A Book Obsession..

Early Review: Black Lament by Christina Henry

, by KT

Black Lament by Christina Henry

Black Wings #4

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black deals with loss every day. But when tragedy touches her own life, Maddy will have to find the strength within to carry on…

Devastated and grieving, Maddy unexpectedly finds hope with the discovery that she is pregnant. But Maddy’s joy is short lived when Lucifer informs her that he wants the baby, hoping to draw on the combined power of two of his bloodlines. Maddy is determined that her grandfather will never have her child, but she’s not sure what she can do to stop him.

Being pregnant is stressful enough, but Maddy suddenly finds herself at odds with the Agency—forbidden from meddling in the affairs of the supernatural courts. When a few of her soul collections go awry, Maddy begins to suspect that the Agency wants to terminate her employment. They should know by now that she isn’t the sort to give up without a fight…

As an Angel of Death, has seen countless souls ferried to the other side, and has become a little numb to the pain and loss associated with it. But all that changed when that loss stuck home and she is left a grieving mess. But there is a small matter of hope with the new life growing inside of her, a happiness that is lessened once Maddy realizes her unborn child would be a mighty temptation for Lucifer. A child of two of his bloodlines would have untold power, and Maddy is determined to keep that from his hands no matter what that takes. Meanwhile, the rest of the courts are still stirring trouble and Maddy has had about enough. This time she'll be taking the fight to them.

This was an incredibly difficult and emotional read for me. Heart ache absolutely kills me in a book, especially when it comes from something as permanent and devastating as death. My heart was in every bit as tatters as Maddy's was, and each time she broke down, my heart bled for her. I cannot count the number of times there were tears in my eyes when everything became too much for Maddy. That being said, the ability to affect my emotions that strongly shows just how good these books are and how real the characters are. If the emotion didn't impact me, well then it wouldn't be worth reading.

After reading Black Lament, my respect for Maddy has seriously ratcheted up another notch. Despite the immense emotional pain she was in, she still found a way to stand strong, especially once threatened. It didn't take long at all for her to go all "Momma Bear" and start eliminating current and future threats to herself and her unborn child. At several points throughout the book, her gargoyle companion, Beezle, seems to worry that she is turning over to the dark side, but I don't have the same worry. Sure she is making decisions she never would have in the past, but her actions are justified by the means. She hasn't sought out the trouble that finds her, she only refused to back down when others wanted to either control or destroy her. Granted, she has become a little more proactive in her defense as she began to take some steps to prevent future attacks rather than waiting to be ambushed, but in all honesty I can't blame her one little bit for that. She has no desire for world conquering and if everyone would just leave her alone, she wouldn't be a threat to any of them.

I have to admit that a part of me didn't want to continue on with this series after the heart shattering ending of the previous book as I just didn't want to face the reality of the horrible changes Maddy would have to face. But in the end it was more than worth it to push through it and keep reading, as Maddy and the gang are still some of my top favorite sets of characters. I highly recommend Black Lament as it is full of both emotion and action that will keep you sucked in from the very start. This series just keeps getting better!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Literal Addiction

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Kirsten Reviews: Iron Gray Sea by Taylor Anderson

, by KT

Iron Grey Sea by Taylor Anderson

Destroyermen #7

In Taylor Anderson’s acclaimed Destroyermen series, a parallel universe adds an extraordinary layer to the drama of World War II. Now, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, the crew of USS Walker, and their allies battle an ever-growing host of enemies across the globe in a desperate battle for freedom … War has engulfed the—other earth. With every hard-won victory and painful defeat, Matt Reddy and the Allies encounter more friends—and even more diabolical enemies. Even, at last, in the arms of the woman he loves, there is little peace for Reddy. The vast sea, and the scope of the conflict, have trapped him too far away to help on either front, but that doesn’t mean he and Walker can rest. Cutting short his “honeymoon,” Reddy sails off in pursuit of Hidoiame , a rogue Japanese destroyer that is wreaking havoc in Allied seas. Now that Walker is armed with the latest “new” technology, he hopes his battle-tested four-stacker has an even chance in a straight-up fight against the bigger ship—and he means to take her on. Elsewhere, the long-awaited invasion of Grik “Indiaa” has begun, and the Human-Lemurian Alliance is pushing back against the twisted might of the Dominion. The diplomatic waters seethe with treachery and a final, terrible plot explodes in the Empire of New Britain Isles. Worse, the savage Grik have also mastered “new” technologies and strategies. Their fleet of monstrous ironclads—and an army two years in the making—are finally massing to strike...

Destroyermen: Iron Gray Sea by Taylor Anderson is the latest installment in a series that proposes an alternative history for World War II. The book is richly imagined, with the sort of detail and authority that Anderson has brought to all of his work.

