Romance Starter Kits - Urban Fantasy & Fantasy

We're back with the Romance Starter Kits post. Today, I'll be covering Urban Fantasy as well as Fantasy. Initially, I got carried away... and then, I remembered Romance Starter Kits ^_^; So I had to review some of my choices. Obviously, for many of these books, the romance is not the focus... but at least, they do have a strong romance element in their stories.

For Urban Fantasy, my choices are:

Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Death's Mistress by Karen Chance
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

For Ms Briggs, I decided to choose between her  Alpha & Omega and Mercy Thompson series. Obviously, I would recommend both, but for a starter kit, I wanted to stick to one book per author and also, add a bit of variety. I went with Alpha & Omega because the romance was more prominent. It also got me hooked on the Alpha & Omega series faster than the Mercy Thompson's :) This is my pick if someone would ask me for werewolves.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong was a no-brainer. This is one of the first series I've read and one that is complete-ish :) The situation the H/H find themselves in at the beginning of Bitten is also quite unique and brings complexity to the romance. What I liked about this series is that we do change narrators and the evolution of the characters. Also, it's a well-rounded world. This is my pick for someone who wants a bit of everything: werewolves, witches, necromancers, demons, etc.

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews is the third book of the series, but it's the one that really got me hooked and it's in this one that the romance really solidifies and becomes really important in the series. I feel the author was finding her voice and world in the first two, but with Magic Strikes, she really hit her stride and gained a fan forever :) Also interesting is the world the story is set - different than ours. This is my pick for someone who wants a kick-ass heroine with lethal sword abilities and magical powers.

I hesitated a bit with Death's Mistress because the romance in this one isn't as strong as in the other books... However, for the humor and action, I had to add it. The story is a bit dizzying, but a lot of fun. This is my pick for someone who wants vampires... or actually, dhampirs.

Finally, Rosemary and Rue. It's not my favorite urban fantasy series; however, it's very solid. What I like about this series is the story moves swiftly and we're starting to get answers! This is my pick for someone who wants fairies.


Books/Authors I considered:

Written in Red by Anne Bishop - There is sort of a romance thread, but so far, it's been more about the world building and how it's changing.
Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep - It kind of takes a while for the romance in this series to really start and by the time the heroine makes a choice, I feel the books have become a tad too predictable. Good books, but the 5 above are better...

***

For Fantasy, my recommendations are the following:

Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

I would consider these two books/series to be fantasy romance. The romance is crucial and takes place in a fantasy worlds, hence fantasy romance. I absolutely love these two books for their uniqueness and the epic love stories!


Books/Authors I considered:

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher - I love this book as well, but while it does have some romance threads, that's not what I loved about it... and therefore I left it out.
The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop - This book is part of Ms Bishop's Black Jewels series. I did enjoy that series a lot and yes, there is a romance in the first three books... but once again, the romance is not why I enjoyed the series as much. Also, it was kind of a weird romance. Anyway, if I had to choose a book from this series to recommend, it would be The Shadow Queen where the love story is a bit more traditional and more vital to the story. However, it's hard to read The Shadow Queen as a stand-alone and that's why I left it out.


So, your picks?

Review: Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews

Wooohooo, a review! Perhaps not the most original book to review at this time, but hey, it's a start! Hopefully, there'll be more in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy!!

PS - Spent a very boring week-end. Nothing to really blab about :P You?


***Warning: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk***

Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews
published by Berkley (Ace) in August 2015

After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they’re thrilled to escape all the infighting, Curran misses the constant challenges of leading the shapeshifters.

So when the Pack offers him its stake in the Mercenary Guild, Curran seizes the opportunity—too bad the Guild wants nothing to do with him and Kate. Luckily, as a veteran merc, Kate can take over any of the Guild’s unfinished jobs in order to bring in money and build their reputation. But what Kate and Curran don’t realize is that the odd jobs they’ve been working are all connected.

An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece…

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels, Book #8

The Story: I was going to skip this part, because I tend to be lengthy and most of the time, I'm just re-wording the blurb ^_^; However, this blurb is pretty good at being vague and saying nothing relevant about the story. Then again, it's proof that most of us will pick up the book regardless, simply because of 4 words: Kate, Daniels, Ilona & Andrews LOL.

Here goes... Magic Shifts opens up with Kate, Curran and Julie settling in their new life, new neighborhood. Since Curran stepped down from being the Beast Lord, there is a three months period for the separation to be done. That means all of Curran's investments and money will be separated from the Pack, anyone from the Pack wanting to join Curran and Kate will have to settle their affairs as well, etc. It also means that during this period, Curran and Kate cannot go to the Keep, cannot involve themselves in Pack business and cannot try to convince people to follow them. While Curran doesn't miss being the Beast Lord, he misses making things function... and let just say business at Cutting Edge is not enough to keep him busy.

Then, someone from the Pack goes missing and Kate and Curran are solicited for help as the clan Alpha isn't deploying all the efforts for a search and rescue due to personal reasons. Hordes of ghouls are appearing, reanimative metamorphosis occurs... and of course, it's all connected. But how? And is it an attack against Kate because she claimed Atlanta or more personal?

My Opinion: Let's start with a disclaimer. I read Magic Shifts in one seating which usually is a good indicator of how good a book is. At the same time though, I stayed up way past my bedtime, which means I was pretty tired when I got to the conclusion of the book... and I wonder if it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. Perhaps I should have stopped and gotten some rest instead of powering through it. However, what's done is done and here is how I feel about this book.

Overall, I enjoyed and liked Magic Shifts... but it wasn't my favorite book in the series. This is book #8 and at this point, we all know what to expect from a new installment - lots of action, lots of sarcasm and a good mystery involving some magical element or deity. And that's what we got... but I felt like Magic Shifts lacked some of the intensity that made Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds and Magic Slays winners for me. Don't get me wrong, there were some great action, but in comparison to previous books, the action sequences were short... and it screwed up the pacing of the story. With a Kate Daniels book, we're used to fast-pacing, but there were a lot of down times in Magic Shifts. In other words, Magic Shifts was a transition book and it felt like it. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy seeing Kate and Curran playing house, adapting to their new normal - because I did - but it came at a cost and that cost was the action and the mystery.

I thought the mystery in Magic Shifts wasn't as complex as in previous books. I never felt that Kate and her entourage were truly threatened. Perhaps it's because the menace Kate has faced in the past couple of books was more personal and this one wasn't really connected to her. Also, I have to say, I was pretty disappointed at how the whole thing unfolded in the end. The answers came too easily, just falling into Kate's laps.

I did have a few LOL moments as usual. I just love Kate's humor :) And I'm giving two thumbs up to Ms Andrews for the secondary characters because she limited their appearances, but also kept them true to themselves. What I mean is no matter how much us, fans, love and gush about certain secondary characters, Ms Andrews doesn't make them more lovable to please us... and that takes guts in my opinion. And I'm not going to lie, I wished we'd have seen more of everyone, but this book was pretty focused on Kate and Curran and that was the right choice, given it's about their new beginning. Also, the ending was very interesting, opening up new directions :)

My Grade: It's going to be a B for me. There are always high expectations for a new Kate Daniels book and Magic Shifts just fell short a bit by lacking of ompf. Still, I'm really excited for the next book and can't wait to see where Ms Andrews takes us :)

Slipped Through the Cracks Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

A review, yay! LOL, I'm looking forward to a time when I won't be celebrating every time I put up a review anymore ^_^; Hopefully, that time will come soon :)

As you can see from the title of the post, I'm trying a new feature. I realized that because of my blogging blues, I didn't review a lot of books from my favorite series and authors, books that I really wanted to review. So I'm going to try to play catch up a little bit. I'm still trying to think up of a fun format, so it's different from my usual reviews... if you have any suggestion, feel free! For now though, here's what I came up with :)


Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
published by Berkley (Ace) in July 2013

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels, Book #6

If you didn't know yet...

