl but one who doesn't have a terrible secret that could ruin them in society's eyes. You learn that there is more to each person than what you'd expect. Like Felicity and the secret to why she is the way she is. Gemma's dysfunctional family and irritation brother, Tom, are more of a focal point and how they rally together to hide their father's laudanum addiction. Even beautiful Pippa, the independent Miss Moore, priggish Miss McCleethy and mad Nell are not what you expect.
This book was fantastic and I'm happy to say that I'm looking forward to the third and final book in this trilogy: The Sweet Far Thing, which, I'm sure, will be as well written and enjoyable as the first two. However, I am curious to discover the underlying theme in that book as well.
Monday, March 1, 2010
My Soul To Save
My Soul To Save is the second book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series.
Our heroine is Kaylee Cavanaugh, a 16 year old who discovered in the last book that she's bean-sidhe - or in English, banshee. One of the side effects of being bean-sidhe is that Kaylee has an uncontrollable tendency to scream hysterically when someone nearby is about to die. Her boyfriend Nash is bean-sidhe as well, and his voice can calm her down, not to mention Influence others.
At a concert Kaylee & Nash watch as the star, Eden, drops dead; however, Kaylee doesn't scream. As a Soul Screamer, Kaylee realizes that Eden has no soul to sing for because it has been bartered away to a hellion in exchange for fame and fortune. When they learn that the opening act, Addison Page, is next, they go on a wild hunt to retrieve her soul before her time is up.
I like this series for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is the bean-sidhe concept. I'm always sold on an idea that has a different take. The second reason is that the main character is an outcast. At high school she is labelled a freak by her popular cousin and her cheerleading clique.
Though Kaylee has a big heart and an apparently steel spine that may get her killed one day, I find that strength a little hard to swallow. Risking her life for someone she doesn't know? It is explained away as making up for those she couldn't save in the previous book, but her altruistic abilities, while commendable, aren't very realistic.
The sexual tension is this book can get pretty thick at times between Kaylee and Nash. While they both want it, it is really only poor timing and a little insecurity that keep them from going all the way (read: Nash is/was a man whore and Kaylee is worried about him losing interest if they do the deed). Granted, it is toned down some from the previous book.
I've had discussions with Vyxen about teen sexuality in the past and we have differing ideas.
Mine: I prefer it to be practically nonexistent; if I want to read about sex, I'll read an adult romance. I think it's cute when they act shy around eachother and when holding their crush's hand is a huge accomplishment. I am also not a teenager.
Hers: it is a huge issue nowadays and should be discussed; they do want it, so why not present it in an elightened way to show teens that they have options when it comes to dealing with sex.
She has a good point and while I personally am not a big fan of teen sex, I'm also not the target audience since I haven't been a teenager for nearly 10 years. (Though neither has Vyxen.)
It will definitely happen for those characters, but I hope it's done in a tasteful and smart (ie, birth control & condoms) manner. I think Kaylee also needs to learn to let up a little on her self-doubt before that ever happens. Otherwise I predict bitter fights.
Another reason I like the book is because the main character doesn't know a thing about being bean-sidhe so she's learning from her boyfriend's mom. The bonus being that the reader learns about it at the same time without it seeming dumbed down for the readers.
I also like the main character is this series way more than the main character in Rachel Vincent's other series, Shifters. She even gets grounded for being out late (saving lives), so at least she doesn't have a free ticket just because she's supernatural.
Note: Vyxen left me this message about what she has to say about teen sex:
"I have to say that I don't advocate it. I, in fact, adore Meyer for having her characters abstain until marriage. I think you have to be hugely responsible as a YA author, these days, and present information. I also think that this information should be presented to a strong female protagonist (actually, though. Not some half wit we see as strong initially, only to find out that she is "nothing without her man." [Cough]BellaSwan[/Cough]) who, wisely, says no to her suitor and isn't judged a prude because of it. I want "no" to be an okay option is all. (But I don't want an author to candy coat life, either. I'm all for kids being kids, but this is a big deal.)