As a gunmaker as well as a forensic ballistic archaeologist, Anderson speaks from a position of knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject matter that makes the story not only authentic, but also far more exciting.

Anyone looking to jump into a series like this should start at the beginning, given that this is nowhere near the first book, and a great deal has happened. For anyone having trouble keeping track of exactly who is doing what, Anderson decided to include a character list, which some may find handy to refer back to as they read.

With such a vast canvas to cover, Anderson has several story lines that run parallel to each other. He pays equal attention to all of them, which gives the reader the perspective of not only the nominal 'hero' of the piece, but also opposing viewpoints. This is a wise choice, as there are always more to a war than 'good guys and bad guys,' as Iron Gray Sea proves.

Among these threads are the former IJN Command, or "Lord" Sato Okada's search for the destroyer Hidoiame.

Matthew Reddy and his sweetheart Lieutenant Sandra Taylor have plans of a matrimonial nature, and the now Commander Alan Letts continues to tinker with the development of new weapons.

In the meantime, the alliance attempts to launch an offensive attack in the Indi-aa, all the while the 'other side' plots their own attacks. Among them are the "General of the Sea" Hisashi Kurokawa, and the Grik, who find assistance from General Halik. And all the while, the Holy Domininion plot and scheme, and numerous other traitors add their plans to the mix.

There were only several places in which Anderson didn't quite carry off the book, and those were in the wrapping up of several threads, as well as the fact that it felt as if he was perhaps trying to cram too much into this volume. Aside from those quibbles, the book is a robust read, with interesting characters, and a plot that will keep one turning pages to find out what happens next.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Previous Books:

Into the Storm
Crusade
Maelstrom
Distant Thunders
Rising Tides
Firestorm

Early Review: Chasers by James Phelan

, by KT

Chasers by James Phelan

Alone #1

The trip of a lifetime just turned into the end of the world.

When Jesse crawls out of the wreckage of a subway car and emerges into daylight, he’s greeted by a living nightmare. An unexplained force has destroyed New York City, turning skyscrapers into ash, cutting off all power and communication. Jesse and his new friends, Dave, Anna and Mini are dazed but unhurt. The other survivors are not so lucky. Every human being they encounter is infected, gripped by an unquenchable thirst that drives them to monstrous acts of violence.

Somehow, Jesse has to escape. But first, he has to stay alive.

While traveling with other students in New York City, catastrophe strikes and their subway car goes up in flames. Climbing out of the wreckage, Jesse and his friends search for other survivors, but find no one else alive. When they reach the surface, what faces them is nothing short of a nightmare. The skyscrapers are crumbling around them and there seems to be no one left, at least until they stumble across a strange group of people who seem mindless except in their search for liquid to quench their thirst. Any liquid will do, even blood, making Jesse a prime target. Survival in this desolate new world won't be easy, but at least he isn't alone.

I'm at a loss as to how this book can possibly be properly reviewed without spoiling something major in the story. There is a shocking twist at the end that irrevocably changes your perceptions of everything prior to that point. So much so that I can hardly remember what I felt prior to that knowledge, and in all honesty that twist both infuriates and impresses me. It infuriates me because of just how much it turned everything upside down and drastically changed everything. On the opposite end, the impressive part came from its ability to catch me so far off guard. Let's face it, with everything we experience in modern society, it has become harder and harder to drastically surprise anyone. So when something like this comes along you can't help but be impressed even if you didn't really care for what that twist entailed.

While reading Chasers I kept picturing the movie I Am Legend with Will Smith. Each time they described yet another empty and deserted place, I shuddered just like I did in the movie. In no way am I saying Chasers is a knock off of I Am Legend, since there was a whole different character dynamic as well as a completely different story line behind the devastation. It's just that Chasers elicited that same horrible feeling inside of being terribly alone and isolated while your life is constantly hanging in the balance. Even though there was four of them together, it didn't lesson those devastating feelings one bit. In all honesty it was the isolation was what made this book so absolutely terrifying for me. So much more so than anything to do with the Chasers. Perhaps it is because I'm a social creature by nature, but I cannot see myself lasting very long under that kind of stifling aloneness.

