Specials

The third book in his trilogy, Scott Westerfield continues Tally's story in Specials.

As predicted, Tally has been turned into a Special; however, as one of Shay's Cutters, she's a special Special.  As the name suggests, the Cutters use self-mutilation as a way to stay "icy".  Tally is unsatisfied as a Cutter since Zane is not a part of their group.  Finding him crippled, Tally and Shay decide that if he escapes from New Pretty Town that Dr. Cable will have to make him Special.  And to help him, they break into the Armory to find a cutting tool that will remove the tracking collar he has around his neck.  Unfortunately, when they were discovered by the guard, Shay released nanos that ended up eating through the building, destroying it in the process.

After releasing Zane, Tally follows the Crims at a distance, staying undercover and helping them when they are nearly discovered.  At the pickup point, Tally stows onboard and is taken to another City which has a more liberal point of view than the one Tally grew up in.  For example, there are no standards for cosmetic surgery, so Tally is able to hide out in the open with her Special face.  While there, she finds Fausto, a kidnapped Cutter that Shay had set out to find.  However, he attempts to make Tally un-Special; in the escape, Tally winds up in a hospital where she is deemed a deadly weapon and is scheduled to be de-Specialized. 

When Shay shows up to free Shay from the operation, she explains how Dr. Cable has declared war on the City, since she doesn't believe that the Crims or Smokies could have destroyed the Armory.  The aftermath of Dr. Cable's revenge has left Zane brain-dead and Tally spends the next 3 days flying back to the Special Headquarters to turn herself in.  Meeting David in the Ruins has strengthened her resolve to make things right, and he also gives her an antidote in case she changes her mind about being Special.  Reaching HQ, Tally is tricked and trapped; but manages to slip Dr. Cable the antidote in the process.  Due to her changed perspective, Dr. Cable ends up ruining her own position in the war and all of the Specials are de-Specialized.  Just before Tally's operation, Dr. Cable saves her from the procedure and Tally runs off to the Ruins to meet up with David again.

In the end, all of Tally's friends become allies of the new movement; however, Tally is determined to keep them from becoming like the Rusties and has declared herself (and David) to be the enemy of their cause.

I liked the book and I think Tally matured in this story.  And I liked how it ended, with Tally setting herself up as the antagonist.  I know there's another story, Extras, which I'm assuming ties up the story, although the author could have let it end there. 

The next story that I'm reading is Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut as part of the Banned Book Club. 

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!

Magic Strikes

Be still my heart!

I am absolutely in love with this series.  In book 3, Magic Strikes, Ilona Andrews returns us to Kate Daniels' alternate Atlanta, and she has done a remarkable job of including many more styles of mythical creatures from other cultures, such as Viking, Hindu, Japanese and Chinese.

When Derek returns on the verge of death from a secret mission involving a fighting group called The Reapers, Kate takes a personal affront to it and demands vengence.  In order to get her revenge, she must fight in an underground tournament called The Midnight Games - a pasttime which Curran has strictly forbidden all shapeshifters from becoming involved in.  When Kate and Jim investigate The Reapers, they discover that they are rakshasas - born warriors who are masters of illusion and have no problem eating human flesh.  The rakshasa have also teamed up with Roland to destroy The Pack, with the aid of Hugh d'Ambray, past apprentice of Kate's dad.

Now Kate has the double worry of keeping her friends alive in the ring as well as keeping her identity a secret from Hugh - and by extension, Roland.

Kate is remarkable.  She cares so much about her friends that she is willing to impale herself on a sword to save her friends and destroy her enemies.  When Derek finally pulls through, Kate is so emotional that she dry heaves with relief.  She is also willing to step in to a ring and potentially face discovery, just so her friends don't have to fight short-handed.

Kate is reckless, impulsive and has authority issues; but she is also funny, protective and willing to put on airs so her ward will no longer be alienated at school.  She also has a cool head - when she stops to use it.  Despite the electricity flowing between her and Curran, she refuses to give, since she is convinced that Curran only wants her because she refused him.  And I love that aspect.  Eventually she'll give in, but she's making him work hard for it and it's fun to see her deny any sort of mutual attraction - even to herself.

I can't wait to read Magic Bleeds, and see what sort of fun Ilona will come up with next! 

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.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

This story requires little introduction; however, you'll get one anyway.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was written in 1865 by Reverend Charles Dodgson, under the pen name Lewis Carroll.  This story can be read on different levels - ranging from innocent child's story to a story written by a pervert with a drug problem who likes little girls too much.  Some common FAQ's about the story can be found here, as well as some alternate explanations here.  So I don't have to do it, a synopsis can be found here.

It had been a while since I'd last read it so I thought the story was incredibly confusing, as well as fun and nonsensical; fortunately, that seems to have been the author's intent.  The writing was interesting with play on words running rampant, enabling a change of subject or change of context to what was being said.  It seemed like just when I started making sense of the story, it would change again - out of the blue!  Even the ending was abrupt: a deck of cards flying in Alice's face wakes her. 

