Review: Harvest of Dreams by Merrie Destefano

Ok.  First things first.  The cover of this book is just terrible.  Terrible.  It does not accurately reflect the type of story inside at all.  Look at it.  Look!  Wouldn't you expect this to be about one of those kickass urban fantasy heroines, who beats the crap out of the baddies and sexes it up with the dude on the cover?  Does the woman on this cover look like she is a divorced mom with a 9 year-old son, who's life is falling apart?  This is a typical urban fantasy cover but this is not an urban fantasy.  Instead it's a lyrical, darkly magical tale that feels almost like a fairytale.   

Feast by Merrie Destefano
(Harvest of Dreams, #1) 
ISBN 0061990825 
ISBN13: 9780061990823
Published June 28th 2011 by Harper Voyager
GRADE: B
Blurb: Madeline MacFadden ("Mad Mac" to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she's always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.
But Maddie doesn't remember the dark parts -- and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area's terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the Harvest. . . the time to feast.
Once again Maddie's dreams -- and her soul -- are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during Harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own.

Review: Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane

Sometimes you read a book that is so emotionally enthralling that, once finished,  you need a cooling off period, a chance for the tumultuous, rapturous feeling it gave you to settle down.  You can't pick up another book for a little while.  You were swept in so deeply that you need a little time to resurface.  That's how I felt about Sacrificial Magic.  It's so good that it almost hurts.  I would fuck this series, that's how much I love it.

Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane
(Downside Ghosts, #4) 
ISBN: 0007349068 
ISBN13: 9780007349067
Published March 27th 2012 by Del Rey 
GRADE: A+
Blurb: When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.
Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks. 
As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

Quick and Dirty Reviews: "C" Ya Around

Two books from two of my favorite authors.  What a drag that both were... underwhelming.

Oracle's Moon (Elder Races, #4) by Thea Harrison
After a long hiatus away from writing, Harrison burst back into the scene with the well-received and enormously entertaining Dragon Bound, the first book in her Elder Races series.  Less than a year later she has released the fourth book in the series, Oracle's Moon, the story of Djinn Khalil and Grace, the newest Oracle.  This book has all the hallmarks of a Harrison tale.  Super hot hero, feisty heroine, magical hijinks and danger.  So why am I meh about it?  Maybe because if the supernatural aspect is removed, you're left with a (decently written), Harlequin.  Or it could be Grace's niece and nephew, straight out of cute kid central casting, who, improbably and immediately, bonded with the hero, a trope common to romancelandia kids.  (Have I mentioned that I am not a fan of kids in books?)  Or it could be the hero, an intense, alpha-arrogant, djinn who never transcended the type.   The heroine, too, remained a character type, one I feel like I 've read too many times before.  23 years old, she becomes guardian to her young niece and nephew when her sister and husband die in a car accident. She also inherits her sister's power, becoming the new Oracle.  This doesn't mean life is rosy.  She lives a fairly isolated life, with virtually no emotion support from anyone.  She has no one to rely on.  She is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy and relies on foodstamps to help feed her family.  Along comes super powerful, rich guy and suddenly life starts to get better.  The plot was disjointed and the bad guys seemed peripheral to the story, only there to give Khalil a reason to have to save Grace.  Moments that should have felt, well, momentous, such as when Grace fully accepted her power or when she is confronted by Khalil's crazy-assed daughter, were anticlimactic.  A shame, really because those were events I expected and wanted more from.  The book wasn't dull but it also wasn't particularly engaging.  Like I said, take away the supernatural aspect and this could have been a category romance, not terrible but nothing to write home about either.  The next book is supposed to revolve around Pia and Dragos, from book one, so hopefully, the series will return to its former level.
Grade: C+