I'm not really quite sure how I feel about the chasers and their role in zombie fiction. Granted, they weren't really zombies due to the fact that they sought out liquid of any kind rather than flesh. But the fact that they were mindless and would attack people for their blood does push them somewhere in the zombie region. I guess in the end I can't really fault them for not being true zombies, as they were plenty scary enough. I think my sticking point with them was that there wasn't any explanation for anything that was going on. Granted, this is a trilogy, so there needed to be some things left open for the next two books, and the staggering feeling of aloneness couldn't have been achieved if there had been any contact with the outside world to get those needed answers. That being said, I'm incredibly eager to get my hands on the next installment, since Chasers was one heck of a terrifying ride that grabbed a hold of me and just wouldn't let go.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Karin's Book Nook

Waiting on Wednesday (117)

, by KT

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

Magic For a Price - Allie Beckstrom #9

by Devon Monk

Publication Date: November 6th, 2012

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Allison Beckstrom’s talent for tracking spells has put her up against some of the darkest elements in the world of magic, but she’s never faced anything like this.

Magic itself has been poisoned, and Allie’s undead father may have left the only cure in the hands of a madman. Hunted by the Authority–the secret council that enforces magic’s laws–wanted by the police, and unable to use magic, she’s got to find the cure before the sickness spreads beyond any power to stop it.

But when a Death magic user seeks to destroy the only antidote, Allie and her fellow renegades must stand and fight to defend the innocent and save all magic…

Review: Adaptation by Malinda Lo

, by KT

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

Adaptation #1

Reese can’t remember anything from the time between the accident and the day she woke up almost a month later. She only knows one thing: She’s different now.

Across North America, flocks of birds hurl themselves into airplanes, causing at least a dozen to crash. Thousands of people die. Fearing terrorism, the United States government grounds all flights, and millions of travelers are stranded.

Reese and her debate team partner and longtime crush David are in Arizona when it happens. Everyone knows the world will never be the same. On their drive home to San Francisco, along a stretch of empty highway at night in the middle of Nevada, a bird flies into their headlights. The car flips over. When they wake up in a military hospital, the doctor won’t tell them what happened, where they are—or how they’ve been miraculously healed.

Things become even stranger when Reese returns home. San Francisco feels like a different place with police enforcing curfew, hazmat teams collecting dead birds, and a strange presence that seems to be following her. When Reese unexpectedly collides with the beautiful Amber Gray, her search for the truth is forced in an entirely new direction—and threatens to expose a vast global conspiracy that the government has worked for decades to keep secret.

Reese's life forever changed the day thousands of birds started throwing themselves at airplanes, causing countless crashes. Stuck far from home and with all the planes grounded, she and David, her longtime crush make their way home to San Francisco in a rental car. But when birds strike their car, they careened right off the road and everything went black. Waking up in strange hospital a month later, Reese feels strange, which is only compounded when she returns home. Nothing is the same, especially with her own body as she starts to miraculously heal at an extremely accelerated rate. As she and David try to get to the bottom of things, what they find will be so shocking and so rooted in conspiracy there won't be any escape.

Before I start this paragraph I feel the need to state that I don't have a problem with homosexuality. Granted seeing it does tend to make me a little uncomfortable, but that's my own issue not theirs, and I would never say anything negative towards their rights. That being said, I had an issue with those elements in this book. Not because they were there, but because it just didn't feel natural or realistic and as a result had my guards up that it would become a "cause" book. Looking back, I don't think that was the case, but it still bothered me the way things were handled. Granted Reese had never dated before Amber came along, but that was more due to a fear of love and attachment rather than any lack of desire for boys. In fact, before she met Amber she had a rather large attraction to David despite the fact that she didn't want to. So, it caught me and her quite off guard when all of a sudden she was gangbusters for a girl. Granted, I probably would have still been rather confused if she had of suddenly switched her attentions to a different guy, but at least that would have still been more inline with her original attraction preference. I do realize that I could be completely off base in how different sexualities work and how sudden they can change, but regardless of that I just couldn't believe the romance making it rather frustrating to me. To make matters worse things wound up turning into a twisted love triangle mess, that just didn't seem necessary. I guess things would have been a whole lot more enjoyable and believable if Amber's role had been a very good friend rather than an impromptu lover in the middle.

I love sci-fi movies, but I typically try and stay away from that genre in books, unless the description really grabs me like this one did. I don't know why, but books just don't seem to get the same "pass" for believability that I give to movies. I just get so frustrated when things don't really mesh up to what is truly believable, especially in relation to how the Government would behave about something sensitive. I'm sorry but they are all about top secret stuff staying that way, so if anything or anyone would threaten that security, you can't tell me that they wouldn't be all over sealing the leak by any means necessary. I guess it just boiled down to me rolling my eyes one too many times at the credibility of the events as my frustration mounted.

