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Posted by Grete, on March 10th, 2010  With a few notable exceptions, I haven’t read much fantasy for a while. I was actually starting to wonder if I had lost my love for the genre as nothing seemed to peak my interest in the way it used to. Simon and Schuster UK kindly sent me an advance review copy of a book they strongly believed in and aside from the fact it was originally written in russian and translated into english, it looked like just the kind of formulaic fantasy that had me so out of sorts.
Shadow Harold, master thief and appropriator of coveted items is happy to let the world go on around him. The world however has different ideas. The Nameless One is stirring after centuries of peace, calling an immense army of dreadful creatures to his side. His goal is to strike at the heart of Siala, the great city of Avendoom. Harold’s unique talents are needed to gain access to the one thing that can save Siala and while it’s a mission of great urgency and danger, once commissioned, Harold is oath bound to see it through. Even at the cost of his own life.
Having just finished Shadow Prowler, I am quite astonished. It reminded me of the old favourites that I still have and re-read, of a few authors I love that are a cut above the rest and most importantly, why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place.
Right from the first few pages, I liked the main character Harold. He’s an intelligent and witty reluctant hero, with a knack for getting out of a tight spot. Getting used to a new author’s ‘voice’ can be tough and Harold is what made it a smooth transition and kept me reading until I was caught up in the story.
The world Pehov has built for this series is rich in detail and character and I love the way he has turned around what I would say are usually standard facets of a fantasy book and used them to his own end.
As the story progressed and new characters were introduced, I found them just as well rounded and interesting as Harold, even those that that were only present for a brief time. A few even tugged at my heart though their time in the book was short.
The pace was really good, no sudden stop/starts or breakneck rush but a smooth movement through the excellent storyline firing up with some great action scenes and then returning to that flow when it was time.
Magic is present, used in daily life and there are different forms of it, used by different races. I found that interesting and thought it also showed just how much enthusiasm and work Alexey Pehov put into the world he created.
I have to touch on the translation from Russian by Andrew Bromfield. I think it has been so skillfully done that I wouldn’t have been able to tell that it wasn’t first written in English. I would love to know how the two versions compare and have to wonder if it was even more enjoyable in its native tongue.
I enjoyed this book a huge amount and can’t wait to read the second in the series to find out how Harold and his companions are faring!
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Posted by Grete, on March 3rd, 2010  Jack Winters is a direct descendant of Nicholas Winters, infamous obsession driven Alchemist. Believing himself to be the recipient of the Winters family curse, Jack needs to find his ancestor’s lamp and a woman who is a strong enough Dreamlight reader. Those two things could be the only way to save him from insanity and death. Chloe Harper tries to stay under the radar of the Arcane Society, like most in her large and diverse family but finds herself caught up when she is hired by Jack for two things. To find the Burning Lamp and with her dreamlight talent, help save him from the curse. Soon on the trail, she finds that they are trying to evade the Nightshade organisation as well as the Arcane Society and will have to make a choice who to trust.
Fired Up technically follows on from Running Hot but focusses on two new characters. I do like it when authors do this, it makes their world seem so much bigger. I thought it was a very nice touch that Grace and Luther were mentioned in passing so I got to see that they were doing well.
The story in Fired Up was just as engaging as Running Hot and I loved the new characters of Jack and Chloe. They worked really well together and the tension between them was built right from the start as a small spark of possibility. I also liked that both of them were competent and confident, no ’struggling weak heroine needs rescuing by big strong man’ and more than a match for each other. It felt like there was a slightly larger cast of minor characters but they didn’t feel minor when they appeared, they were just as compelling and well rounded as the main cast.
The character who I should have mentioned before that links these two books together, is Fallon Jones. He’s the head of the J&J detective agency that works for the Arcane Society, and at first I thought the story was going to be leading in a different direction for him but I am glad it didn’t turn out to be so, as he’s a great character. His little event at the end made me laugh and want to applaud, and I do hope that story will be told soon.