YAs won't read novels that present a fluffy world. It's insulting to their intelligence and generally pisses them off. I figure don't hide the real world and recognize that, for the most part, they're smart enough to make their own decisions, we just have to equip them with whatever knowledge we can."
I stand corrected. :)
Our heroine is Kaylee Cavanaugh, a 16 year old who discovered in the last book that she's bean-sidhe - or in English, banshee. One of the side effects of being bean-sidhe is that Kaylee has an uncontrollable tendency to scream hysterically when someone nearby is about to die. Her boyfriend Nash is bean-sidhe as well, and his voice can calm her down, not to mention Influence others.
At a concert Kaylee & Nash watch as the star, Eden, drops dead; however, Kaylee doesn't scream. As a Soul Screamer, Kaylee realizes that Eden has no soul to sing for because it has been bartered away to a hellion in exchange for fame and fortune. When they learn that the opening act, Addison Page, is next, they go on a wild hunt to retrieve her soul before her time is up.
I like this series for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is the bean-sidhe concept. I'm always sold on an idea that has a different take. The second reason is that the main character is an outcast. At high school she is labelled a freak by her popular cousin and her cheerleading clique.
Though Kaylee has a big heart and an apparently steel spine that may get her killed one day, I find that strength a little hard to swallow. Risking her life for someone she doesn't know? It is explained away as making up for those she couldn't save in the previous book, but her altruistic abilities, while commendable, aren't very realistic.
The sexual tension is this book can get pretty thick at times between Kaylee and Nash. While they both want it, it is really only poor timing and a little insecurity that keep them from going all the way (read: Nash is/was a man whore and Kaylee is worried about him losing interest if they do the deed). Granted, it is toned down some from the previous book.
I've had discussions with Vyxen about teen sexuality in the past and we have differing ideas.
Mine: I prefer it to be practically nonexistent; if I want to read about sex, I'll read an adult romance. I think it's cute when they act shy around eachother and when holding their crush's hand is a huge accomplishment. I am also not a teenager.
Hers: it is a huge issue nowadays and should be discussed; they do want it, so why not present it in an elightened way to show teens that they have options when it comes to dealing with sex.
She has a good point and while I personally am not a big fan of teen sex, I'm also not the target audience since I haven't been a teenager for nearly 10 years. (Though neither has Vyxen.)
It will definitely happen for those characters, but I hope it's done in a tasteful and smart (ie, birth control & condoms) manner. I think Kaylee also needs to learn to let up a little on her self-doubt before that ever happens. Otherwise I predict bitter fights.
Another reason I like the book is because the main character doesn't know a thing about being bean-sidhe so she's learning from her boyfriend's mom. The bonus being that the reader learns about it at the same time without it seeming dumbed down for the readers.
I also like the main character is this series way more than the main character in Rachel Vincent's other series, Shifters. She even gets grounded for being out late (saving lives), so at least she doesn't have a free ticket just because she's supernatural.
Note: Vyxen left me this message about what she has to say about teen sex:
"I have to say that I don't advocate it. I, in fact, adore Meyer for having her characters abstain until marriage. I think you have to be hugely responsible as a YA author, these days, and present information. I also think that this information should be presented to a strong female protagonist (actually, though. Not some half wit we see as strong initially, only to find out that she is "nothing without her man." [Cough]BellaSwan[/Cough]) who, wisely, says no to her suitor and isn't judged a prude because of it. I want "no" to be an okay option is all. (But I don't want an author to candy coat life, either. I'm all for kids being kids, but this is a big deal.)
YAs won't read novels that present a fluffy world. It's insulting to their intelligence and generally pisses them off. I figure don't hide the real world and recognize that, for the most part, they're smart enough to make their own decisions, we just have to equip them with whatever knowledge we can."
I stand corrected. :)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Bone Crossed
Bone Crossed is the 4th book in the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.