Undone Deeds (Connor Grey, #6) by Mark Del Franco
This is the final book in the Connor Grey series and one I have been anxiously awaiting.  Finally, a series that actually ends and gives some resolution instead of stringing the reader along with never ending adventures of the paranormal kind.  (I like my series, I do, but at some point, a girl needs some closure.)  I'm ambivalent about this book, though.  It's not Del Franco's best effort.  A majority of the book is spent with Connor laying low, as he is now considered a terrorist, and rehashing things that occurred in the previous novels.  And, somehow, Connor manages to get kidnapped three times so I guess he's not that good at hiding out.  We meet Connors parents for what solely seems to be a chance for them to impart some crucial information about Connor's past; there's no other reason for them to be in the book and they add little too the story.  The book wraps things up in the end but, I have to tell ya, I'm not sure I completely understood what happened.  I mean, I understood the events but not what they meant.  I cannot say that I was disappointed; I'd have to have understood the book better to be disappointed.   I will say that one of the appealing things to me about the Connor Grey series was how nicely paced each book was.  Unfortunately, the pacing was off in Undone Deeds.  A bummer since it was the last book and I wanted to end the series on a  high note.  We do get some answers in this book but, ultimately, I was left feeling unsatisfied.  There was a lack of cohesion to the story and I was left confused by the end.  I have read other reviews that say that if you are knowledgable about Arthurian legends, the end makes much more sense.  I have a fair amount of knowledge but I still didn't get it.
Grade: C

Quick & Dirty Reviews: Eh, Whatever

So far, this year has not been a great one for me in terms of my book reading.  I'm reading less due to real life obligations and quite a few of the books I have managed to read have turned out to be duds.  It's been a bit disheartening and made me a tich grumpy.  But I persevere.  I know a great book is just around the corner.  Below are a couple of quick reviews of some of my recent reads.    


Wild Cat (Shifters Unbound, #3) by Jennifer Ashley
I find the world building in this series really interesting - Shape shifters are forced to wear collars that inhibit their aggression and they must live in "Shiftertowns".  They are barred from using certain types of technology such as the Internet, cable, and dvds, and it is legal for humans to hunt and kill uncollared shape shifters.  In this world, I am not sure Shifters are even considered 2nd class citizens.  More like 3rd or 4th.  Not something I'm used to seeing in paranormal romances.  It is really fascinating.  But the romance part is kinda ordinary and a little dull and doesn't live up to the world it takes place in.  There's a hunky Latino cop and an unimpressive Feline shifter heroine. He's a standard beefcake hero who doesn't really stand out in my mind from all the other hot cops out there in Romancelandia.  The heroine is the second-in-command at the Shiftertown... but I couldn't tell you why.  She is kind of a pussy (no pun intended), and when she comes face to face with the dude responsible for the death of her mate, the dude who has also been trying to kill her, she ultimately forgives him because he had a good reason.  Seriously?  And she's the second toughest shifter in Shiftertown?  Despite that, this is an ok read, light and quick moving.  The world is arresting, the main couple underwhelming but inoffensive, and the long-term story arc is deepened further.  Throw in a bunch of action scenes plus some sexy sex and your left with a decent bedtime fantasy read.  GRADE C+  


Hammered (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #3) by Kevin Hearne

In the third volume of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Atticus and a bunch of magical dudes set out to kill Thor, stopping along the way for some boring male bonding, peppered with cheap fan geek jokes, while occasionally wondering if they are acting “too gay.”  I guess that no matter how old you are, no matter how powerful your powers are, no matter the life you have lived and the cultures you have encountered in your long, long lifetime… a guy still worries about being thought a fag.  These guys have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years but you’d never know it by the way they act.  As with the first two books, Atticus is not believable as a thousand year old druid.  In the past we have heard how he cultivates a certain personality so he can pass as a 21-year-old human except its not that hard because, emotionally, he is a 21-year-old, filled with unsuccessful snark and lame quips.  There is a lot of death in this book but who cares?  These characters are dull and ordinary despite being extraordinary beings.  It's a cliche that men don't share their feelings; if you go by this book it's because their feelings are boring, petulant, and self-involved.  The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger but I couldn't muster up the energy to care.  GRADE C-




Where'd I Get 'Em:  I received both books via Paperbackswap.com.