Coming into the series late hasn’t been much of a hindrance and other than missing references to brief mentions of history, these books can easily be read out of sequence. I also didn’t realise that Jayne Ann Krentz has used the Arcane Society in stories from historical fiction, to modern and then to futuristic under different pen names. She writes as Amanda Quick for the historicals, Jayne Castle as the futuristic ones and of course as Jayne Ann Krentz for these excellent modern stories. I definitely need to catch up on those!
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Posted by Grete, on February 26th, 2010  With a hidden history and a talent with a twist, Grace Renquist tries to keep her head down and act like a good librarian for the Arcane Society’s Geneology department. When she is sent on a mission to read the aura of someone suspected of being in Nightshade, an underground and sinister organisation she is paired with the enigmatic Luther Malone as her bodyguard. When Grace gets a look at the target, she realises more is going on than meets the eye and it’s linked to the past she has tried hard to escape. Can she trust Malone with the truth and not turn her in and can he protect her against the unstable assassin with a lethal singing ability, that decides they are a threat to her mission.
I’d not come across Jayne Ann Krentz before and went to start reading Running Hot then realised this is actually the fifth book in the series. It can be hard picking up the ‘lore’ or the way the author’s world works when you don’t start at the beginning, but actually I had no trouble figuring things out which was really nice. I’ve said in reviews before that I’m a sucker for secret societies, struggling to keep the world safe and sane against their darker counterparts and since the series is called the Arcane Society, that pushed the right buttons for me to get started. I like the world Krentz has built, the Arcane Society made up of remarkeable people with remarkeable abilities. Everyone registered has measurable and quantifiable abilities that fall under different categories. Strats who can spot patterns in chaos, Aura readers who can tell what a person is feeling or if they’ve experienced trauma or Aura manipulators who can tinker with someone’s emotions. The main characters of Grace and Luther were well written and engaging. Grace is an Aura reader with a twist and Luther uses his Aura calming talent as a bodyguard and bartender. They make a great couple and the romance intertwined with the plot is very sweet. I have to touch on how the bad guys were written. In some books I’ve read of this genre, the antagonists come across as a bit incompetent or not really all that bad. I was impressed that Krentz chose to make hers have quite a lot of impact. The plot wasn’t overly complicated and while mostly predictable, it didn’t make it any less of a good read. The pace was good and the story kept you turning the pages hoping that it would work out between Grace and Luther. I enjoyed it enough to want to find the previous books in the series.
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Posted by Grete, on February 13th, 2010  I first read this book quite a few years ago. Having bought the two latest books and wanting to re-read them all from the beginning, I decided the early ones deserved reviews too.
Kitty and the Midnight Hour is the first book in the series and introduces us to Kitty and her coming out of the werewolf closet. She’s a graveyard shift DJ for a Denver radio station until she fills in for someone on the midnight hour request show. Instead of music, it turns into an advice/talk show for and about the supernatural and becomes her regular gig. Eventually though, problems within her pack, her Alphas not liking the success she is finding and the enigmatic Cormac, supernatural bounty hunter, paid to kill her live on air, Kitty wonders if she has bitten off more than she can chew?
This book really is about a young woman who through no fault of her own was turned werewolf and tries to find her way in an ordinary world when she herself is anything but. She still wants the life she would have had, and works hard to try and make that happen in spite of the people who would rather she be a good wolf and sit, stay. I have nothing but admiration for her and I absolutely love the character of Kitty. She starts off being as submissive in nature as her wolf side, but as she matures and grows in success and confidence, you start seeing glimpses of the sassy, sarcastic, stubborn and kick ass woman she will become. The talk show segments of the book are really good and the advice Kitty gives often make me laugh out loud, as do the questions.
I thought the pace of the book was good, even the radio segments, and when the action does kick in, it goes with a bang. I like that she isn’t a fighting expert but relies on her wits, intelligence and her wolf instincts to survive. That and the ability to talk the hind legs off a donkey!