Mercedes (Mercy) is a VW mechanic who can also turn herself into a coyote at will. Unlike werewolves, Mercy's transformation is painless, instantaneous & she is not influenced by the moon. She is the acknowledged mate of the local werewolf pack's Alpha, Adam Hauptman, as well as a good friend of a powerful vampire, Stefan.
This is the first time that I've reviewed a book that is part of a series without doing the previous books first, so I'm not sure how this will go. Since this book is a continuation of the others, it might be difficult to review this book without going into the others.
I really like this series. Despite its similarities to the Anita Blake series from Laurell K. Hamilton (ie, creature of magic dating a werewolf and friends with vampires), Mercy has a more level head and though tough, she is not untouchable to relate to. She also doesn't sleep with every guy she encounters.
In this book in particular, Mercy leaves the Tri-Cities area at the request of a college friend, Amber, to look into Amber's haunted house in Spokane. Mercy's abilities as a skinwalker include an affinity for ghosts, which has been hinted at in previous books. This book explores, and explains, more about the ghosts that she can see. Another reason Mercy leaves town is so that she can escape Marsilia (local vampire queen) for a few days. After killing one of Marsilia's favourite henchmen, Andre (because he was crazy), Mercy gets a traitor's mark on the door of her garage.
While in Spokane, Mercy runs into the master vampire of Spokane at Amber's house. After finding the hauntings at Amber's to be real, she flees back to the Tri-Cities and ends up getting stuck in the middle of vampire politics.
This book really tied up a few loose ends from previous ones, and each book explains more and more of Mercy's abilities. There was also a traumatizing event at the end of the previous book; however, this book didn't dwell too much on it and there was healing and closure for Mercy.
I find Mercy to be a likable character: she's strong, funny and does what she will. She's frustrating to everyone that knows her and wishes her to obey, but I think that's part of the reason why I like her. She has a good heart, and will bleed herself dry for those she loves. Her new - yet not quite so new - relationship with Adam is endearing and her desire to fit in with everyone around her makes her someone that you can relate to.
Another book will be coming out in April 2010 called Silver Borne and I will definitely be buying it!
Mercedes (Mercy) is a VW mechanic who can also turn herself into a coyote at will. Unlike werewolves, Mercy's transformation is painless, instantaneous & she is not influenced by the moon. She is the acknowledged mate of the local werewolf pack's Alpha, Adam Hauptman, as well as a good friend of a powerful vampire, Stefan.
This is the first time that I've reviewed a book that is part of a series without doing the previous books first, so I'm not sure how this will go. Since this book is a continuation of the others, it might be difficult to review this book without going into the others.
I really like this series. Despite its similarities to the Anita Blake series from Laurell K. Hamilton (ie, creature of magic dating a werewolf and friends with vampires), Mercy has a more level head and though tough, she is not untouchable to relate to. She also doesn't sleep with every guy she encounters.
In this book in particular, Mercy leaves the Tri-Cities area at the request of a college friend, Amber, to look into Amber's haunted house in Spokane. Mercy's abilities as a skinwalker include an affinity for ghosts, which has been hinted at in previous books. This book explores, and explains, more about the ghosts that she can see. Another reason Mercy leaves town is so that she can escape Marsilia (local vampire queen) for a few days. After killing one of Marsilia's favourite henchmen, Andre (because he was crazy), Mercy gets a traitor's mark on the door of her garage.
While in Spokane, Mercy runs into the master vampire of Spokane at Amber's house. After finding the hauntings at Amber's to be real, she flees back to the Tri-Cities and ends up getting stuck in the middle of vampire politics.
This book really tied up a few loose ends from previous ones, and each book explains more and more of Mercy's abilities. There was also a traumatizing event at the end of the previous book; however, this book didn't dwell too much on it and there was healing and closure for Mercy.
I find Mercy to be a likable character: she's strong, funny and does what she will. She's frustrating to everyone that knows her and wishes her to obey, but I think that's part of the reason why I like her. She has a good heart, and will bleed herself dry for those she loves. Her new - yet not quite so new - relationship with Adam is endearing and her desire to fit in with everyone around her makes her someone that you can relate to.