Even though this review shows a great deal of frustrations, I was intrigued enough by the story to make it the whole way through the book without too many distractions. This is another one of those times where I wish I rated in half increments as I'm stuck between a 2 and a 3. Since I will more than likely read the next installment to see where things lead, I'll round up to the three and chalk my issues up to a rocky beginning. Also, it should be noted that since a lot of the frustrations I had were due to believability issues, that some of them could be attributed to my mood while reading it. There are times when I'm much more forgiving of unrealistic things and able to go with the flow, but other times my mood just won't allow it. So, depending on your own preferences, Adaptation may just be a much better read for you.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Book Birthdays: New Titles This Week (6)

, by KT

I keep a google calendar of all the books releasing each week that are on my radar. With all of the many books I am excited about it is so easy to lose track of when things come out. Since I'm already doing this research for myself, I thought you guys might like it if I shared.

Angel's Ink by Jocelynn Drake

The Asylum Tales #1

Buyer beware . . .

Looking for a tattoo-and maybe a little something extra: a burst of good luck, a dollop of true love, or even a hex on an ex? Head to the quiet and mysterious Gage, the best skin artist in town. Using his unique potions-a blend of extraordinary ingredients and special inks-to etch the right symbol, he can fulfill any heart's desire. But in a place like Low Town, where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires happily walk among humanity, everything has its price.

No one knows that better than Gage. Turning his back on his own kind, he left the magical Ivory Tower where cruel witches and warlocks rule, a decision that cost him the right to practice magic. And if he disobeys, his punishment-execution-will be swift.

Though he's tried to fly under the radar, Gage can't hide from powerful warlocks who want him dead-or the secrets of his own past. But with the help of his friends, Trixie, a gorgeous elf who hides her true identity, and a hulking troll named Bronx, Gage just might make it through this enchanted world alive.

Amazon The Book Depository

Beta by Rachel Cohn

Annex #1

Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers--soulless clones like Elysia--are immune to.
At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an under-current of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care--so why are overpowering sensations cloud-ing Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi-ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, "Beta "is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor-rupted world.

Amazon The Book Depository

Hidden by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

House of Night #10

Neferet’s true nature has been revealed to the Vampyre High Council, so Zoey and the gang might finally get some help in defending themselves and their beloved school against a gathering evil that grows stronger every day. And they’ll need it, because Neferet’s not going down without a fight. Chaos reigns at the House of Night.

Amazon The Book Depository

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutoski

Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.

Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.

As if she were his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .

In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won’t soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.

Amazon The Book Depository

Unchained by J. Lynn

Nephilim Rising #1

Between the pissed off creatures that want demon-hunter Lily Marks dead and the fallen angel who just...wants her, Lily is about ready to trade in forever for a comfy job in a cubicle farm.

The fact that she and Julian are civil to one another is enough to have her thrown out of the Sanctuary, but she can't shake her not-so-angelic stalker or how he brings her dangerously close to ecstasy.

Her forbidden relationship with Julian provides the perfect fuel for suspicion when a traitor is discovered to be working within the Sanctuary. Lily quickly finds herself hunted by well, everyone.

Her only hope is to discover the real traitor before she loses everything--and she'll need Julian's help. That is, if Julian is really there to help her...and not destroy her.

Yeah, being a Nephilim isn't everything it's cracked up to be.

Amazon The Book Depository

It's Monday What Are You Reading (117)

, by KT

It's Monday! What Are You Reading, is hosted by Book Journey, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Reviews for the past week:

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce (Review)
Mortal Ties by Eileen Wilks (Review)
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (Early Review)

Kirsten's Book of the Week:

Bared Blade by Kelly McCullough (Review)

Other Posts:

Steve Bein stopped by for his Daughter of the Sword Blog Tour (+giveaway)

Book Birthdays featured 6 new releases on my radar

Darkness Hunts by Keri Arthur was featured for Waiting on Wednesday

This week's Bargain Books & Kindle Deals

We still need your help with starting our new Let's Talk Feature. (+giveaway)

Upcoming List:

Adaptation by Malinda Lo
Chasers by James Phelan (Early Review)
Black Lament by Christina Henry (Early Review)

Kirsten Reviews: Iron Grey Sea by Taylor Anderson

Early Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

, by KT

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotton #1

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Forced to live by a set of rules in order to survive and keep those around him safe, Ethan Chase does everything he can to avoid notice from the fey who stalk him. But all his carefully constructed barriers come down as the very fey he avoids start to disappear, and he himself is attacked. As a result, along with a very stubborn girl who doesn't seem to realize that staying away from him is for her own good, Ethan is forced to escape to the one place he swore he would never return, Faery. What they find there will forever change their destiny, and make them question everything they have ever known.

