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Posted by Grete, on July 29th, 2010  A beheaded vampire is found outside a Melbourne vampire club and an already testy Riley is sent in to investigate. As the body count starts rising, Riley has her work cut out for her to find out who, or what, is behind the murders. With civilities between the local vampire and human population breaking down it’s only a matter of time before violence breaks out. Dante Starke, the owner of the club is a vampire with an aura that makes even a Guardian nervous, but Riley has to get answers. Two human women are found dead in their beds, with no discernible cause of death and Riley feels there is somehow a link. How or why is something she has to figure out, even with the distraction of her hated soul-mate Kye making a reappearance.
I’ve hugely enjoyed the previous books in the Riley Jensen Guardian series. They are easy to read, exciting, erotic and action packed yet Bound to Shadows takes it to the next level. The emotions inherent throughout the book seemed more real, more tangible. Fear, rage, lust, love and sorrow and the latter is what got me in the end. It made me cry. Without spoiling anything, the big kick in the gut was something I knew might happen and something I knew had to happen but the way that whole section was written was just perfect, right to the last word.
Riley is definitely up there as one of my favourite urban fantasy heroines. Conflicted often by her half-vampire, half-wolf soul, she tries to do the best she can for each but also stay true to herself. She’s fierce in everything she does whether it’s loving or fighting and while diplomacy might not be her best trait, she achieves what she needs to sometimes at the cost of herself. Brilliantly and consistently written.
I loved that we saw more of Quinn in this book and the bond that is between him and Riley. They are a great foil for each other and while you learn more of his history and how powerful he can be, I sense that there is a lot more to come and it won’t necessarily sit well with Riley.
I still love the interactions with her twin brother Rhoan and his mate Liander, they make a great couple and the big question they ask Riley, something she never thought would be possible brought a tear to my eye.
I can’t really say much more (and I really want to!) without spoiling it so I will just say this; Bound to Shadows – Read it… just read it.
If you are new to the series then get started as this is book 8, Find ‘Full Moon Rising’ and get going!
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Posted by Grete, on April 17th, 2010  Mercedes Thompson is one of the most exceptional mechanics in the Tri-Cities area. She’s also a Coyote skinwalker but that was a birth thing rather than a career choice. Raised by the local Werewolf pack whose Alpha is Bran, The Marrok gave her a pretty good idea of the differences between her own abilities and werewolves. Now in love with the Tri-Cities Alpha Adam and part of his pack, she is still trying to come to terms with her earlier attack and also deal with resentment from other pack members that Adam brought her into it. Add in a depressed, suicidal werewolf, a book about the Fae that it seems they will go to any lengths to retrieve and it all equals Mercy having another bad day.
This is the 5th book in the Mercy Thompson series and when I get some time (ha!) I really need to go back, re-read the others and review them as they truly deserve it.
Mercy is a character that I utterly love. She’s sassy and bold yet has her insecurities and is well aware of her limitiations. That doesn’t stop her pushing beyond them when those she loves are in danger however. I love her Coyote character as well, very much Mercy but ‘other’ too.
The other major characters are just as fascinating. Adam her pack Alpha and mate is a great strong and not so silent type and his interactions with Mercy can be downright hilarious. Samuel, her roommate who is the Marrok’s son but a lone wolf so not part of the Tri-Cities pack. He’s usually right up there with Adam but his role in this book is one of sadness. I really felt for him when he made his decision but when his alter-ego Sam the Wolf took over there are quite a few moments that made me giggle.
The humour aside, this book also has its darker side – betrayal and scheming from those you don’t expect as well as the Fae being involved and after Mercy as they believe she has something of theirs that is powerful and utterly dangerous. By the end I felt a bit of a nervous wreck but loved the way it turned out, even if not all of it was pleasant. And I’m not ashamed to admit I cried for much loved Medea… twice.
A great addition to the series and leaves me hungry for more.
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Posted by Grete, on March 30th, 2010  Harry Dresden, the only Wizard in the phone book is in for the shock of his life. After a phone call from his ex-girlfriend Susan rocks his world, he realises Arianna Ortega has sworn revenge for the death of her husband and she is going to get it by killing his daughter.
The White Council, still reeling from betrayal and foolishly trying to garner peace with the Red Court vampires can’t help him and his list of allies is thin. Those who mean the most to him however are ready to stand and fight by his side and Harry must find a way to take on the Red King and the entire Red Court, or lose the daughter he’d never known about. With few options open to him, some of them down a very dark road, and growing more desperate, he must choose the best way he can to save his daughter and his friends.
Since Changes is the twelfth book in the Dresden Files series, there are certain things you have come to expect. Fast paced action, Harry being witty, heroic in the face of all evil and being regularly beaten into a pulp. This book has all that and much, much more. The very first sentence of the first paragraph gives you a big UH-OH moment and really, it doesn’t stop til the OH MY GOD moment at the end of the book. It’s an emotional, engaging, gritty ride that doesn’t really let up apart from the laugh out loud sections that Butcher has such a talent for.