Another book will be coming out in April 2010 called Silver Borne and I will definitely be buying it!
The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy
The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey follows the adventures of the soon-to-be sole Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron.
Vanyel is not your typical hero: he's pretty, he sings amazingly well, and wants nothing more than the love of his family. When his father banishes him from his home for being a coward, Vanyel dramatically thinks his life is over. Little does he know that his life has just begun. For it is away from his family that he realizes that he is shay-a-chern (ie, homosexual) and that he is in love with his mentor, Tylendel. Within a short period of time, they become life-bonded and are blissfully happy.
Until Tylendel goes insane after the death of his twin brother and seeks revenge against his enemies. As a result, his Companion (his horse-but-not-a-horse) repudiates him, dies in a fight to the death, and Tylendel kills himself. This in turn drives Vanyel to suicide, but is saved by his own Companion, since Tylendel's magic somehow ripped open the channels to Herald-Magery that were previously dormant in Vanyel.
All within the first half of the book.
Now what, I asked myself, could possibly be left? The answer: a lot of dramatics.
Despite being a lover of fantasy, this series, unfortunately, did not appeal to me. In general, I really liked the idea. However, and maybe because I read mainly male authors with a flair for warfare, I found this whole series to be anticlimatic. In each book, there is whining (although Vanyel does grow up, and while you can't blame him for mourning his lost love, it is incessant), and super cheesy lines.
When facing his first real enemy, the fellow hits on him, and wants him for his own. He even offers Vanyel a partnership if he joins him.
[Side note: This reminded me of the movie Labyrinth, where at the end the Goblin King offers the heroine his kingdom if she will love him and end her quest for her baby brother.]
Instead, Vanyel fries him with magic. And, does the same to his enemy in the second book. Seriously. I found the journey leading up the fight scene to be good. I found the dialogue, for the most part, to be entertaining. However, the anticlimatic scenes nearly killed me.
In the third book of the Trilogy, Mercedes Lackey even added a twist by revealing that Vanyel's lover, Stefan, was a re-incarnated Tylendel. However, she must really love having tortured souls as her heroes, since Vanyel ends up "dying" in his Last Strike against his enemy, Master Dark (honestly, that's what he called himself). Instead of a true death, Vanyel became a spirit that protected the Forest of Sorrows. He revealed himself to Stefan after Stefan went there to kill himself. However, Vanyel said that they could be together again in the distant future so Stefan, I'm sure, lived a lonely existence until he was an elderly man, when he was finally re-united with Vanyel.
I've read several books about soul mates (or life mates, or life bonded, or whatever the author chooses to call it) and it has never bothered me so much as it has in this series. Mainly because one partner has never died before. In her series, Mercedes Lackey essentially said if one half of the life bonded pair dies, the other half will never love someone else that way ever again. And not just the dramatic essence of it. They will never feel that strongly about someone else ever again. And they know it. And this makes me glad that we don't have those sorts of bonds in real life.
Criticism aside, I think the series is okay, and I've heard that her female leads in other books are strong women, so it could be just this single series that didn't appeal to me. I think that it could be that I'm used to a different style of writing as well, so went in with my normal fantasy expectations. I think that if I were younger too, it would have appealed to me more. Being the same age as Vanyel in his second book and hearing him constantly whine about his life made me lost some respect for him.
While I wouldn't extol the virtues of this book to others, I would probably suggest it if they weren't in to the fantasy books that I love.
Vanyel is not your typical hero: he's pretty, he sings amazingly well, and wants nothing more than the love of his family. When his father banishes him from his home for being a coward, Vanyel dramatically thinks his life is over. Little does he know that his life has just begun. For it is away from his family that he realizes that he is shay-a-chern (ie, homosexual) and that he is in love with his mentor, Tylendel. Within a short period of time, they become life-bonded and are blissfully happy.