... panacea is a herbal mixture produced by European shapeshifters that can reduce chances of loupism          at birth and reverse midtransformation in 1/3 of teenagers, thus saving Pack children.

... the Pack is offered panacea if Curran is willing to arbitrate a dispute between three European packs. Basically, Desandra is the daughter of a powerful Alpha who used her as a pawn and married her to two different men of different packs. She is currently pregnant with twins from different fathers - her husband and ex-husband. Desandra's father has once promised a profitable mountain pass to his first grandchild, but now wants to renegade on the deal. Curran's job is to protect Desandra's life and witness the birth of the firstborn. Things get interesting and complicated when one of the babies appear to be more than just a wolf shapeshifter.

... knowing it's a trap, Curran and Kate still agree to go because 1) they need the panacea and 2) ever since the events of Magic Strikes and Magic Bleeds, Kate has tipped her hand and thus, revealed her true identity to some. As such, it wouldn't hurt to take a leave of absence from Atlanta for a while. Going with them are 11 other shapeshifters and Saiman who is providing transportation.

... the person Kate wanted to avoid most by leaving Atlanta was Hugh. Of course, that won't be happening as he turns out to be their host.

... and conflict arises between the Beast Lord and his Consort as both are being courted: Curran by the daughter of an Alaskan pack Alpha and Kate, Hugh.

My Two Cents...

When I picked up Magic Rises, I really had high expectations. First, because the series has been going strong for me ever since Magic Strikes and second, the two-year gap between Magic Slays and Magic Rises. And while I did enjoy Magic Rises a lot... it wasn't the wowzer I wanted it to be :(

I thought the setting and premise of the book were really interesting, especially since it promised everything I enjoy in this series: good storyline, lots of action and politics with the bonus of seeing more of the world Ms Andrews has created. I really liked the idea of getting away from Atlanta as it added a wave of freshness to the series. It was also fun to see how Curran and Kate handled themselves, knowing they were walking in a trap... Hugh being their host was such a good twist too! LOL. Not only because it was ironic since he was the person Kate wanted to avoid, but it showed that no matter how prepared you are, you can't be ready for everything :) His presence also offered some balance in the storyline in the sense that it turned out not to be only a shapeshifter matter, but involved Kate more in the storyline. The political aspect of Magic Rises was also really well-executed. I always find the Pack's politics interesting because it's quite unique. To me, it has a different kind of intricacy because the shapeshifter world Ms Andrews has created involves more savagery. So to see this on a larger scale was interesting :) The whole mythology aspect of the story also worked for me. It just fit and added a layer of complexity to the storyline :) Oh and as usual, the action was top-notched :)

Few things that worked, but didn't  at the same time for me. Overall, I thought the pacing of Magic Rises was good... but in the last third of the book, it got a bit uneven. Personally, I thought the reprieve Curran and Kate got was a bit weird. I know it served a purpose, several actually, but the transitioning was off and that part of the story simply seemed to not fit and be a bit illogical. I mean, Kate disappears and the only person going after her is Curran? And when she shows up with Curran,  nobody seems to have been concerned? Also, the final scene for me was rushed. I don't know if there was another way out, but everything escalated too fast. By the way, what happened to the other packs? Did they all die? Finally, there was Chris, the new, utlra-intriguing character that Kate has taken under her wing. I liked that in Magic Rises, there were some casualties and ones that we, as fans of the series, feel deeply. It's never easy when it happens and I understand that we don't want those losses to be for nothing... but it was too convenient to have Chris save the day. Again, was there another option?

While I had some issues, most of them were minor and I could have ignored them easily. What really knocked down my enjoyment of Magic Rises though was the whole conflict between Curran and Kate involving Lorelei. Curran justifies it, but to me, it doesn't fly. I really hated that part of the storyline because I felt it was sooo unnecessary. Although I admit it did fit Curran's high-handedness - to take on the problem on his own without consulting Kate - the resulting behavior was annoying and I really despised it. To me, it was a blatant display of lack of trust :( Also, Kate has been working so hard to fit, to be Pack and he undermined everything. Sure, the shapeshipfters were all close friends to Kate, but still unacceptable with me. Apparently, Mr. Andrews is going to write Curran's POV of this Lorelei episode and all I feel is meh. I think the worst as well was that Kate couldn't have a showdown with Lorelei and be vindicated.

Final Say... B. All in all, I did enjoy Magic Rises; however, the expectations were soooo high  ^_^; Add in the relationship issue between Curran and Kate, and I feel Magic Rises fell a bit flat.

Review: Skin Game by Jim Butcher

I'm still alive :) Actually, not much is going with me except reading... so I really hope to find my muse so I can share my thoughts with you. I'm currently toying with some ideas for the blog... Hopefully, some of them will pan out :)

For now, enjoy this review!


***Warning: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk***

Skin Game by Jim Butcher
published by New American Library (ROC) in May 2014

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day...

Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.

He doesn’t know the half of it…

Mab has just traded Harry’s skills to pay off one of her debts. And now he must help a group of supernatural villains—led by one of Harry’s most dreaded and despised enemies, Nicodemus Archleone—to break into the highest-security vault in town so that they can then access the highest-security vault in the Nevernever.

It’s a smash-and-grab job to recover the literal Holy Grail from the vaults of the greatest treasure hoard in the supernatural world—which belongs to the one and only Hades, Lord of the freaking Underworld and generally unpleasant character. Worse, Dresden suspects that there is another game afoot that no one is talking about. And he’s dead certain that Nicodemus has no intention of allowing any of his crew to survive the experience. Especially Harry.

Dresden’s always been tricky, but he’s going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess—assuming his own allies don’t end up killing him before his enemies get the chance…

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Dresden Files, Book #15

The Story: The blurb is a good summary for the book, so there's not much for me to add. Basically, since the events of Cold Days, Harry has been living by himself on Demonreach with very little contacts with anyone. Then Mab shows up because she has a job for him... and if he's successful, she'll help remove the parasite in his head which is going to kill him in a few days.

However, when Harry learns of the job, he's ready to balk no matter the risk to his life... because not only will he be stealing for Hades, Lord of the Underworld, but he'll be working for Nicodemus Archleone. Unfortunately, Harry doesn't have a choice... and he'll do everything in his power to undermine Nicodemus' careful planning.

My Opinion: I love the Dresden Files series. It's really one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series because it has it all: solid world building, complex stories full of twists and turns, great characters and great humor. The last book, Cold Days, was epic which is why I considered it my Best Read of 2012... I was so excited when Skin Game was finally announced, especially since the blurb sounded so good! I mean, Harry having to team up with Nicodemus to steal the Holy Grail from Hades?!?! OMG! LOL. I guess all of this meant that I really had high expectations for Skin Game... and as much as I wanted to love this installment, it fell flat a little for me :(

In short, what was missing for me in Skin Game was the intensity, the "sitting on the edge of your seat" excitement. The last few Dresden Files books were pretty much non-stop action and revelations... and while there was plenty of both in Skin Game, it felt less urgent. It also seemed like there was a lot of "quiet" time. When I read the blurb of Skin Game, I thought the book was going to be about going into the Underworld, the obstacles and people they'd meet in order to succeed. An adventure! Instead, a huge part of Skin Game was about planning the break-in and involved a lot of running around. Even worst, breaking-in the vault in the Underworld and the theft turned out to be anti-climatic! ^_^; I talked to my friend about Skin Game and his words were "the pacing was weird." I think a better word would be: uneven. Skin Game started out pretty strong, but then, it slowed down too much and lost momentum. So when it was time for the grand finale, it couldn't reach the high it was supposed to :(

Another issue I had was with Harry. In Skin Game, Harry still struggles with being the Winter Knight and how the mantle can affect his personality. He's still scared to become lose his conscience and become a monster. I understand that we all want character's growth and development, especially in a series featuring the same main characters... but in the case of Harry, it just seems a bit pointless. Perhaps it's because he's so aware of the possible effect of the winter mantle and therefore, keeps worrying about it and bringing it up. To me though, all his concerns just make him wishy-washy :(  Especially since in the end, Harry still reverts back to the same old Harry that we like and want. I wish he would stop worrying and accept the consequences of the decision he made. He needed the power of the Winter Knight to save Maggie. He tried to kill himself and didn't succeed. What else can he do? Especially now that Molly is the Winter Lady, shouldn't he stand by her side? Also, I feel that Harry should have processed his feelings and thoughts already. I mean, at least a year goes by between books... doesn't he think about it? As a result, it makes this issue a bit redundant.