Earlier in the year I read The Looking Glass Wars, so I was finally able to contrast the real story with the spin-off.  (Which I had meant to do shortly after I finished the book, I promise!).  And just for fun, here's a link to the Johnny Depp movie (you're welcome). 

Due to when the story was written, I know that there are social and/or political nuances that I've missed.  Despite that, I really enjoyed the story and will be reading the sequel, Through the Looking Glass soon.  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is on the Banned Book Club list of potential stories to read, so if chosen, I'll be one up on the others!

Wicked Lovely

Wicked Lovely, written by Melissa Marr, is Book 1 in a Young Adult series by the same name.  It starred Aislinn, a normal teenager...who just so happened to see faeries, much to her chagrin.

Aided by Seth, her buddy-turned-boyfriend, Aislinn strives to figure out why faeries are suddenly paying attention to her.  Eavesdropping on faeries who believed themselves invisible, Aislinn discovers that the gorgeous guy following her around is the Summer King, Keenan, who believes Aislinn to be his missing Queen.  An unexpected friendship with Donia, the Winter Girl and also the last woman who tested to be the Summer Queen, enables Aislinn to understand that her mortality was surrendered when Keenan chose her.  And this would have worked out fine if it weren't for Beira, Keenan's mother, the Winter Queen.  Beira actively working to prevent Keenan from testing Aislinn actually helped convince Keenan and Donia that Aislinn was the Queen.

This was a cute story and the first one that I read on my new Kobo.  One of my good friends is an avid reader of Melissa Marr's work, which is one of the reasons why I chose this story.  I found Aislinn to be a great character and easy to relate to - even her relationship with Seth was delayed because she didn't want to be another notch on his bedpost.  This book did hint at sex between Seth and Aislinn, but it was a decision that wasn't taken lightly by either parties.  I found Aislinn to be a fair person who didn't let her prejudices against the faeries prevent her from helping them, despite the fact that she was totally screwed over by them.  She was also strong enough to demand the right to live her life as she sees fit.

I loved Seth.  He was patient with Aislinn as she discovered the potential between them.  He was also strong, and self-assured, enough to love Aislinn in her new role as Queen.  Keenan was annoying, whiny, and too pushy at first.  He did end up growing on me, but I still thought of him as a little pathetic; however I'm definitely happy with the way the book ended.  It was a happily ever after for everyone involved, I thought.

I also liked Ms. Marr's take on faeries and how they live in the modern world, but that they're invisible.  It makes it interesting to think that they live among us, only unseen.  It was also interesting to see how the author separated the courts into Summer, Winter, Dark and High Courts. I'm hoping that the next books will show the differences between the courts and how they interact.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series: Ink Exchange.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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. :)

Catching Fire

In her second book of the Hunger Games Trilogy, Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins returns us to Panem, which used to be formally known as North America.

In Hunger Games (book one), the heroine Katniss was introduced and forced to play the Game. In the end when she was told that only one would be allowed to return, Katniss and her partner, Peeta, made a suicide pact; her minor rebellion against the Capitol provided the spark for an uprising.

In Catching Fire, Katniss and Peeta hear whispers of rebellion in other Districts. Two figures from District 8 are found hiding in the woods, searching for the destroyed remains of District 13; however, Katniss is recognized and the two strangers have a wafer with a mockingjay on it. Katniss finds out that the TV reportings on District 13 keep showing the same footage and a conversation with the Head Games Master, Plutarch, has a mockingjay on his watch.

After it is announced that the 75th Hunger Games will have the tributes reaped from the victor's pool, Katniss and Peeta are forced back in to the arena. During her live interview, Katniss models the wedding dress she'll never wear and is shocked when it starts to smolder and burn away to resemble that of a mockingjay.

When she returns to the arena, Katniss has sworn to herself that she will protect Peeta and that he will be the one to make it home alive. However, protecting him is proving difficult as her allies are trying to keep them separated, even though they seem to be willing to die to protect the both of them. In the end, Katniss ends up blowing up the force field that traps them in the arena and is picked up by a hovercraft. Inside, she finds out that she is the symbol of rebellion: the mockingjay.

The first book was more straight forward: Katniss was determined to live at all costs. Having met Peeta, she tried to keep them both alive. In this book, she has resigned herself to death since the Capitol is trying to kill her anyway. She also figures that by protecting Peeta, her family will be able to live as well. So this book is more about politics and hidden agendas than the last one was. Throwing them back in the arena was a surprise for me.

I was disappointed at first since that was what happened in the first one and didn't want a replay. However, while I figured out that the Mockingjay was a rebel's symbol earlier than she did, I didn't expect her being placed back into the arena was part of the larger picture. Or that the other players were aware of it and were trying to further their cause.

Needless to say, the story was good. Katniss still hasn't deepened in character and she's still clueless about guys, but I don't think that will change much in the next book either. She still wavers between Peeta and Gale, between staying and going. It's inevitable that something will happen between her and Gale now that they're in the same place since she's affectionate with Peeta when they're in the same vicinity. However, I'm hoping she'll shed some of her cowardice and bluffing to reveal a real backbone.