DNF : Bad Blood by Kristen Painter

So, I read Blood Rights, the first book in the House of Comarre series and really liked it.  Though there were some things that bothered me, they were far outweighed by all the things I did like.  An interesting, unique take on the supernatural world set in the near future.  I'm always on the lookout for a new series that can give a spin on the same old/same old and I thought I had found it with this one.

And then I read book two in the series.   
As much as I enjoyed the first, that is how little I liked the second.
So, one book I loved really liked and the other that annoyed the fuck out of me.  Third times the charm, I thought and started Bad Blood, the next book in the series.  
And I couldn't do it. 
I made it to page 166 and had to stop.  Now, it's rare for me to not finish a book.  My book obsession compels me to finish the books I start, even if it is only skim-reading them till the end.  But I couldn't even skim through this one.  I just knew that the problems I had with the characters were not going to get any better.  And I am incredibly disappointed.  I had such hopes for this series.
Below the jump, you can read what I thought about the first third of Bad Blood.

Bad Blood by Kristen Painter
House of Comarre, #3
ISBN 0316084751 
ISBN13: 9780316084758
Published December 1st 2011 by Orbit 
Grade: DNF
Blurb:  Samhain approaches, bringing with it the final melding of the mortal and othernatural worlds. No one knows just how much power the night holds...
Violent murders occur in Paradise City as counterfeit comarré are systematically hunted. The police and the Kubai Mata have more than enough trouble to keep themselves occupied. As war erupts at home, Malkolm and Chrysabelle head to New Orleans to recover the Ring of Sorrows. Chrysabelle is forced to make a life and death decision and will realize that her relationship to Malkolm may have fatal consequences.
The clock is ticking . . .

Review: Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay

In a genre overrun with dark, tortured heroines, it is still rare to find those that are truly fucked up. Dark and tortured is often used as wallpaper, an interesting background but with little depth. One thing missing from these types of characters is the self-destructive behavior that can accompany a horrible past.  So, it is invigorating when an author takes into account how tragedy manifests in behavior and goes beyond the angry loner character with a taste for smart ass quips.


Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay
Annabelle Lee, #1
ISBN13: 9781439189863
ISBN10: 1439189862 
Published May 31st 2011 by Pocket
Grade: B
Blurb: Once upon a time, fairies were the stuff of bedtime stories and sweet dreams. Then came the mutations, and the dreams became nightmares. Mosquito-size fairies now indulge their taste for human blood—and for most humans, a fairy bite means insanity or death. Luckily, Annabelle Lee isn’t most humans. The hard-drinking, smart-mouthed, bicycle-riding redhead is immune to fairy venom, and able to do the dirty work most humans can’t. Including helping law enforcement— and Cane Cooper, the bayou’s sexiest detective—collect evidence when a body is discovered outside the fairy-proof barricades of her Louisiana town.
But Annabelle isn’t equipped to deal with the murder of a sixyear- old girl or a former lover-turned-FBI snob taking an interest in the case. Suddenly her already bumpy relationship with Cane turns even rockier, and even the most trust-worthy friends become suspects. Annabelle’s life is imploding: between relationship drama, a heartbreaking murder investigation, Breeze-crazed drug runners, and a few too many rum and Cokes, Annabelle is a woman on the run—from her past, toward her future, and into the arms of a darkness waiting just for her. . . .

Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Urban fantasy has really taken off as a genre in the last several years.  I used to search for books to read, now there is a glut.  It's become hard to find books that don't follow the standard UF pattern.  The majority of them are female authors writing about female protaganists who kick ass.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  Most times, that is what I am looking for.  But it was a bit refreshing to pick up Kevin Hearne's debut novel in which the protagonist is a dude - slinging the snark and walking the walk.  (I am thankful that this is one of the few places where this is a unique take as opposed to the rest of the dude-oriented world.)


Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Iron Druid Chronicles, #1
ISBN13: 9780345522474
ISBN10: 0345522478
Published May 3rd 2011 by Del Rey
Grade: B
Blurb: Tempe, Arizona is as far removed from paranormal activity as is possible. And that's where Atticus O'Sullivan, rare book salesman, herb peddler, and 2,000 year old Druid - the last of his kind - has decided to set up shop. He's been on the run, guarding a very powerful sword from a very angry ancient Celtic god for over two millennia now.
But while these years have been good to him - Atticus has become more powerful than he could have possibly imagined - The Morrigan, a very old god of death, has predicted death and doom for our hero, and it's up to Atticus, with help from a pride of werewolves, and a gorgeous bartender with a secret of her own, to stay alive, hopefully for another thousand years.

Quick & Dirty Reviews: Two Entertaining Reads

Managing Death (Death Works, #2) by Trent Jamieson

In book two of the Death Works series, hero Steven de Selby has stepped into the job of Mortmax Industries' Australian Regional Manager, aka Death.  Steven never wanted the job, happy to tred water as a psychopomp but due to the catastrophic events in book one, his only choice was to sink or swim.  He chose to swim but despite the rebuilding of the company that must be done, Steven continues his slacker ways.  Though snarky and entertaining at times, I got to the point where I wanted him to start acting a little more responsible. Especially since there are new threats to not only the company but the entire world, plus once again someone is trying to kill Steven. As in the first book, the romantic relationship between Steven and Lissa is somewhat underwhelming, especially since this is supposed to be a death defying love.  I’m not sure what these two see in each other… besides the fact that Steven finds Lissa hot.  And I have no idea what she sees in him.  Which isn’t to say that Steven is hateful; he just doesn’t seem all that bright.  He is often amusing though, so he’s got that going for him and I do enjoy Jamieson’s take on the business of death, from its corporate structure to the nuts and bolts of ushering the recently deceased to their final resting place.  It’s a flawed but fun and original read.  If you haven't read Death Most Definite, start there before reading this book.  While this book can work as a stand alone, you'll get much more out of it if you read the proceeding book.  

GRADE: B-

Obtained: via Paperbackswap.com

Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurences, #1) by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris

A rollicking, occasionally lurid, adventure yarn with a plethora of action, explosions and gadgets.  To some extent, it reads like a movie.  With some nice use of language and grandiose settings, this is an entertaining read that in some ways feels familiar, evoking comparison to television’s The Wild Wild West and The Avengers.  In particular, the dynamic between the two leads, Books and Braun, is reminiscent of Steed and Mrs. Peel, a give and take between two people of opposite character that is spotted with sophisticated banter.   As agents of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, the two are forced to work together to protect the British empire from the nefarious Phoenix Society.  What makes the pairing unique is that the intellectual, orderly, prim inventor is the man while the woman is the bold, take charge, guns a blazin’ colonial.  Though there is some slight romantic tension, this is essentially a period adventure smorgasborg – with secret societies, megalomaniacal madmen, last minutes rescues, fisticuffs, contraptions, and sword fights (at the opera, no less.)  There is even a villainous orgy – one of the few outright missteps in the novel. 

With all that, why am I only giving the book a B?  Well, as much as I enjoyed all the individual elements of this tale, it didn’t quite gel for me as a whole.  To be honest, I’m not sure why.  Intellectually the book was exciting but I never hooked into emotionally.  I had no problem setting the book down for a spell and I was in no rush to get back to it.  That doesn’t mean I won’t be reading the next book in the series,  currently being written.  As a first book in a new series, I’m more than happy to overlook my little nigglings.  There is a lot of potential here.