Despite my complaints, there were quite a bit to like about Skin Game. I liked that Mr Butcher kept the cast of Skin Game small and intimate instead of bombarding us with all of Harry's friends and allies. It allowed more focus which was a good thing in this book. It was so nice to see Michael again and to have him team up with Harry... Just nice :) The twist about the parasite was inspired LOL. I'm curious to see how it's going to turn out. All I can think though is that Bob will have company and who knows, perhaps a girlfriend in the future :P I'm also happy that some elements of the whole series are moving along. For example, Harry and Murphy's romance - finally!! I understand Murphy's fear, but it'd be sad to miss out on love because of it. Also, we have a new Knight of the Cross! Yay! It was a good surprise to see who picked up Fidelacchius... Unexpected, but good because seriously seriously, Butters rocks LOL. I'm also happy that Murphy as a possibility as a Knight of Cross has been resolved. As usual, there was also a lot of humor in Skin Game. I particularly liked the scene with Uriel's mortality... and oh, the parasite - that was priceless LOL. However, my favorite part of the book is when Harry finally meets Maggie :) She deserves a father and Harry needs her. Oh and I'm really glad that Harry will finally be back in Chicago.

My Grade: B-. I read in LazerWraith's Goodreads review that Mr Butcher considered Changes, Ghost Story and Cold Days as a three-part mid-season special episode... and they were. He attained such a high with those three books that coming back down was going to be inevitably hard. I know that I'm in the minority, but I feel that's what happened to Skin Game. It's definitively not a bad book, but the difference between it and the three other books is huge. Still, I'm looking forward to the next book! Can't wait to see what Mr Butcher and Harry have in store for us :)

Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
published by Berkley (Ace) in March 2014

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Mercy Thompson, Book #8

The Story: After the epic ending of Fair Game, all the fae have supposedly retreat to the reservations. As such, Alistair Beauclair is the last person Mercy expected to find on her doorstep in the middle of the night. Immediately, Mercy knows that the presence of the Gray Lord who has declared the fae independent from the US can't be good news. Her fears are confirmed when he demands that Mercy returns his father's artifact, the walking stick, to him. The only problem is that Mercy is no longer in possession of the walking stick, having given it to Coyote for safe-keeping. Now, Mercy has one week to retrieve and return it or else... With the clock ticking, Mercy needs to find a way to contact Coyote, and fast.

As if Mercy doesn't have enough on her plate, she also has to put up with Christy, Adam's ex-wife. Christy is in trouble, on the run from her last boyfriend, and with nowhere to go, has sought refuge in Mercy and Adam's house. Dealing with Christy is trying Mercy's patience, especially since Christy is well-liked by the Pack members and the obvious history she has with Adam, the Pack and the house. And things get dangerous when Christy's ex-boyfriend turns out to be a lot more than just a human stalker...

My Opinion: For the past few years, I've always looked forward to the month of February/March because it usually meant a new book by Ms Briggs... and this year was no exception :) It's funny because I held off on the Mercy Thompson series as long as I could, but in the end, Ms Briggs's writing and world building won me over :P Unfortunately, those weren't enough this time around and as happy as I was to get my annual fix, Night Broken was a bit of a mixed bag for me ^_^;

The biggest problem I had with Night Broken is that it felt too much like a transitional book. There were some good elements such as the walking stick storyline and Gary Laughingdog, but Ms Briggs was so busy setting up for the next book (which I'm pretty sure will be about the fae) that Night Broken lacked complexity. Everything about this book was quite straightforward from identifying the villain to defeating him; contacting Coyote and getting the walking stick back. As a result, there was no real suspense... Yes, there was a feeling of urgency because of Mercy's deadline to get back the walking stick, but that's not the same as the "edge of your seat" feeling. In addition, the two main plots really read as two separate stories. They did intersect a little, but it didn't feel as smooth as usual, especially when you factor in the random set-up scenes: the new werewolf, the revelation about Stefan, Tad, etc. Oh and the ending was really abrupt and so the story felt unfinished. I mean, I checked several times to make sure it was the last page and there wasn't more ^_^;

One thing that I wasn't fond of when I picked up Night Broken was Christy's introduction. After reading the blurb, I really dreaded that part. Who likes to read about the ex-wife coming back in the picture, especially when you know she's likely to be a bitch? Not me... but I have to say Ms Briggs handled that part quite well. So Christy is not very likable, but she's not evil either... just very flawed and that came across really clearly. Also, I thought Ms Briggs captured Mercy's feelings very well. However, seeing Christy's interactions with the Pack, it made me realized I'm tired of the way some of them treat Mercy. It baffles me that a lot of the Pack members still think of Mercy as a liability. Seriously?! She's saved Adam and the Pack at least twice, got rid of a river devil monster, survived a fairy queen and vampires... Not to mention that she has the favor of the Marrock and Samuel, was actually raised in their Pack, and so probably understands Pack politics even better than werewolves themselves. And she's a liability?! What does she has to do to open their eyes? I usually really enjoy Pack dynamics and the Mercy Thompson series has one of the best portrayals of them, but frankly, this issue is getting old. Then, when you factor in that the Pack seems to be more accepting of Christy who is a human as mate/wife than Mercy who is a paranormal creature, it simply doesn't make sense :(

It sounds like I had a lot of complaints, but in truth, I still enjoyed Night Broken a lot. I was happy to see Coyote making a reappearance and I really liked Gary Laughingdog. I hope that his character sticks around and develops a relationship with Mercy :) We also got to know some other Pack werewolves a bit better which is always nice. And as I mentioned above, I really liked the walking stick storyline :P

My Grade: Based on all the set-up Ms Briggs did in Night Broken, I have a feeling that the next book in the series is going to be epic and I can't wait to read it! For now though, Night Broken has to pay the price for being a transitional book and that's why it gets a B-.

Review: Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop

Okay, so I've been wanting to review this week for almost two weeks now, but words having been forthcoming... and they still aren't ^_^; So please bear with me as I try my hardest to make sense! LOL.


Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2014

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard — Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader — wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Others, Book #2

The Story: I find the blurb of Murder of Crows to be a bit too focused on Meg while so much is happening, so I'm going to attempt a better summary. Not sure how successful I'll be, but in any case, I know Hilcia was pretty spot on, so if you are curious, you can check out her review :)

Murder of Crows pretty much picks up where Written in Red has left off. Meg has recovered and is back in the Lakeside Courtyard. She is still figuring out life outside of the compound as well as the full full extent of her ability. In addition, there's her deepening friendship with Simon Wolfgard, the leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, which seems to leave the two of them confused.