It’s a great story, and the first read through left me hungry for the next book, and that didn’t change at all on this re-read.
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Posted by Grete, on February 5th, 2010  Being accused of murdering your new boss isn’t the best way to get ahead in business. Innocent but unable to prove it, Robyn Peltier has no idea what to do. When it seems the murderer thinks she knows something and is after her too, she calls on best friend Hope Adams for help. Along with Hope comes her boyfriend Karl, who Robyn finds a little creepy. When it starts looking like the murder was supernatural in origin, Hope tries to help but keep Robyn unaware of the other side of her life. Unfortunately, with Hope’s demon side revelling in all the chaos, a detective that can talk to ghosts, and Karl being a werewolf, Robyn quickly finds herself embroiled in a world she never knew existed. She can fall apart or come out fighting and with the murderer on her heels everywhere she goes, falling apart is not an option.
I find Hope Adams an intriguing character. Being a half-demon of chaos, she lives with her two natures, trying to keep both halves satisfied and controlled, but struggles to find a balance. I’ve seen her grow through two previous books from a scared young woman afraid of her demon half to a bold, confident reporter and it’s been a good journey. I liked that the mundane and supernatural world meet with the characters of Robyn and Finn, who I liked a great deal and both were great additions to the cast.
The book itself was a good, smooth read with enough tension and twists to keep you turning the pages. This is something I’ve come to expect from Kelley Armstrong and her easy to read style of writing. Happily, she delivers once again. I also love the cameo appearances of characters from different Otherworld books, something that happens across the series and I hope that continues!
I found Living with the Dead quite poignant, the relationship between Hope and Karl was bittersweet and while I found the end quite sad, I also realise the necessity. I look forward to Hope’s next book to see how she matures even further.
A great addition to the Otherworld series and a treat to read.
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Posted by Grete, on January 28th, 2010  Mira Hoskins believed her whole life that her parents were killed in a car crash when she was a child. When a tall, handsome stranger rescues her from being attacked in her home, he tells her she is actually a powerful Air Witch which she finds a little hard to believe. Her powers were kept secret from her to keep her safe from the evil organisation who really murdered them, their powers drained so demons could be summoned. Fire Witch Jack McAlister has been sent by The Coven, the ruling body for Witches, to keep her safe and escort her to the Coven before she can be taken and used for the same deed. One slight problem is that Air and Fire have a natural overwhelming attraction and Jack is forbidden to give in to the fire raging within him. Mira struggles equally with the power that threatens to consume her and rather than the balancing of their elements that time together should have brought, the fire burns ever brighter.
Apparently I have a soft spot for secret societies of people with special powers living within our mundane world and fighting the good fight against their evil counterparts. Add in hot men and gutsy women and I’m hooked.
Witch Fire piqued my interest by hitting all those spots and ramped it up with a good story, passionate scenes and well rounded characters. I loved Mira and Jack, they worked really well together and were believable as a couple, even as Mira learns the truth about who she really is. The love scenes were pretty steamy and exciting but not excessively written and it did amuse me that most of the book took place in just three locations. I actually also found that quite impressive. The plot itself is quite simple but I don’t think that’s a bad thing as I feel the story is mainly about the main players. I liked the elemental ‘magic system’, it was intuitive and creative, and along with the wiccan ideals and practices made a sturdy base to build it all from.
I did feel the premise lacked originality, which only left the characters and their interactions to help the book stand out from the crowd. Saying that however, Witch Fire did have a lot of heart. I felt Anya Bast wanted the readers to love her characters as much as she did, in that she succeeded.
Looking forward to reading more in this series!