GRADE: B

Obtained: via Paperbackswap.com    

Review: Child of Fire by Harry Connolly

There's something exciting about discovering a new series that already has several books out.  No anxiously awaiting for the next book to be released - it's already been published and if you want to go on a glom - you can!  That's how I feel about Harry Connolly's Twenty Palaces series.  I'd never paid much attention to the series before.  I thought it was an action/crime drama or something but at Comic Con, I saw it displayed on the Del Ray table with all the other urban fantasy and took a closer look.  I walked out of there with a copy and I'm glad I did.  


Child of Fire by Harry Connolly
Twenty Palaces series, #1
ISBN13: 9780345508898
ISBN10: 0345508890
Published September 29th 2009 by Del Rey
Grade: A
Blurb:  Ray Lilly is living on borrowed time. He’s the driver for Annalise Powliss, a high-ranking member of the Twenty Palace Society, a group of sorcerers devoted to hunting down and executing rogue magicians. But because Ray betrayed her once, Annalise is looking for an excuse to kill him–or let someone else do the job.
Unfortunately for both of them, Annalise’s next mission goes wrong, leaving her critically injured. With the little magic he controls, Ray must complete her assignment alone. Not only does he have to stop a sorcerer who’s sacrificing dozens of innocent lives in exchange for supernatural power, he must find–and destroy–the source of that inhuman magic.

Quick & Dirty Reviews: Say Hello To Disappointment

Blood Work by Kim Harrison

A graphic novel prequel to Harrison’s popular Hollows series, this is the story of how Rachel and Ivy first meet, when after being busted down from homicide to street crime, vampire I.S. agent Ivy is partnered with newbie agent and witch Rachel.  Sparks fly, heads butt and Ivy takes a bath with Kisten but there is not a lot of substance to this story and it is definitely not a stand alone.  I suspect first time readers will find some of it incomprehensible.  If you have read the  Hollows series, you won’t find much new here.  There is no real story.  Someone is killing werewolves in order to use their  blood for black magic.  For what exactly, we don’t know.  Who wants the blood?  We never learn that either.  There are some henchman types doing the bloodletting and killing but, oops, they get killed before anything can be learned from them. Nothing is solved at the end of the story.  The art is ok, with several bulbous tit shots and a scene where Ivy and Rachel manage to jump the line at a club by acting all lesbionic.  I suppose it’s titillating... if you’re a teenage fanboy but I would have preferred a story with more substance.  Or at least some sort of resolution.  Instead all we get is an oddly paced, slice of life that adds nothing to the series.  At $25, it is not worth the price.  I feel ripped off.
Grade: D
Obtained: Purchased

Cast in Ruin (Chronicles of Elantra, #7) by Michelle Sagara West
I’ve been a fan of the Chronicles of Elantra for quite some time and I thought the series hit a new high with book five,  Cast in Silence.  So I was really looking forward to the newest entry in the continuing saga of Private Kaylin Neya.  Unfortunately, this installment failed to satisy.  I found the writing style convoluted, even clunky at times, something I have not noticed with the earlier books.  This may have had to do with the fact that I wasn’t  engaged by the story of Cast in Ruin and. at points, was not completely sure what was happening.  Plus, after seven books, I’m getting tired of the scrappy little Hawk, who despite being super powerful and the designated “Chosen” of this world,is still only a private.  For a private, she sure gets around.  She’s the friggin savior to all – the Tha’alani, the Barani, the Leotine, the People, and now, the Dragons.  After seven books, I need more forward motion – not the baby steps I feel like I’m getting.  I want Kaylin to smarten up.  I want her to stop avoiding her responsibilities and stop acting like an adolescent.  It’s easy to understand why everyone else gets so frustrated with her.  I know I am.  It’s time for us to learn a little more about her powers and what exactly being “The Chosen” means.  So far, it seems like her powers are assigned solely by the needs of the story.  First there is some sort of magical conflict and then, lo and behold, Kaylin discovers a previously unknown magical ability that allows her, and only her, to overcome the threat. Well, yay for her.
I will say that I truly enjoyed the last 60 pages and the things we learned there could potentially make things very interesting in the next book.  However, I’ll be taking a break from the series.