Meanwhile, in the rest of Thaisia, relations between humans and terra indigene are escalating while tension is mounting. Repercussions are being felt even in the Lakeside Courtyard. Across the continent, all blood prophets are seeing the same prophecy to all their requests: fire, destruction, floods, deaths... The terra indigene are growing impatient with the humans, especially after violent outbreaks aimed at them and the Humans First and Last (HFL) organization spreading their propaganda. When it is discovered that the violent outbreaks were spurred by two new drugs - "gone over wolf" and "feel good" - the terra indigene are willing to destroy its source... but it turns out to be Namid's wondrous and terrible creation, the cassandra sangue... What will they do?

My Opinion: As you probably all know by now, I loooved Written in Red :) It was my favorite read of 2013 and needless to say, I was really looking forward to Murder of Crows. Lucky for me, it showed up on my doorstep early... and you can imagine what happened next :P

My first impression of Murder of Crows is that it wasn't as good as Written in Red :( Mainly because I felt the book lacked a focal point. There were many POVs, many subplots and basically, some of them were unnecessary. Others felt incomplete because they were set-up elements for the next book. In other words, there were just a bit too much going on and pulling in different directions. This is Ms Bishop's writing style and it usually works well because her main storyline is solid and the rest is just complementing that storyline. For example, in Written in Red, the book was about Meg escaping and settling in the Lakeside Courtyard. However, in Murder of Crows, I don't know what was the main storyline...  was it Meg or what was happening between the terra indigene and the humans? I wish I could say it was Meg, but it didn't feel that way because Meg didn't feel like the main character to me. Yes, she was central to the story... but not really for the character itself, but more for the prophecies which got the rest of the book moving along. In truth, I felt like there was almost no development to her character, no growth :( And I guess that's why I didn't enjoy Murder of Crows as much. It also feels like Ms Bishop is missing an over-arching... or if she has one, it's a bit too subtle and has gone straight over my head.

The rest of the book was pretty good and well-written. As Ms Bishop demonstrated with the Black Jewels series, she is quite the master at writing about the interactions of two battling populations vying for power and the darkness and the blood it generates... and she does it again in Murder of Crows. It's quite frightening how dark the storyline is getting without you realizing it, because in your head, these are just words, are fictional events... but in reality, they could or have happened ^_^; I'm looking forward to see how this part will be resolved... if it can be.

One of the best elements of Murder of Crows was Meg and Simon's relationship. Ms Bishop did a great job at developing it as it had just the right pace and the right feelings on both characters' parts. We're definitively heading towards a romance and it's interesting to watch Meg and Simon muddled through it :) Once again, I enjoyed the different characters and interactions introduced and the humor Ms Bishop has injected into the story to counterbalance the darkness :)

My Grade: B. Overall, Murder of Crows was a very solid book. I just feel it would have been better if it focused a bit more on Meg ^_^; In any case, I'm still looking forward to the next book, Vision in Silver :)

TBR Challenge 2014: Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

Yay, made it two months in a row! So far so good :) This time around though, I didn't take any chance and read my TBR book as soon as possible... and it paid off! Going to have to try to repeat that :P

So this month's theme was "series catch-up." I cheated a little and started a new series instead, the Chicagoland Vampires series... However, for once, I'm really far behind as book #9 just came out earlier this month. So if I get hook on this series, I will have a lot of it to catch up! Plus, I have two books of Chicagoland Vampires in my TBR pile, so it's as if I was catching up on the series, right? :P

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
published by New American Library in April 2009

They killed me. They healed me. They changed me.

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago’s vampires announced their existence to the world-and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker… and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.

Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now I’ve traded sweating over my thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four hundred year old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude-and servitude. Right…

But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I’m surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan’s attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone’s still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival House? An angry mob bearing torches?

My initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood…

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Chicagoland Vampires, Book #1

The Story: Merit comes from a new-money family with parents who aspire to be part of the elite social class of Chicago and two older perfect siblings. The only person she's close to is her grandfather Chuck who used to be a cop for 34 years and who now works for CPD's Bureau of Investigative Services. Not fitting in with her family, Merit wants to be independent and left alone to complete her graduate studies in English literature. However, her life takes a drastic turn when she is attacked by a rogue vampire and later changed by the head of the Cadogan House, Ethan.

Even though it was for her survival, Merit is unhappy about her change because her choice was taken away from her. And so it makes it even more difficult for her to conform to the vampires feudal system. However, if she wants to enjoy her second life, Merit won't have a choice... especially when it becomes evident that Merit is more powerful than any new vampire should be.

And then, there's the actual attack by a vampire. Merit wasn't the only victim - two more were attacked before her and actually died. At each site, clues against a vampire house was left behind. So who is a the real culprit? Is it really a rogue vampire, a traitor of the Cadogan House, a vampire from a rival house?

My Opinion: I've had Some Girls Bite in my TBR pile for quite some years. I bought it along with the second book in the series, Friday Night Bites. I can't remember whether it was an impulse buy to cheer me up or I needed some books to take advantage of a "buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion... although I have the feeling it was the latter ^_^; Throughout the years, I've started Some Girls Bite several times, but always lost interest because of newer and shinier books. This time though, I was determined to finish it... and I did!

Despite all the false starts, Some Girls Bite was actually an interesting read. I thought the storyline had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, most of the book was used to set up the world and the characters... This is not always a bad thing, but in the case of Some Girls Bite, it just overtook everything. I felt the story wasn't as developed and complex as it should be, especially the intrigue. There was also a definite lack of action which was surprising given that Merit turned out to be very proficient with weapons with her acquired speed and agility, earning her the rank of Sentinel. That combined with Merit's internal struggle of being a vampire and joining the Cadogan House just made for a tedious read at times ^_^; If only there's been more focus on the intrigue and a bit more action, Some Girls Bite would have been a bit more balanced and exciting.

I think what saved Some Girls Bite was Merit's character. She's smart, independent and quite witty. She's not the submissive style who will automatically obey. She wants what is best and if she sides with you, you know she'll be loyal to you. I enjoyed her character, her snark and her insight. Her internal struggle about becoming a vampire and her feelings for Ethan was understandable and added depth to her character, even though sometimes, it was a bit draggy ^_^; What didn't work so much for me with Merit is that right away, she's exhibiting signs that she is "special", i.e. more than just a regular vampire, and also that she has feelings for Ethan. For both instances, I feel it was too fast. I think it would have been more interesting if it had been more subtle, if it had been weaved in in the storylines - even if it would have taken many books - instead of being so obvious... because then, Merit becomes a bit of a cliché :( Also, besides being good-looking, Ethan doesn't seem to be that crush-worthy. I mean, for most of the book, Merit thinks he's pompous and condescending... So what is it that she finds attractive in him? What redeems Merit and Ethan's attraction for each other is that it seems their relationship won't be easy-peasy. There seems to be some obstacles in the way and that should make it interesting.

There also seem to be some interesting secondary characters. I'm very curious about Merit's best friend, Mallory, and Catcher. The two are interesting, although I find that their pairing, like Merit and Ethan, was quite fast to happen. Wonder if there isn't something behind it. Morgan is another vampire, the third party in the love triangle with Ethan and Merit, and at the end of Some Girls Bite, becomes the head of the Navarre House. I'm curious how that will turn out, because so far, I do like Morgan more than Ethan... There's a few more character such as Merit's grandfather, a shapeshifter named Jeff and some other Cadogan vampires that might make this series more interesting. So all in all, a nice cast of secondary characters.

My Grade: I initially gave Some Girls Bite B-, but after writing this review, I feel it's more of a C+ read. I feel Some Girls Bite could have been better if it didn't suffer of the first book syndrome. Still, it was an interesting read and it showed that the series had a lot of potential. However, I'm not in a hurry to check if I'm right or wrong.

Review: The Spider by Jennifer Estep

The Spider by Jennifer Estep
published by Simon & Schuster (Pocket) in December 2013

How did I end up in a career where I always have blood on my hands?