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Posted by Grete, on January 27th, 2010  One night, seven years ago Beth Denison’s life changed when she was savagely attacked. The man responsible went to jail for a different crime and Beth worked hard to create a new life for herself and her daughter. Now he’s out and sending mutilated dolls to Beth as a warning that he’s coming for her. Former FBI Agent Neil Sheridan was involved in a related case seven years ago and consults for the FBI and the Police when a string of murders turn up and all seem connected to Beth Denison in some way. Neil is determined to find out what hold the killer has over Beth and unexpectedly finds something he never thought he would again. The chance of a new life and some peace. First though, he has to keep Beth safe from the hands of a demented killer who wants to hear her scream.
It’s been a while since I read a good crime book, having lately been absorbed by paranormal romance and fantasy. It’s the first time I’ve read anything by Kate Brady and having just finished One Scream Away, it will certainly not be the last. Her writing is very smooth and easy to read, even the little bits of back-history that were inserted didn’t jerk me out of the story. Some parts of the book were extremely harrowing and if I didn’t already find collectible porcelain dolls creepy, I certainly would now!
The pace built up gradually until it was rushing along and carrying me me breathlessly with it, and I really couldn’t see what the outcome would be. I thought the plot was extremely clever, several layers going on at once until they were slowly stripped away to a single one by the end. Empathy with the main characters of Neil and Beth built the same way as the pace of the book. I didn’t really feel much for them at the start but by the end I loved them and really cared about what happened. Even minor but key characters I didn’t come to know that well tugged at my heart in certain scenes.
Nailbitingly tense in the extreme.
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Posted by Grete, on January 26th, 2010 
Callie Bradford and Joannie Greene live in a world where Extrahumans not only exist but are sponsored, marketed Superheroes dedicated to saving the world from Supervillains. Trained from a young age by the Extrahuman Corps they are taught to believe in justice, peace and naturally the Corps way of life. ‘Iridium’ (aka Callie) and ‘Jet’ (aka Joannie) forge a friendship early on in their training despite having opposite powers of light and shadow. When Iridium goes rogue and Jet vows to do her duty and bring her in, Jet’s illusions of the Corps are shattered and the truth starts to come out. Jet and Iridium must decide if friendship will ultimately save or destroy them, and along with them, the rest of the world.
I’ve never really read comics, either as a kid or adult, certainly not the myriad superhero ones out there. I was aware of Superman, Batman etc but that was mainly through films and media. Black and White was a truly unique experience for me, a superhero urban fantasy novel that could easily have been a comic book. The sad thing is, if it had been in comic form, I would probably never have picked it up and I would have missed out on a great story. For me in a book, a lot more can be said and allows me to create my own vision of the characters without having the artwork force me down a particular visual path.
I was a little frustrated in the beginning that the perspective changed between characters a lot, and also jumped between time periods. As a result, I found it jerked me out of the story and hence didn’t engage me at first. As the book progressed, I realised it was actually very cleverly done, making you re-evaluate the characters constantly as each little piece of their past and present was revealed.
The superheroes and their powers were nicely written; some of the names must have been tongue in cheek, they certainly made me chuckle. The two main characters of Iridium and Jet were really well done with such different personalities yet also complementing each other.
As a collaboration, I felt it worked well. I couldn’t detect two different styles in the writing and at no point felt that there wasn’t just one voice.
All in all it was an entertaining and enjoyable story about superheroes, their world and two special people within it who are as different as night and day.
This is the first book in the Icarus Project series and it’s certainly left me looking forward to the next one.
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Posted by Grete, on January 11th, 2010  Devyn Kell joined the League to save lives as a doctor and help those whose lives were being torn apart by conflict. He didn’t bank on the League being one of the corrupt oppressors involved in the war and in one moment, throws his career and nearly his life away to save an innocent child. Hunted by both the League and an old enemy with a family grudge, he becomes a runner to bring supplies, medicines and aid to those in need. Alix Garran is a slave offered her freedom and the lives of her mother and sister if she can bring in the notorious rebel. When an opening is made in Devyn’s crew, she’s forced to apply for the engineering role and find evidence that will convict Devyn and his crew. If she can’t find it, she’ll have to fabricate it and time is ticking. Not expecting to find a cause she can believe in, or people she can trust, Alix finds herself horribly torn between her family, and a man she can finally respect.