This book is a much more personal look into Harry’s life and what he believes in than previous novels. The sections that show just what he’s capable of and willing to do for those he loves reduced me to tears. I really can’t say more than that without spoiling it.
I absolutely love these books and while they have never become formulaic and samey for me, some are better than others and I honestly feel Changes is one of the best. The title says it all really, there are some big changes in store for Harry and if you like this series, it’s an absolute must read. Jim Butcher at his very best.
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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 26th, 2010  With thanks to Piatkus, I have seven copies of Black and White by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge to give away!
You can read my review of this great Superhero book here.
All you have to do to be in with a chance to recieve a copy is post a comment telling me what you would want your superhero power to be!
Winners will be put into a hat and drawn randomly and closing date for this give-away will be 31st March.
I’m afraid due to posting costs, I have to restrict this to UK residents only.
Good luck and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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 12th, 2010 Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of the pioneers of supernatural romance. I’ve loved her work right from the first book I read and she remains one of my absolute favourite authors. Her characterisations and stories are amazing and I have no idea how she keeps the plotline running through 19+ books but she does and and the results are outstanding.
So what do you do when you have devoured everything she has written? Here are some recommendations for other authors in the same genre or with a similar style who I also love, and hopefully you might too!
J. R. Ward
Another author with a long running series, who has an amazing ability to bring her characters to life and into your hearts. Features vampires, hot men and sassy women, who could ask for more?
The following authors also write supernatural romance/urban fantasy but they are not quite as epic in scope as Sherrilyn Kenyon or J. R. Ward.
Keri Arthur
Keri Arthur’s ‘Riley Jensen’ Series are a great addition to the genre, with a gutsy, sexy heroine who is half-werewolf, half-vampire. The ‘Nikki and Michael’ vampire series has action as well as romance and the ‘Damask Circle Trilogy’ are definitely recommended reading too.
Patricia Briggs
For some werewolf love, Patricia Briggs brings the ‘Mercy Thompson’ Series to life and is an excellent, engaging, action packed read. Recently she has started on the ‘Alpha and Omega’ series from the same world, with two great characters who started out in a short story and are proving just as engaging. Lighter on the romance side than Kenyon but the story makes up for it.
Karen Chance
The ‘Cassie Palmer’ clairvoyant series has a bit of mystery going on, even with the numerous supernatural elements and makes for an exciting, sometimes heated mix. In addition to the main series, Karen Chance has recently begun a spin off series featuring the daughter of one of the main cast, which is shaping up to be a good read.
Kelley Armstrong
The ‘Otherworld’ series is going from strength to strength and Kelley Armstrong has a great way of telling stories through different character’s viewpoints. It starts with werewolves in Bitten and goes through several great characters who are witches, demons, sorcerors and necromancers. I love how she crosses their paths with other characters and often sets up the scene for following books as minor plots in the current one.
Rachel Caine
Two excellent series so far – ‘The Weather Wardens’ and their abilities to control the elements along with the enigmatic Djinn and her Young Adult series ‘The Morganville Vampires’. Both are excellent reads and highly recommended.
Kim Harrison
Witches, vampires, pixies oh my! The ‘Rachel Morgan’ series is a good solid read, inspired titles, humerous at times yet has its extremely poignant moments. Fast paced, full of action and definitely one to read.
Karen MacInerney
‘Tales of an Urban Werewolf’ are an easy, interesting and fun series to read. Doesn’t take itself too seriously but packs a punch when it needs to.
Carrie Vaughn
The brilliant ‘Kitty’ series (a misnomer since it’s about werewolves) just keeps getting better and Carrie Vaughn brings kick ass Kitty to life with style and panache.
If you have any other authors or books you feel would be enjoyed by people who loved Sherrilyn Kenyon, feel free to comment on this article with your recommendations.
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 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 November 18th, 2009  Violet Natalie Lindstrom is desperate to keep her daughter out of the clutches of the Violet Corps but because of their interference with any gainful employment, she is struggling to make ends meet. When a job offer lands in her lap that would pay enough to keep her going for quite some time, she is suspicious that it seems too good to be true. Can she afford to turn it down though? The job is simple, travel to Peru and channel the spirit of a long dead Conquistador to find out where he stashed the stolen treasures of the Incas. A simple job that could cost Natalie her life.
In Golden Blood has a slightly different feel to it than the previous two books. Still just as good, but an added flavour of treasure hunting thrown in to an already powerful mix. It’s good to see Natalie’s experiences are changing her, making her more mature but still the same gentle person she has always been. I felt this book was more tense than the others and was equally as gripping. I was never sure what the ultimate outcome would be and I had no choice but to keep reading, fearing but hoping at the same time, an odd mix of emotions. There were a few scenes that made me want to cry and I can only put it down to Stephen Woodworth’s ability to write emotional and engaging books that are very easy to read, without skimping on detail, characterisation or imagination. When I read the first book in the series, I thought it would be a trilogy but am happy to say there is another one to come. I am looking forwards to that very much.
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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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