Well, let me tell you a story about an assassin who thought she could do no wrong…

Ten years ago. A blistering hot August night. I remember like it was yesterday. The night I, Gin Blanco, truly became the Spider. Killing people is what I do best, especially now that I’ve honed my Ice and Stone magic. But back then, I had yet to learn one very important rule: arrogance will get you, every single time.

This particular job seemed simple: murder a crooked building contractor with ties to ruthless Fire elemental Mab Monroe. My mentor, Fletcher Lane, had some misgivings, but I was certain that I had the situation under control… right up until I exposed my weaknesses to a merciless opponent who exploited every single one of them. There’s a reason assassins aren’t supposed to feel anything. Luckily, a knife to the heart can fix that problem, especially when I’m the one wielding it…

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin, Book #10

The Story: The Spider opens up with Gin receiving a delivery of black roses accompanied by a cryptic note: "Happy anniversary." This gift and the date prompt Gin to take a trip down memory lane...

Ten years ago, Gin got an assignment to kill Cesar Vaughn, a Stone elemental who owned a construction company. There could have been any number of reasons why someone would target Cesar Vaughn... but what got under Gin's skin was the picture of Cesar's unsmiling daughter, Charlotte, with her troubled and dark gaze and the rumors that Cesar has been taking his stress out on her. While some facts don't act up and Fletcher wants to wait, Gin is not as patient. During one of her reconnaissance mission, she meets Cesar's older son, the charming Sebastian. Could she really have a romance with someone related to a target? And what happens when killers make mistake?

My Opinion: To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of prequels... They're okay when they come after the first or second books in a series, because they usually help us get a better understanding of the characters and the world building. But after 9 books? Is there really something about Gin that we don't know yet? In case you're curious, the answer is no.

The Spider turned out to be a pretty typical Elemental Assassin book in the sense that Gin gets a job that she's more keen on performing to help out instead of the money, gets beaten, escapes with some luck, is treated by Jo-Jo and finally gets the bad guy. The storyline was actually not bad, except that once again, it was quite predictable. Although I have no idea how Ms Estep could have written it with more subtlety... Perhaps it's because I've read so much, but as the characters were introduced and Fletcher's doubts were being voided, it was just so obvious where the story was going and who the villains were.

I did enjoy the peeks we got of Fletcher, Gin and Finn together. I enjoyed their interactions and wished there'd been more of it. It was also interesting to read about a younger and more vulnerable Gin. Despite being surrounded by people she can trust, you can see that Gin yearns a bit for the past and to be loved. While Fletcher is like a father to her, he's also her mentor and it doesn't look like Gin feels she can show him any weakness... because that's not what he trained her for. I also liked Gin and Finn's sibling relationship being reinforced :)

Finally, Ms Estep fell into the prequel trap by trying too hard to link The Spider with the current storyline. Roslyn's introduction and to a certain extent, Xavier's, were okay because they've been in Gin's entourage for a long time and we are aware that Gin met them around the timeline of The Spider. However, I really wished Ms Estep had not added Bria and Owen to the story, even if it was very brief appearances. To me, it ruined what we knew and the "first" encounters... especially Owen and Gin's. If The Spider had been written and released after the first or second book, it would have been all right, because it would have been considered foreshadowing. However, in this case, it just feels forced. How many times can Owen and Gin cross path and not remember each other?

In the end, The Spider wasn't a bad book. There were definitively some interesting tidbits, but they were not enough to warrant the prequel in my opinion. It makes me wonder if some of the events in The Spider will be the basis for a new story-arc in the future, because otherwise, I still wonder why Ms Estep chose to write this prequel instead of simply a "new" book.

My Grade: C.

Review: The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

Only fitting that the first review of 2014 is the first book I've read in 2014, don't you think? I didn't end 2013 with a bang as I wished, but so far, 2014 is already shaping up like a good year :) I guess it was lucky for me that December 31 was a Tuesday which means I had new releases for the new year. Of course, I hope I haven't jinxed myself just now ^_^;

Curious to know what was my first read of 2014 and what did I think of it? Well read on :)


The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin
published by Berkley (Ace) in December 2013

We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. Things that go bump in the night, the monsters you thought didn’t exist? We battle them and keep you safe. But some supernatural baddies are just too big to contain, even for us…

When I moved to New York to become a world famous journalist, I never imagined that snagging a job at a seedy tabloid would change my career path from trashy reporter to undercover agent. I’m Makenna Fraser, a Seer for SPI. I can see through any disguise, shield, or spell that a paranormal pest can come up with. I track down creatures and my partner, Ian Byrne, takes them out—usually saving my skin in the process.

Our cases are generally pretty routine, but a sickle-wielding serial killer has been prowling the city’s subway tunnels. And the murderer’s not human. The fiend in question, a descendant of Grendel—yes, that Grendel—shares his ancestor’s hatred of parties, revelry, and drunkards. And with New Year’s Eve in Times Square only two days away, we need to bag him quickly. Because if we don’t find him—and the organization behind him—by midnight, our secret’s out and everyone’s time is up.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: SPI Files, Book #1

The Story: Makenna Fraser comes from a family of Seers. As such, she is able to see through veils, wards, shields, glamours and/or spells and therefore detect any paranormal beings in disguise. That's why she was recruited from her job at a seedy tabloid by the SPI - Supernatural Protection & Investigation -  an organization that battles supernaturals who would harm humans and/or expose them to the general public. And that is exactly what the latest threat against the SPI intends to do by releasing a pair of monsters in Times Square on New Year's Eve.

Of course, it would be the kind of carnivorous monsters almost indestructible and whose favorite meat is human. And catching them won't be an easy task as the SPI's adversary has invented a cloaking device that renders the being wearing it visibly and audibly undetectable. As such, Mac's ability is needed and she finds herself on the front line, a fact that does not please her partner Ian Byrne because Mac is untrained.

With the clock ticking, can Mac really lead the SPI to the creatures or is she in over her head?

My Opinion: When people ask me what is my favorite genre, I always reply contemporary romance. In truth though, urban fantasy is a very, very close second. I always find myself looking for new urban fantasy series to get into and in my perpetual quest, I stumbled across The Grendel Affair :) I remember reading Ms Shearin's first book to her Raine Benares series, Magic Lost, Trouble Found. While it didn't hook me in, the story did have potential. So I was hoping that The Grendel Affair being an urban fantasy novel, it would work better for me... and it did :)

Whether a new urban fantasy series work for me or not usually depends on two elements: the characters and the world building. LOL, I know, not very original, but what can I say, they really are  the basis ^_^; In The Grendel Affair, I thought that Ms Shearin did a good job with both. I liked the world building because it was straightforward: supernaturals of all kinds exist and live in relative secrecy. Some are friendly with humans, some don't care and others are really bad news. The SPI is a world-wide company with offices in different locations and whose goal is to fight the bad supernaturals and keep the general public ignorant. And Mac being a Seer is an asset, even if she's untrained and therefore vulnerable. By keeping it simple, Ms Shearin made it easy to follow, avoided the dreaded information dump and kept her options for the future of the series open, all of which work in the best interest of The Grendel Affair :)