Grade: C
Obtained: via Paperbackswap.com   

Bitty Reviews: 4 Urban Fantasies

Last month, my reviews focused on books that had zombies in them because... well...  I had received a shitload of books about the walking dead at BEA.  Zombies are the hot new trend and they are popping up across genres.  But woman cannot live on zombie books alone (at least I can't), and I managed to squeeze in a few non-zombie tomes to cleanse my palate.  Below are several short reviews of the latest urban fantasy offerings from some of my favorite authors.

Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh.  Book 10 of the Psy/Changeling series and Hawke and Sienna's story.  I was not disappointed by this story, a testament to Singh's skill as a writer because most open-ended series lose me somewhere around book 5.  Sienna and Hawke are well matched, despite there being a 15 year age difference between the two but this is one of the few times where I wasn't rolling my eyes.  He's the alpha who can never love and she's a living weapon who's control is fracturing apart.  But the two can no longer deny the attraction between them. Their courtship progresses nicely in the book, never feeling too rushed, allowing them to work through their inner obstacles so that when they finally come together, it's as equals.  It's also smoking hot.  There is a lovely secondary romance as well, between Walker and healer Lara.  Despite being part of a series, this book works as a stand alone.  But if you haven't been reading this series, don't start with this one.  The whole series is super.  Start at the beginning.  Grade: A

Review: Magic on the Hunt by Devon Monk

Allie Beckstrom is back, ready to fight against magical evil and I, for one, was… underwhelmed. Too be honest,  I am getting tired of this series, which is a shame 'cause the first book had so much promise.

Magic on the Hunt picks up shortly after the previous book, Magic at the Gate.  Allie and Zayvion have just spent the last three days in bed, ahem, reaffirming their relationship.  That’s pretty damn good considering Zay only came out of a coma four days ago.  I guess nothing says hot sexy time like waking up from a coma.  (Which is weird ‘cause when my mom woke up from her coma, all she wanted was a cigarette.)  Anyway, their fun is interrupted by rogue Authority member, Dane, looking for information from Allie’s father.  (You remember Allie’s dad, right?  The dude who has taken up a post-death vacation share in Allie’s body?)  What follows is a major ass kicking by Dane and his minions in order to force Allie’s dad to reveal the whereabouts of JingoJingo, who has kidnapped the local Authority leader, Sedra.  Zay gets the crap beaten out of him, Allie is shot twice, and things are looking pretty dire.  Luckily, Allie has her own personal deus ex machina, aka her dad; he bangs out some super spell stuff and the bad guys are forced to flee.  Meanwhile, the shadowy Leander has made it topside and is looking for a body to inhabit so that he can unleash a shitload of crazy on the world because... he’s bonkers and -as we have learned from comic books- the insane are all about world domination. Everyone is still vying for possession of the magic discs created by Allie’s father and everything seems very important, with folks disregarding orders left and right - because dammit, there’s a madman running loose!  This is no time for rules! - and I am like, wtf is going on again?  And do I care?

Quick & Dirty Reviews: Salad Reads

Look, I'm all for artistic, literary books that promise an enriching experience but sometimes... I just want to be entertained.  Especially during those lazy, hazy days of summer when it's too hot to focus.  Or to put it another way: literature is like a fine gourmet meal, course after course, richly sauced.  In cool weather, it's satisfying and fulfilling but in the summer heat, it just makes me sleepy.  I'd much rather have a salad.  Light and tasty but just as gratifying.  Below are a couple of recommended salad reads.  
The first by Melissa de la Cruz, who is branching out from the young adult world, where she is known for her popular Blue Bloods series, (at least it says on the galley I received that is popular, I'm not actually familiar with the series myself...) and the second by Thea Harrison, who after a long sabatical away from writing romances, is now back with a brand new series.