Until Tylendel goes insane after the death of his twin brother and seeks revenge against his enemies. As a result, his Companion (his horse-but-not-a-horse) repudiates him, dies in a fight to the death, and Tylendel kills himself. This in turn drives Vanyel to suicide, but is saved by his own Companion, since Tylendel's magic somehow ripped open the channels to Herald-Magery that were previously dormant in Vanyel.
All within the first half of the book.
Now what, I asked myself, could possibly be left? The answer: a lot of dramatics.
Despite being a lover of fantasy, this series, unfortunately, did not appeal to me. In general, I really liked the idea. However, and maybe because I read mainly male authors with a flair for warfare, I found this whole series to be anticlimatic. In each book, there is whining (although Vanyel does grow up, and while you can't blame him for mourning his lost love, it is incessant), and super cheesy lines.
When facing his first real enemy, the fellow hits on him, and wants him for his own. He even offers Vanyel a partnership if he joins him.
[Side note: This reminded me of the movie Labyrinth, where at the end the Goblin King offers the heroine his kingdom if she will love him and end her quest for her baby brother.]
Instead, Vanyel fries him with magic. And, does the same to his enemy in the second book. Seriously. I found the journey leading up the fight scene to be good. I found the dialogue, for the most part, to be entertaining. However, the anticlimatic scenes nearly killed me.
In the third book of the Trilogy, Mercedes Lackey even added a twist by revealing that Vanyel's lover, Stefan, was a re-incarnated Tylendel. However, she must really love having tortured souls as her heroes, since Vanyel ends up "dying" in his Last Strike against his enemy, Master Dark (honestly, that's what he called himself). Instead of a true death, Vanyel became a spirit that protected the Forest of Sorrows. He revealed himself to Stefan after Stefan went there to kill himself. However, Vanyel said that they could be together again in the distant future so Stefan, I'm sure, lived a lonely existence until he was an elderly man, when he was finally re-united with Vanyel.
I've read several books about soul mates (or life mates, or life bonded, or whatever the author chooses to call it) and it has never bothered me so much as it has in this series. Mainly because one partner has never died before. In her series, Mercedes Lackey essentially said if one half of the life bonded pair dies, the other half will never love someone else that way ever again. And not just the dramatic essence of it. They will never feel that strongly about someone else ever again. And they know it. And this makes me glad that we don't have those sorts of bonds in real life.
Criticism aside, I think the series is okay, and I've heard that her female leads in other books are strong women, so it could be just this single series that didn't appeal to me. I think that it could be that I'm used to a different style of writing as well, so went in with my normal fantasy expectations. I think that if I were younger too, it would have appealed to me more. Being the same age as Vanyel in his second book and hearing him constantly whine about his life made me lost some respect for him.
While I wouldn't extol the virtues of this book to others, I would probably suggest it if they weren't in to the fantasy books that I love.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Stardust
First post of the New Year!
This is the first book that I've ever read by Neil Gaimon, much to Vyxen's shock and horror.
In this story, the half-fairy hero Tristran Thorn sets out on a fool's quest to find the fallen star for his one true love. Since he is not the only one searching, he must outwit his enemies to stay alive and to keep his star safe from their clutches. Along the way Tristran encounters witches, a unicorn, a cloud-sailing ship and receives help from a tree.
I was surprised and more than a little confused when I was reading this book. However, the story, no matter how obscure it seems at the time, flows together to wrap up in the end. Considering how the story begins (a female fae seducing a human male, although he is attached to a different female), I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into.
There does seem to be more to the book than what I got out of it. For example, there were references to the Unseelie court and the Castle Fellowship that I didn't understand. However, I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale, an errant knight on an impossible quest for his fair lady.
I'll definitely read this again at another point. And hopefully I'll manage to understand more of it next time!
This is the first book that I've ever read by Neil Gaimon, much to Vyxen's shock and horror.
In this story, the half-fairy hero Tristran Thorn sets out on a fool's quest to find the fallen star for his one true love. Since he is not the only one searching, he must outwit his enemies to stay alive and to keep his star safe from their clutches. Along the way Tristran encounters witches, a unicorn, a cloud-sailing ship and receives help from a tree.