I also very much enjoyed the heroine of the book, Mac. First, it was refreshing not to have a kick-ass heroine LOL. Also, Mac was not as cynical and sarcastic as them, but still managed to be funny which is something I really liked about her and made reading the book in her POV enjoyed. In a way, Mac was more down-to-earth and grounded than most heroines, probably because she's normal. I mean, I haven't seen many urban fantasy heroines worry about their health insurance and 401k! The only ability that makes her different so far is that she is a Seer and unfortunately for her, it doesn't come with super strength or faster reflexes. Instead, she has to rely on her mind, her investigative skills honed when she was a reporter. What I also liked about Mac was her eagerness in her work and the desire to protect herself. She's conscious that her new job is dangerous and that she's untrained, but she wants to remedy the situation and that's definitively a point in her favor :) I have to say though, I would have liked a bit more background on Mac. It's fine to keep the world building to a minimum, but I think it's important to develop the protagonist as much as possible. Even if Mac is a pretty uncomplicated character - no dark past, no big secret (at least so far) - getting to know her is important and so information such as her age and family situation would have been welcomed. The other characters in The Grendel Affair  that made up Mac's entourage were varied - a human, a werewolf, an elf, a vampire and a dragon to name a few - and all came from her work. None of them were fully fleshed, but given they were all new co-workers to Mac and the story is told from her POV, it made sense. There are some few interesting interactions going on and I'm looking forward to get to know them better as Mac does :)

Finally, the last important element of an urban fantasy series is the story/plot. Two things to consider here: the plot of the book itself and the overall storyline of the series. For both, I feel Ms Shearin did not pull it off as well as she did for the world building and the characters. The plot for The Grendel Affair was actually quite interesting with a good mix of investigation and action. However, it lacked a bit of complexity and mystery, all because the villain played his hand too early by revealing his plan. Also, the identity of the villain was too easily discovered in my opinion and then, taken in stride... so it takes away a bit of the punch. Also, throughout the story, there was a big build-up for the confrontation between the grendels and the SPI. However, it ended up being a bit anti-climatic and just a bit too easily taken care of. These are small details, but their impact on the story is huge and it's unfortunate because it takes away from the story. As for the overall storyline, it is not completely defined yet which is not a bad thing for me. I'd actually be happy if the SPI Files series was exactly just as its name says, files - i.e. each book would be a separate case with no big overall storyline. Anyway, as I said, there is still no overall storyline yet, but it seems to me there is going to be one and my problem with it is similarly to her villain, Ms Shearin seemed to have played her hand too early. With the big villain of The Grendel Affair and the bad guy from Ian's (Mac's partner) past escaping, it seems obvious they will be back in the future ^_^; Of course, I don't know what their role will be and Ms Shearin might have some twists up her sleeve... but sometimes, it's better to have a bit of mystery going on.

Oh and for those who wondered, there is no romance in The Grendel Affair except for a kiss at the end and I'm not 100% sure where it will lead. I guess there is some mystery LOL.

My Grade: Solid B. The Grendel Affair had a few flaws, but overall, it was a good start to the series and I'm pretty sure I will be picking up the next installment :)

TBR Challenge 2013: Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep

Look at me! Not only did I manage to write another review, but it's also my entry for the TBR Challenge! Yay me! I'd like to say that I'm on fire, but let's not push it, right? ^_^; Truth be told though, I didn't read Widow's Web specifically for this challenge. The newest installment of the Elemental Assassin series, Heart of Venom, is coming out next week and so, I was catching up on the series to be ready for its release and that meant reading Widow's Web... and it just happened to fit the criteria of a TBR book... Well my definition of a TBR book - a book I didn't buy this year LOL. It doesn't fit Wendy's suggested theme for August, but now, that'd really be pushing it :P

Enjoy!


***Warning: There are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk!***

Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep
published by Simon & Schuster in August 2012

I used to murder people for money, but lately it’s become more of a survival technique. Once an assassin, always an assassin. So much for being plain old Gin Blanco. With every lowlife in Ashland gunning for me, I don’t need another problem, but a new one has come to town anyway. Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but she’s really a dangerous enemy whose water elemental magic can go head-to-head with my own Ice and Stone power. Salina also has an intimate history with my lover, Owen Grayson, and now that she’s back, she thinks he’s hers for the taking. Salina’s playing a mysterious game that involves a shady local casino owner with a surprising connection to Owen. But they call me the Spider for a reason. I’m going to untangle her deadly scheme, even if it leaves my love affair hanging by a thread.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin, Book #7

The Story: Widow's Web opens up with Phillip Kincaid, one of Ashland's top underworld shark, hiring Gin to cater a fund-raiser event on his luxe riverboat casino, the Delta Queen. Gin finds his a bit suspicious as everyone in the underworld has been gunning for her ever since she killed Mab. Curious, she accepts and, after an unfortunate incident and saving Kincaid's life, finds out Kincaid's real intention was for Gin to be aboard the Delta Queen to provide protection for the organizer of the fund-raiser, Eva Grayson... who also turns out to be Gin's lover's younger sister.

Gin is surprised to find out that Kincaid, Owen and Eva were friends and that they actually grew up together; although Kincaid and Owen's relationship seems to have soured. Then again, Owen has always been very quiet about his past. Unfortunately for Gin, the past has a nasty habit of always finding ways to re-surface and this time, it's in the shape of Salina Dubois, Owen's first love. A powerful water elemental and the daughter of Benedict Dubois who ran the underworld before he was assassinated by Mab, Salina is back in Ashland for revenge and to reclaim was she believes is her due... and that includes Owen.

My Opinion: Ever since the first book in the Elemental Assassin series, Spider's Bite, Ms Estep has been on my auto-buy list of authors. I like the premise, the idea of the heroine being an assassin, and I've really been enjoying the series despite some flaws. So if I like the series so much, why has Widow's Web been sitting in my TBR pile? Technically because of Ms Estep's warning which indicated the romance subplot would probably take a direction I wouldn't like much. So while I bought Widow's Web, I decided to wait for the subsequent installments to have the resolution of the romance subplot before reading it. After reading Kiss of Venom, a short novella from Owen's POV, it seems the resolution would come in Heart of Venom, so it was time to lift the ban and read Widow's Web :) Having read it now, I can tell it smart of me because I would not have liked to have had to wait for Deadly Sting ^_^; In the end, Widow's Web turned out to be an okay book for me. Basically, I think the idea was good and I liked the setting and where Ms Estep is heading; however, I really had problems with the execution :(

Widow's Web is the seventh book in the series, so by now, we pretty much know Gin inside out. As such, it was interesting that the book somewhat focused on someone else... and yes, I mean Owen LOL. I enjoyed getting to know more of his past, his connections with the underworld, his friendship with Phillip Kincaid who turns out to be quite an interesting character instead of simply being another slimy underworld boss :P Up to now, Owen had seemed a little too perfect for Gin - in the sense that he fit so well in her lifestyle and accepted her assassin identity a bit too easily. I can't really say that I liked Owen's behavior and actions in Widow's Web, but it sure was interesting and it made him more real. It just was good to see genuine emotions from Owen and to see him question himself and his relationship with Gin. I don't mean to say that their attraction or relationship were flimsy before Widow's Web, but it always felt like Owen integrated Gin's life too easily because he was a "shadowy" character... and I think there's a lot more to their relationship. And because of that, I agree with the direction Ms Estep has taken the romance between Gin and Owen, even if I was very apprehensive in the beginning. I think that Gin and Owen needed that obstacle in their relationship... because if they are going to be able to overcome it, their relationship will only be stronger for it. I feel Gin and Owen need to know how strong their bond is, that it can withhold everything. I feel that before, Gin and Owen were honest with each other, but there wasn't really anything to be honest about. Now there is, now they know that they have the capacity to hurt each other, now they are at the next level of their relationship.