The characters in The Lost Prince earn a mixed range of emotions from me, with some earning admiration and others not so much. As for Ethan, once I looked beneath the broody surface he portrays, I really loved his character. Sure, he is more than a little bitter and angry at the world, but in all honesty I think he has coped remarkably well considering the very rough life he has been dealt. I was only further endeared to him when I realized that much of his gruff manner was used in order to keep people at arms length and therefore safe from the ones who would use them against him. Kenzie was another character I absolutely adored. She is very spunky and her iron will is amazing, which is only more apparent latter on in the story. She has her own secrets, ones that will both shock and simultaneously only further ensnare you to her. Keirran was much on the unsure and leaning towards dislike category in all honesty. I just couldn't connect with him and his behavior on a lot of things was more than questionable. He just seemed rather spoiled and selfish, but also powerful, making for a very bad combination. I'm going to reserve final judgement for now, until we get to know him a little better in the next book, but I will say that he definitely hasn't impressed me yet.

I really enjoyed the twisted story line of The Lost Prince. Not only did we have the new and nasty, fey that were preying on others, but there also were hints of the Prophecy that was foretold in Iron's Prophecy, a short story from Meghan's perspective. I would highly recommend reading that prior to The Iron Prince as it gives you insider information, you wouldn't otherwise have, and gives you a better clue at the reasoning behind some things in the book. Rounding out the book was the budding romance between Kenzie and Ethan, which was both sweet and promising.

In all honesty it really surprised me how different this book felt than the Iron Fey series. At first I thought that was due to the change in narration from a female to male, but then I remembered that we already made that change in The Iron Knight as Ash took the reigns. So, that being said I can't really put my finger on what was so different considering it still involves the same world and similar characters. So, it did take me a little while to get used to the changes, making the learning curve a just little higher than I had anticipated. That being said, once I got used to the differences, I was completely ensnared, especially as it became apparent that this series would more than shine on its own and shine. From start to finish, The Iron Knight was an enthralling read that will more than please fans of The Iron Fey Series.

(Received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley)

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Kirsten Reviews: Bared Blade by Kelly McCullough

, by KT

Bared Blade by Kelly McCullough

Fallen Blade #2

From the "inventive, irreverent" (Green Man Review) author of Broken Blade comes a new Fallen Blade novel featuring Aral Kingslayer. Former temple assassin Aral Kingslayer has a price on his head and a mark on his soul. After his goddess was murdered, Aral found refuge in the shadow jack business, fixing problems for those on the fringes of Tien’s underworld. It’s a long step down from working for the Goddess of Justice, but it gives Aral and Triss—the living shadow who is his secret partner—a reason to get up in the morning.

When two women hit a rough spot in the tavern Aral uses for an office, he and Triss decide to lend a helping hand--only to find themselves in the middle of a three-way battle to find an artifact that just might be the key to preventing a war. And with so many factions on their trail, Aral and Triss are attracting a lot more attention than anyone featured on ten thousand wanted posters can afford…

Bared Blade, the next book in Kelly McCullough’s ‘fallen blade’ series picks up where the last book left off, keeping Aral Kingslayer in jeopardy and trying to piece his life back together.

As a former Kingslayer, Aral has turned to less honorable work as a shadow jack. He’s the guy that people in the underworld of Tien turn to when they need a problem to go away.

Aral’s got a price on his head, and is still dealing with the loss of his Goddess, as well as other personal issues. In short, he’s barely scraping by in every possible way.

Things may have gone on this way for awhile, but this is when trouble usually comes to one’s doorstep, and in Aral’s case, it’s two women in front of his ‘office’ - a local tavern. When Triss and Aral step in, they find themselves in the middle of possibly preventing a war, and a number of people are after them. All of this is on top of the other stuff that Aral has been dealing with, and the plot takes off.

Over the course of the story, the author chooses to have Aral grow, instead of act impulsively as is the case for protagonists of this ilk. Slowly, but surely, Aral stops reacting, so much as planning his next move and figuring out how to survive.

Since Aral has stopped following the commands of his goddess, he isn’t as sure of the path he should be taking, and this makes him very much a work in progress, which is an excellent way to get inside his head and care about his progress as a person.

Triss, the dragon shadow familiar that is Aral’s partner takes on a larger role in this story, and this allows the reader to gain a greater understanding into the magic of this world. In addition, Triss is a lighter counterpoint to Aral, who sometimes slips into a depression. The choice of pairing them together is proved to be a wise one in this story.

In ‘Bared Blade,’ there is more action than the previous book, and the author has a strong grasp of what works best for the characters. There are still some rough edges, and the book doesn’t stand completely on its own, but for anyone looking for a slightly different fantasty story, ‘Bared Blade’ is a good choice.

(Received a copy from the publisher for review)

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