I expected this book to follow along the same timeline as Born of Night and Born of Fire and was surprised to find it was about their now grown up children. Devyn is the son of Syn and Shahara and some of the major cast of characters are offpsring from Nykyrian and Kiara, his crew and friends. I thought that was a great idea! Sometimes you get to see what happens after a book is finished, not often you get to see what happens nearly a generation later. I thought the character of Devyn was nicely written as a blend of his parents temperaments but not a mirror of either. Alix is a character that brought out a lot of sympathy from me and at times I empathised a lot with. Her life has never been her own, enslaved along with her mother and sister to her own father. It was a nice switcharound that it was the female lead character in this book that had the traumatic life instead of the male, although saying that, Devyn has his own issues too. I liked that the parents were kept out of the book as much as possible and when they appeared or ‘interfered’ it was called for in the story rather than being in it just for the sake of it. This isn’t as much of an action book as the first two but when it happened it was explosive and fierce and highlighted Devyn’s nature of preferring to heal than harm. That’s not to say he’s not willing to fight and happens to be very good at it. Alix is just gutsy, even as self-effacing as she is, having had enough of being her father’s punching bag. Two brilliant leading characters who you can admire and love. There is more humour in this book also, maybe due to the larger cast but their banter is very funny and there are a couple of scenes that made me laugh out loud. Luckily I was reading at home!
A very engaging, exciting and passionate book that I highly recommend you read! I do hope there are more coming in this series.
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Posted by Grete, on January 9th, 2010  C.I. Syn the deadly, predatory and notorious filch has been accused of an horrific rape and murder. The warrant out for his capture is picked up by Seax Shahara Dagan, desperate for money to pay for her sister’s medical bills. Had she not been in such need, not even she would have gone after the son of one of the worst criminals in history. Branded by his father’s sins and a universal assumption that the son would follow in his evil footsteps, Shahara goes in fully prepared to meet a monster. What she finds though is what she least expects, an honourable man trying to escape a past that continually haunts him.
After finishing Born of Night, I was eager to get right into the escapades of Nykyrian’s best friend but it took a while for me to get a copy. I thought I might have to re-read the first book to get back into the setting but only a few pages in, I was well into the story. I love how Sherrilyn Kenyon can write so astutely from another’s viewpoint in a different book. Born of Night was Nykyrian’s story in which Syn featured quite a lot and while I liked him, he was a grumpy soul with obvious issues from his past. In this book, seeing life from his point of view told me so much more. As I learned his history and how he’d been treated just because of who his father was, my heart just went out to him. Shahara’s struggle to keep her family together and their ability to get themselves into trouble, expecting her to bail them out all the time was well written too and her love tinged with exasperation and weariness were very tangible. I loved these two characters together, right from their first encounter, there were sparks flying. As the story progressed and perceptions changed for them both, I just fell in love with them more and knowing what was likely to happen at the end, made it all the more heartbreaking. Everything fit so well together, the pace of the book, the action, drama and love scenes and at no point did I feel any of it was gratuitous. The only negative thing I can find to say is she re-uses one or two phrases which can get annoying but it’s a minor thing and those phrases do carry a lot of weight.
As an added note, these books are not just Dark-Hunters re-created in space but their own unique stories, completely separate from the rest of Sherrilyn’s work and even if you aren’t a sci-fi fan, if you enjoy her books, definately read these!
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Very young children eat their books, literally devouring their contents. This is one reason for the scarcity of first editions of Alice in Wonderland and other favorites of the nursery.
Rosenbach, A. S. W.
About BookThing! BookThing! is a website where Grete can indulge her passion for books. There are reviews covering a range of genres (paranormal romance, crime, fantasy, romantic comedy), bibliographies for selected authors, features and sometimes the odd free book giveaway!
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