To accomplish all this, I liked the idea of bringing back someone from Owen's past and who better than his first love, especially given the circumstances and the past they shared. However, as I mentioned above, I had problems with the execution. Actually, I was good with the emotional development that the plot has generated. As I said, Owen and Gin needed some conflict in their relationship and I liked the conflict it had brought in Owen. While he was dealing with Salina, I really wished he'd been more ruthless because that's the perception I had of him. After all, he's a "shadowy" man whose business has not always been all legal... but he turns out to be gentler than I expected... Not a good thing with a character like Salina because she's a villain, but when you think about it, it means he would treat Gin the same way... and that's not something to discount in my opinion. What didn't work for me though was how predictable the whole plot, the whole book was. This is an issue I've had with previous books of the series, but it was even worst with Widow's Web. First, there was the blurb! You know how readers sometimes complain of the blurbs being wrong or misleading? Well, in this case, it was too accurate and it gave the whole story away! And even if you didn't read the blurb, the story was still very predictable. The minute Salina was introduced in the story, you knew she was the villain. There was absolutely no doubt about it. As a result, when you consider that Salina was Owen's ex-fiancée and factor in Gin's profession, you knew exactly where the story was heading and the conflict it would generate. And if you weren't sure about it, well having two different characters asking Gin to kill Salina would have clued you in. There were other elements of the story that were too obvious as well. For example, the fountains. One of the first thing you learn about Salina is that she is a powerful water elemental... Yep, water elemental and fountains, hmmmm. Add two and two and it will give you four. There was no suspense in the story, no thrilling moment and no twist :( I thought the idea and the story itself were good; however, the predictability just ruined the enjoyment of it.

As a whole, I really enjoy Ms Estep's voice and writing, but this predictability is a real weakness of hers and it's not just in the Elemental Assassin series, the Mythos Academy series too. I feel she needs to be able to construct more complex storylines and be subtler in her writing in order to join the best urban fantasy authors... and I hope she does :)

My Grade: C. I believe that Widow's Web could have been a real winner if the story had been more subtle, more suspenseful because it would have combined action and conflict and created a nice emotional punch. Unfortunately, the obviousness, the predictability of the plot have dulled this emotional punch and its impact and made Widow's Web an okay book only :(

Monthly Reads - March 2013

So, I finally managed to write-up this Monthly Reads post... Yay me! LOL. I'm so behind, it's not even funny ^_^;

Seriously, I don't really remember the month of March ^_^; There was curling, that much I know... and tubing, I think? Sigh, time just flies by so quickly. But at least, I remembered what the books I read were about... well almost all :) Take a look!

***

1) Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh

Wild Invitation is a compilation of novellas that Ms Singh has written for the Psy-Changelings series over the years. It includes Beat of Temptation, Stroke of Enticement and two new novellas: Declaration of Courtship and Texture of Intimacy. As I've already read Beat of Temptation and Stroke of Enticement, I only focused on the two new novellas.

Declaration of Courtship is SnowDancer's lieutenant Cooper's love story with Grace, a submissive wolf. We are actually told a few details about Cooper and Grace pairing in Kiss of Snow and Tangle of Need, but never really got the whole story. Well now, we got it :) As much as I enjoy Ms Singh's writing... I have to say this short story didn't do much for me ^_^; Part of it is because I didn't really connect with the characters. It's hard to believe, but not every character need their own story, especially a pair that we already knew were mated. Perhaps if the story had been about a mated pair instead of how they became mated, it would have been more interesting, different. Also, Declaration of Courtship was really all about the romance between Cooper and Grace. No intrigue, no suspense... not even any development to the Psy-Changelings storyline. What makes the story stands out is the fact that Grace is a submissive wolf which we haven't seen much in the series. Otherwise, not a very memorable novella for me. C-

Texture of Intimacy is the reason why I bought Wild Invitation because it's a new novella about Lara and Walker. I love this pairing and feel they deserved their own book instead of being the secondary romance in Kiss of Snow. As such, I was really excited to read more about them... but in the end, I was still left a bit dissatisfied because I expected more, wanted more. Texture of Intimacy takes place between Kiss of Snow and Tangle of Need - i.e. after they become a couple and before they are officially married. It is basically a glimpse of what Lara and Walker's life has become together... I really love Walker's character, such a strong, quiet man. His quiet strength is just so appealing and I feel he's the glue in the Laurens family. The one who takes care of Toby and Marlee, who looks out for Sierra and on whom Judd can lean. And I'm thrilled that he has found someone who makes him happy :) However, as much as I enjoy this pairing and the characters' interactions - Walker and Lara and the kids - it would have been better if the novella had be more than just a glimpse of their lives. A conflict or an intrigue would have made Texture of Intimacy more satisfying in my opinion. C+


2) Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs: B+


3) High Risk by Vivian Arend: B-


4) A Most Improper Rumor by Emma Wildes: B-
Upcoming Review.


5) Slashback by Rob Thurman: B


6) Revenge of the Girl with a Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

After Take A Bow, I was really looking forward to Ms Eulberg's newest release... but it seems that I only really like every other book of hers ^_^;  It's not that Revenge of the Girl with a Great Personality was bad, but just not great. There was a lot of positive to the book so let's start with that first. As usual, I enjoyed Ms Eulberg's writing - she has a nice style, very easy to read and in addition, she doesn't follow a pattern in her story-telling and therefore, her stories are different from book to book :) I also found the theme - beauty pageant - to be very interesting and liked where Ms Eulberg went with it, exploring the pressure and the financial strain it puts on a family. What didn't work so well for me was the whole Lexi's make-over story. That part, I found very predictable and stereotypical :( Which is unfortunate, coming from a book titled Revenge of the Girl with a Great Personality. I was expecting Lexi to be unique, to have a personality that really stood out instead of her falling for the suddenly "getting popular with new clothes and make-up" trope and realizing that wasn't what was important. This is what took the book a few notches down for me, especially since she kept pining after a guy that didn't seem crush-worthy and as a result, lost out on a great guy. I guess it's a good life lesson for her though. I also had higher hopes about Lexi's friendships. She had two best friends, but those relationships were already established and personally, I didn't quite see the chemistry :( Overall, some mixed feelings about Revenge of the Girl with a Great Personality, but what tipped the balance is the fact that not everything has been resolved and tied up in a neat nice bow at the end and I appreciated that, made the story more realistic :) C+

7) Thrown by a Curve by Jaci Burton

Another book I have mixed feelings about. I initially wanted this book because I read the excerpt at the end of Playing to Win and liked the plot idea where the heroine is a physical therapist and finds herself in charge of the hero's - a star pitcher - rehab. On that front, I really enjoyed Thrown by a Curve. It was refreshing to actually see the jock going through physical rehab with all the work, the fear and the frustration it entails. It was more than just the "I want to get back to the game" feeling that we usually get from injured heroes. I also liked Alicia's attitude towards Garrett. She didn't coddle him like the other physical therapists :) What didn't work as well for me was the romance :( I didn't like Alicia's wishy-washy attitude... She was clearly attracted but didn't know what to do about it. There was also the fact that it made their relationship unprofessional :( I don't know, but sleeping with your physical therapist/patient is not the smartest idea. As much as they were attracted to each other, I think that both could have waited till their working relationship was over to give in. By the way, this is getting really old :( Seriously, I love romance and I get attraction and lust... However, most of the H/H we read about are adults... So can't they act like it and be clear-minded instead of always succumbing to lust? Anyway, getting back to Thrown by a Curve, I just wished Alicia had been more decisive and once they did have sex, that both bear the consequences instead of trying to back-pedal. Finally, the last thing that bothered me was how stupid Garrett was at the end, accepting someone else's help with his rehab. Seriously?! Your girlfriend has poured all her efforts in the last few months working with you to make your arm better and as soon as rehab shows results, you're jumping to another ship accepting the help of her boss without talking to her... And by the way, her boss has not consulted her either! Really brilliant - not. I also thought Alicia's boss was very unprofessional and disrespectful. C+