I was surprised and more than a little confused when I was reading this book. However, the story, no matter how obscure it seems at the time, flows together to wrap up in the end. Considering how the story begins (a female fae seducing a human male, although he is attached to a different female), I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into.
There does seem to be more to the book than what I got out of it. For example, there were references to the Unseelie court and the Castle Fellowship that I didn't understand. However, I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale, an errant knight on an impossible quest for his fair lady.
I'll definitely read this again at another point. And hopefully I'll manage to understand more of it next time!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Greywalker
I just finally finished reading Greywalker by Kat Richardson. Loved it.
Harper Blaine, the heroine, is a private investigator who in the course of work died for 2 minutes. As a result, the paranormal realm "sticks" to her allowing her to walk with one foot in the daylight and one foot in the Grey.
As a heroine, Harper is witty and smart. You learn about walking in the Grey as she does, but the author doesn't dumb it down, and she also doesn't make the main character seem like a ditz or idiot in order to explain everything. In fact, since Harper's mentors include a two university professors (one of which is a witch - haha!) and so they have a tendency to overdo it with the science jargon.
Another thing I like: Harper catches on fast. There were times when I was practically yelling at the book, because the forshadowing was so strong that I was worried Harper was an idiot. Nope - instead, she was figuring it out as well, and was, in fact, two steps ahead. You don't follow all of Harper's moves, despite it being written in the first person.
One of the things that I found I didn't like was the action scenes. Things are flying out of nowhere and maybe it's a lack of imagination on my part, but I found myself lost when she was in the Grey and battling creatures. I'd have to wait until she spoke with her mentors to be able to actually understand what was happening.
Also, I found her a little hard to relate to, and even emotionally barren. She's a PI and thus needs to be able to keep her mouth shut on certain issues, but she does it at the cost of friendship. She also shuts out her (then - and maybe later) boyfriend, Will. Personally, I would've been a wreck, but she takes it in stride. She expresses fear and anger well enough, but not her softer side. But, that could just be me.
Overall? Loved it. I liked the paranormal suspense and liked the characters.
PS - I have a prediction: Quinton is a werewolf. Let's see if I'm right when I read the next book by Kat Richardson in her series: Poltergeist!
*** Fun Fact: Kat Richardson is on twitter! ***
Harper Blaine, the heroine, is a private investigator who in the course of work died for 2 minutes. As a result, the paranormal realm "sticks" to her allowing her to walk with one foot in the daylight and one foot in the Grey.
As a heroine, Harper is witty and smart. You learn about walking in the Grey as she does, but the author doesn't dumb it down, and she also doesn't make the main character seem like a ditz or idiot in order to explain everything. In fact, since Harper's mentors include a two university professors (one of which is a witch - haha!) and so they have a tendency to overdo it with the science jargon.
Another thing I like: Harper catches on fast. There were times when I was practically yelling at the book, because the forshadowing was so strong that I was worried Harper was an idiot. Nope - instead, she was figuring it out as well, and was, in fact, two steps ahead. You don't follow all of Harper's moves, despite it being written in the first person.
One of the things that I found I didn't like was the action scenes. Things are flying out of nowhere and maybe it's a lack of imagination on my part, but I found myself lost when she was in the Grey and battling creatures. I'd have to wait until she spoke with her mentors to be able to actually understand what was happening.
Also, I found her a little hard to relate to, and even emotionally barren. She's a PI and thus needs to be able to keep her mouth shut on certain issues, but she does it at the cost of friendship. She also shuts out her (then - and maybe later) boyfriend, Will. Personally, I would've been a wreck, but she takes it in stride. She expresses fear and anger well enough, but not her softer side. But, that could just be me.
Overall? Loved it. I liked the paranormal suspense and liked the characters.
PS - I have a prediction: Quinton is a werewolf. Let's see if I'm right when I read the next book by Kat Richardson in her series: Poltergeist!