Unfortunately for me, the newest book, Mockingjay, won't be available until August 24, 2010. Which sucks because the author ended after disclosing that Katniss was the figurehead for their uprising. So that means that I'm going to have to wait a few months until I can read the next part, when, clearly, I'm dying to find out right now.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, is book one in a series by the same name. This series centers on Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old girl who supports her family with the game she hunts and the greens she forages for daily. Living in the Seam, a seedy part of District 12, she does what she can to protect her small family. Even if it means taking her sister's place in the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is a fight-to-the-death amongst the tributes (ages 12 to 18) on a televised program. A macabre combination of Running Man and Lottery, but with all the flash and pomp of a beauty pageant, the tributes are paraded in the Capitol, show off their talents before a panel of judges in private and then interviewed live on tv. By doing so, the tributes attempt to gain sponsorship by showing the crowd that they will win; sponsors will then return the favour by sending gifts into the arena (which is a closed, controlled environment) to help the tribute survive.

Katniss, along with Peeta (her fellow District 12 tribute), are told to act like a couple in love and Katniss keeps this strategy in mind throughout the game. During the games a new rule is announced: if tributes from the same District are the last two standing, both will live. This rule allows Katniss to open up to Peeta and she plays up the love angle knowing that her affection will gain them gifts from sponsors. Unfortunately, this is not an act for Peeta and when they win, Katniss is worried for her life if they don't keep it up. Peeta finds out on the train ride home and this is where the book ends.

This book was very morbid but very captivating. The book is set in a futuristic North America, where the Hunger Games were a means of putting an end to a rebellion. By creating the games, and forcing the people to watch it, the Capitol showed their citizens that rebellion was useless: afterall, weren't their children chosen at random for a duel that only ever yielded one survivor?

Katniss proves herself to be a strong (if clueless when it comes to boys) female lead. She's capable and has the drive to succeed - which is why her sister & mother were still alive - and why she was able to win. She also had a level head - another reason why she was able to win. I think these are traits that are important to be featured in female lead characters since most are portrayed as fluffy.

Overall, I really liked this book: after hearing my coworker rave about it, I moved it to the top of my "to read" list and the second book "Catching Fire" will be next. Unfortunately for me, the third and final book, Mockingjay, won't be out until August. However, I've already pre-ordered it so I'm good to go.

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.

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:

"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)

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.

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.

The Looking Glass Wars

The Looking Glass Wars is the first book of a trilogy created by Frank Beddor. This series is a darker take on the children's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

In The Looking Glass Wars, Princess Alyss Heart's world is turned upside down on her 7th birthday when her crazy Aunt Redd invades the palace. In a final act, her mother, Queen Genevieve sacrifices herself by sending Alyss through the Crystal Continuum with Hatter Madigan to the Pool of Tears. After narrowly escaping The Cat, Redd's favourite assassin, Hatter & Alyss become separated in the Pool, with Alyss emerging from a puddle in London circa 1859.

Trapped in Victorian London, Alyss is adopted by the Liddell's and later is befriended by Charles Dodgson. In a desperate attempt to have someone believe her, Alyss tells him of Wonderland. Later he writes his own version of her story, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland under the name Lewis Carroll. At this point Alyss completely immerses herself into the persona of Alice, a normal English girl.

After her 20th birthday, Alice meets Prince Leopold who falls for her and asks for her hand in marriage. On her wedding date, Cat finds her and she is rescued by Dodge Anders, a childhood love whose father was murdered the same night as Alyss's mother.

After returning to Wonderland, Alyss finds that she is the figurehead of a group of rebels who call themselves the Alyssians. Her albino tutor, Bibwit Harte, informs her that she must see the Caterpillars in their Valley of Mushrooms to find the Looking Glass Maze so she can reach her full potential and power as the future Queen.

Can Alyss live up to everyone's hopes and save Wonderland despite having lost her power of Imagination?

This book was really cool. Already knowing the story of Alice in Wonderland, and seeing what was happening to Alyss made for a neat cross-over of past and future. Coming from Wonderland, Alyss notes that the lamp posts on the streets came from Wonderland, except instead of fire, they can be turned on by a switch.

The characters were also different: Bibwit Harte is the White Rabbit (with rearranged letters), and Hatter Madigan is the Queen's personal guard. His signature top hat is really a weapon in disguise. The caterpillars still smoke hookah's, but the smoke allows them to see the future and act as an oracle. Card soldiers are mechanized and their intelligence increases as the number reaches 10. The other ruling families in Wonderland are the Spades, Clubs & Diamonds.

The writing itself isn't that great, but it is interesting enough to keep me going. There aren't any twists of the story, except to recognize the certain aspects that parallel either Lewis Carroll's book or the Disney movie.

There isn't really any character development, except for Alyss, and even that isn't unexpected. Dodge is a revenge-obsessed character; Bibwit stays scholarly; Hatter remains a faithful guard. Alyss only truly changes in the Maze, but even then she only gains confidence in her abilities. The hardships faced don't shape the characters in any life changing way.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy read. With all the hype out there from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland movie, I'm sure there will be tons of people wanting to read this book.

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. :)

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!

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.