8) The Last Viking by Sandra Hill

I picked this book up on a co-worker's recommendation. She told me how funny the series was and I thought I'd give it a try... I guess she and I simply have different tastes ^_^; Okay, actually, she was right... the beginning of The Last Viking was indeed funny. The story is about a viking that travel through time in an unknown fashion and finds himself in 1999. So the first part of the book is about Geirolf Ericsson adapting to this new world and to technology... Cars, computers, fridges, TV, building, tools and so on :) However, once the humor wears off, so does the enjoyment of this book. While Rolf is adapting to some aspects of modern technology, he is still very much a viking and some of his thinking doesn't evolve... So he dishes out his ancient thinking at our heroine, Meredith... and guess what? She takes it! There's also the fact that Rolf believes he needs to go back to his time to help save his family and it leaves Meredith broken-heart... and she does nothing about it. Not trying to keep him, not trying to find another solution, not wanting to go with him. In the end, I found Meredith's character to be too wishy-washy and stubborn, having no spine to go after what will make her happy and weak... I didn't really like her character and it ruined the book for me :( D+

9) Also Known As by Robin Benway

I've read one book before by Ms Benway, The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June, and therefore was interested to read Also Known As. The thing though is I didn't really know what to expect story-wise. As it turns out, our heroine, Maggie, is a 16 years old girl who grew up soaking her parents' trade: international spies. She turns out to be a genius safe-cracker and her skills are needed for the next mission in New York City. In the meantime, she needs to blend in at her private high school where for the first time in her life, she starts making friends... Roux the ex-mean, popular girl who slept with her best friend's boyfriend and therefore is now a social outcast and Jesse Oliver, a nice, popular boy and also the son of Maggie's target. Overall, Also Known As was a quick read. I enjoyed the writing and Maggie's interactions with the others. I liked that she had a close relationship with her parents, perhaps because or their situation is so particular, and felt that the sudden awkwardness between them was very realistic. I also liked Maggie's new friends, particularly Roux. I can't deny a certain pleasure at seeing a mean girl getting comeuppance, but at the same time, Roux broke my heart because it's obvious how lonely she is :( And not just because she didn't have friends, but her parents' negligence... As for Jesse, he was charming and crushy-worthy :) While Maggie had to lie to her new friends for most of the book, I'm glad that she came clean to them and let them on when it was necessary :) As much as I enjoyed reading Also Known As, I do have one complaint and that is the storyline. I think Ms Benway was aiming for something similar to Ms Carter's Gallagher Girls series; however, she missed the mark because she lacked a solid intrigue/mystery and the thrilling aspect of it. Like with The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June, I feel like Ms Benway has a good idea in mind, but isn't able to fully develop it and doesn't have a full grasp onto it. As a result, this idea which should be the foundation of the story instead becomes something secondary, almost like an afterthought. Add in the short timeline which makes everything seemed rushed and what you get is a book with great potential and missed opportunities. C+


10) Written in Red by Anne Bishop: A


11) Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire

After the events of Discount Armageddon, life goes on as usual for Verity... but not for very long. She's unsure of her status with Dominic and before things can be cleared up, he comes with the news that the monster-hunting Covenant of St-Georges is sending a party to start a purge, i.e. killing everything and everyone who isn't human. Verity spreads the word out to all cryptids, but not everyone can evacuate New York City and therefore, Verity must step up to the plate and protect her city.

I think Midnight Blue-Light Special was on par with Discount Armageddon. It was a nice read and passed time, but I didn't love it or feel the need to climb the curtains because I wanted the next book so much ^_^; I enjoyed the writing and the new characters introduced, especially Uncle Mike, and liked that we got to know Verity more. And those Aeslin mice? You can't help but have a huge smile on your face LOL. I was also happy that we got Sarah's POV. She was an interesting character and I was curious about her. I thought she'd be tougher though, a bit more like Verity. However, when you think about it, she's never had to really fight given her mental powers... and she was there when Verity needed her. It was a different kind of bravery. The let-down for me with Midnight Blue-Light Special was the plot, once again ^_^; It seems like I'm being picky, but I can't help it. It's simply that there was a lot of build-up for the Covenant of St-Georges and the purge and in the end, it feels like nothing really happened. Talk about anti-climatic. It seemed to me that the Covenant were more interested in Verity than the cryptids in the city... Finally, there's Verity's realizations at the end. The first is that she is in love with Dominic and vice versa and the second, that her real vocation is being a cryptiologist and not dance. Both realizations were a bit abrupt to me. Yes, they were in the works and it was logical, but I didn't see really see what made Verity come to those revelations. C

12) You Are Invited by Holly Jacobs: B-

This was a sweet and enjoyable category romance that I picked up. The story is about Mattie Keith whose best friend, Bridget, has passed away from cancer and has left her the custody of her three kids. Mattie has always been a wanderer, moving around the country from town to town and holding odd jobs; however, she steps up to the plate and is trying to do her best for Zoe, Mickey and Abbey - 11, 8 and 6 respectively. However, Bridget's brother, Finn, doesn't make it easy. A successful surgeon, Finn feels guilty for not having been there enough for his sister. He doesn't want to make the same mistake with his nieces and nephew and therefore fights Mattie for the children's custody, believing that he can provide them a better lifestyle.

So I thought Ms Jacobs did a great job the characters and their feelings. Mattie is a great woman, changing her life around to take care of Zoe, Mickey and Abbey. Everyone is still grieving for Bridget and adapting to these major changes. As much as Mattie loves them, there are moments of resentment which is totally understandable. Then, Ms Jacobs brings in Finn who needs to rebuild his relationship with Zoe, find time for his family. That part of the book was excellent and very realistic. What didn't work as well for me was the romance. For most of the book, the focus was the family and finding an arrangement for the custody... As a result, I felt the romance between Mattie and Finn was very abrupt, sudden. Their romance wasn't gradual. It went from 0, we are fighting for custody, to 60, we are in love. I would have liked more development, more romantic scenes for the two of them. Another niggle I had with You Are Invited was the custody battle. I was annoyed with Finn for his reasoning: he had money therefore he could give the kids things that Mattie couldn't. That's true; however, what's also true was that with his job, Finn had no time and couldn't put them front and center in his life like Mattie could do. If the whole battle was really about money, I don't see why Finn couldn't help Mattie financially. Why did the money seem available only if he was the guardian? That didn't make sense to me :( Finally, as much as I found You Are Invited enjoyable while reading it, I have to take the grade down from a B to a B- because the story wasn't very memorable. Just before writing this post, I looked at the title and the author's name and simply couldn't remember the story of this book... and I'm usually really good at it. So a solid story which doesn't stand out ^_^;


13) Once Tempted by Laura Moore: C+
Upcoming Review.

***

Balance
Books bought: +8
Books read: -13
TBR pile: -5


Genres
Category Romance - 1
           --> (Contemporary - 1)
Contemporary Romance - 3
Historical Romance - 1
          -->(Regency - 1)
Romantic Suspense/Mystery - 1
Young Adult - 2
Paranormal - 1
Urban Fantasy - 4

***

Nowadays, if I hit the double digits number of reads, I consider it a good month :) Yep, I'm that easy... or desperate LOL. But seriously, 13 is not bad at all :) Pretty much what I'm used to reading I would say. There were some really good reads which I actually did manage to review... Again, yay me! LOL. Among them, Written in Red by Anne Bishop really stood out for me. Definitively the read of the month, closely followed by Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs and Slashback by Rob Thurman. Looks like I'm still on a urban fantasy kick :) Then there were a lot of okay/good reads. Seriously though, after writing this post, I'm wondering if I'm not too picky? And I'm starting to realize that they are characters readers - those for whom the H/H are the most important element in a book - and that I'm a story reader. Of course, characters are important, especially the main ones... but to me, it's more the story, plot, mystery, suspense, conflict, etc. that I remember. And if a book can have both, winner :P So yeah, March was a nice month reading-wise. Not a great one, but not a bad one either :)

What about you? How was March? Do you remember? LOL.