*** Fun Fact: Kat Richardson is on twitter! ***
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Wayfinders: Update
Heya! So, I've finally finished The Wayfinders by Wade Davis and the review is written. It's in the process of being edited by my wonderful friend Vyxen and once that's done and posted on the Books & Co website I'll post it here too. :)
Wonderful news! Devon Monk's book, Magic in Shadows, is in my grubby little hands! Well, not literally, at least not yet, but tomorrow! I have seen the future and it is at Books & Co!
The next series of books to be reviewed will be the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson.
Stay tuned....
Wonderful news! Devon Monk's book, Magic in Shadows, is in my grubby little hands! Well, not literally, at least not yet, but tomorrow! I have seen the future and it is at Books & Co!
The next series of books to be reviewed will be the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson.
Stay tuned....
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Magic to the Bone: Chs 13-17 (end)
Wow. I just finished the book and felt the need to write while it was still fresh in my mind. And I'm not going to give away the ending!!
Cody was captured and is with the Snake man again.
Allie had been shot and was overloading with magic, healing herself like she had healed Cody. Zayvion took off and she left his apartment in the search for Mama. When she found Mama, she found Snake man, Cody, and Bonnie. She also found Zayvion.
What happened next? You'll have to read the book or ask a friend.
I will say that the ending of this book was really strong. It smacked of betrayal, loss and, finally, hope. I was initially surprised, thinking that the author was going to use Allie's wish to turn back time, which I thought was a coward's way out. And then I thought that Allie was going to go on her merry little way not knowing what was happening. I'm pleased that Allie was strong enough to go on her instincts where Zayvion was concerned. She may end up hurt again (it is a book series after all!) and she knows that he is lying about something, even if she doesn't remember what. I'm a romantic at heart, so the scene in the coffee shop in the end nearly made me cry.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I like strong female characters with attitudes, and I don't think Devon Monk overdid it; Allie definitely knew when to keep her mouth shut. When Allie gained her burns/tattoos/markings, I was worried that she was going to become this invincible magician of sorts who no longer had to pay for her magic use. It's a pet peeve of mine when a fallible character gains Superman-like abilities over the course of a book or series.
I really like how the author worked the magic angle in this series - about how when you use magic, it uses you right back - it has a karma ring to it. Human nature has decreed that when given an ability with consequences, we immediately look for loopholes, and Devon Monk has stuck to this motto: Allie made a point of saying that one of the first things people discovered was how to unload the curse on someone else so they didn't have to suffer any consequences themselves.
I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series, "Magic in the Blood", and to having the next book, "Magic in Shadows" come out in November 2009. That is definitely on my to-buy list!
Unfortunately, I have a different book to review first, and a buddy lent me a 3 book series, so it may be a while before I'm able to return to this series.
Fun fact: Devon Monk is a die-hard knitter and gives away her knitting as prizes to her fans on her website.
Cody was captured and is with the Snake man again.
Allie had been shot and was overloading with magic, healing herself like she had healed Cody. Zayvion took off and she left his apartment in the search for Mama. When she found Mama, she found Snake man, Cody, and Bonnie. She also found Zayvion.
What happened next? You'll have to read the book or ask a friend.
I will say that the ending of this book was really strong. It smacked of betrayal, loss and, finally, hope. I was initially surprised, thinking that the author was going to use Allie's wish to turn back time, which I thought was a coward's way out. And then I thought that Allie was going to go on her merry little way not knowing what was happening. I'm pleased that Allie was strong enough to go on her instincts where Zayvion was concerned. She may end up hurt again (it is a book series after all!) and she knows that he is lying about something, even if she doesn't remember what. I'm a romantic at heart, so the scene in the coffee shop in the end nearly made me cry.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I like strong female characters with attitudes, and I don't think Devon Monk overdid it; Allie definitely knew when to keep her mouth shut. When Allie gained her burns/tattoos/markings, I was worried that she was going to become this invincible magician of sorts who no longer had to pay for her magic use. It's a pet peeve of mine when a fallible character gains Superman-like abilities over the course of a book or series.
I really like how the author worked the magic angle in this series - about how when you use magic, it uses you right back - it has a karma ring to it. Human nature has decreed that when given an ability with consequences, we immediately look for loopholes, and Devon Monk has stuck to this motto: Allie made a point of saying that one of the first things people discovered was how to unload the curse on someone else so they didn't have to suffer any consequences themselves.
I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series, "Magic in the Blood", and to having the next book, "Magic in Shadows" come out in November 2009. That is definitely on my to-buy list!
Unfortunately, I have a different book to review first, and a buddy lent me a 3 book series, so it may be a while before I'm able to return to this series.
Fun fact: Devon Monk is a die-hard knitter and gives away her knitting as prizes to her fans on her website.
Magic to the Bone: Chs 6-12
Hmm. I don't think I like doing it a few chapters at a time. I think I go too far in depth with the story and it becomes a really long summary. Plus, if I'm covering books I've already read before, I don't want to do a few chapters when I already know what's going to happen later. Originally I had thought it would be a good idea if I want to make predictions about twists the story may take, but I think if I'm making long updates, everyone might as well just read the story themselves, lol!
To the story:
Allie's dad was found murdered and she's the main suspect. When running from a fellow (bitchy) Hound, Allie takes a detour along the river and garbage dump to lose her scent trail and stumbles across Cody's near-dead self. She somehow heals him and gains some nifty burns in the process. She takes him along and Zayvion magically shows up to help her out. The 3 of them (4 if you include Kitten) go to Nola's farm in Burns. While there, you find out that Cody either made Allie kill her father or forged her signature. Regardless, he was there, but before Allie can find out what he knows, Bonnie (the bitchy Hound - hah!) shows up and vanishes with Cody in thin air.
Knowing this to be impossible, Allie and Zayvion go back to Portland to talk to Allie's stepmom, Violet, who is a scientist and seemed to genuinely care for Allie's dad. Violet discusses her research regarding a portable power source and it seems plausible that Bonnie somehow acquired this technology during a supposed fire in the lab.
Allie and Zayvion go back to his place and have amazing sex and he admits to being in a secret magical society - an Authority on Magic. He also tells Allie that her burns-turned-tattoos have negative and positive ends (like a battery, but cooler) where she receives and dispenses her magic. They also discover that they are Soul Complements - their magic is complimentary and the flow of magic between them causes minimal backlash.
The next morning, Allie gets shot by an intruder and releases an uncontrolled flow of magic towards him. Then blacks out.
To the story:
Allie's dad was found murdered and she's the main suspect. When running from a fellow (bitchy) Hound, Allie takes a detour along the river and garbage dump to lose her scent trail and stumbles across Cody's near-dead self. She somehow heals him and gains some nifty burns in the process. She takes him along and Zayvion magically shows up to help her out. The 3 of them (4 if you include Kitten) go to Nola's farm in Burns. While there, you find out that Cody either made Allie kill her father or forged her signature. Regardless, he was there, but before Allie can find out what he knows, Bonnie (the bitchy Hound - hah!) shows up and vanishes with Cody in thin air.
Knowing this to be impossible, Allie and Zayvion go back to Portland to talk to Allie's stepmom, Violet, who is a scientist and seemed to genuinely care for Allie's dad. Violet discusses her research regarding a portable power source and it seems plausible that Bonnie somehow acquired this technology during a supposed fire in the lab.
Allie and Zayvion go back to his place and have amazing sex and he admits to being in a secret magical society - an Authority on Magic. He also tells Allie that her burns-turned-tattoos have negative and positive ends (like a battery, but cooler) where she receives and dispenses her magic. They also discover that they are Soul Complements - their magic is complimentary and the flow of magic between them causes minimal backlash.
The next morning, Allie gets shot by an intruder and releases an uncontrolled flow of magic towards him. Then blacks out.
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