Early Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Alpha & Omega #4

THE NEW CHARLES AND ANNA NOVEL

Praised as “the perfect blend of action, romance, suspense and paranormal,"* the Alpha and Omega novels transport readers into the realm of the werewolf, where Charles Cornick and Anna Latham embody opposite sides of the shifter personality. Now, a pleasure trip drops the couple into the middle of some bad supernatural business…

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

I really love Patricia Briggs' books. Each new one feels like coming home to old friends, and I've never been disappointed. Dead Heat was no exception. While this series has a bit of a different feel to it than the Mercy Series, I look forward to these books every bit as much. Charles and Anna have something inexplicable that just draws you in. Charles is so gruff and hard on the outside and everyone has a hard time understanding how Anna is not terrified of him as well. It makes for rather hilarious moments when she sasses at him or teases him and anyone who is around, their eyes bug out of their head. It's just great to see this hard man in a newer, softer light for her alone. As much as I love how Charles is portrayed in this series, I have to confess that Anna really steals the show for me. She's come so far, and yet you still see the vulnerabilities from what she's faced. 

The plot behind DEAD HEAT was incredibly enthralling. It starts out calmer with Charles and Anna taking a much needed personal break to go horse shopping. This also brings them to a very old friend of Charles, which added another depth to his character. Previously we've only seen him be soft towards Anna, with a just a bit of affection toward his father, brother, and Mercy as well, but no further than that. So like I said earlier, seeing Charles care about someone else other than his very very short list was a treat to see. This book also showed why he is so reserved from caring about others, aside from the enforcer bit of course. It added a new depth to his character which I loved. But getting back to the plot, the Fae are at it again wreaking havoc. This time around was pretty horrific, and it kept me on the edge of my seat watching it all unfurl.

So all in all, this book and this series is the total package, great plot, incredible characters, and a swoon worthy romance that sucks you right in. I cannot recommend these books any higher!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Dark Faerie Tales
     Carole's Random Life

Previous Books:
     1. Cry Wolf
     2. Hunting Ground
     3. Fair Game

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Kirsten Reviews: Another One Bites the Dust by Chris Marie Green

Another One Bites the Dust by Chris Marie Green

Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire #2

Jensen Murphy is back in the spooky sequel to Only the Good Die Young.
Some people think that ghosts are spirits that refuse to go to the other side because they have unfinished business. Take my word—that’s true. I should know. I’m a ghost.

I was an ordinary eighties California girl, dead before my time, until psychic Amanda Lee Minter pulled me out of the time loop where I was reliving my death over and over. Now I’m Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire. I decided to put my spooky talents to use in helping Amanda Lee track down bad guys and killers (including my own).

It’s taken time to figure out exactly how that will work (our first case was definitely a learning experience for all involved), so when a young woman asks Amanda Lee for help convincing her best friend to leave a dangerously hot-tempered boyfriend, I’m ready and willing to use our collective powers on her behalf. But some people are dangerous not only to the living—especially when there are darker forces involved...

Another One Bites the Dust by Chris Marie Green, the second installment in the Jensen Murphy Ghost for Hire series. In what is somewhat unusual in the urban fantasy genre, the protagonist is, as the title suggests, a ghost. Jensen was murdered by a serial killer and was trapped in a time loop, reliving her death endlessly until Amanda Lee Minter, who happens to be a psychic, pulled her out and they find they can help each other. People come to Amanda Lee when they have problems and need help finding people who are beyond the reach of most police departments or private investigators. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Amanda is friends with a ghost, and that Jensen’s talents are geared toward being unseen and poking her nose into places the living often can’t go. In short, she tries to catch the bad guys, solve murders, including her own.

Their newest case involves a young woman who asks Amanda Lee to do help convince her best friend to leave her boyfriend, before she gets hurt.

In this series, ghosts have more than a couple useful skills that keeps them from being mere shades who can give people a bad scare. They can enter the dreams of the living, create hallucinations, and also get a sense of what people are thinking or feeling just by being in some kind of contact with them.

One large part of the story is Jensen’s search for the truth about who killed her, and there are enough details about her death to make the reader fully invested in her getting justice. Then there is the storyline about Heidi, Amanda Lee’s client, who is worried about her friend, the one dating a possible psychopath. Finally, there’s some time spent following up with Gavin and Wendy, the brother and sister from the first book, and Jensen has to resolve the feelings she has for Gavin.

Having several plotlines keeps the book moving at a quick pace, but it also makes it feel a bit scattered at times, and there isn’t much time spent on developing or getting to know some of the secondary characters better. In future books, it would be interesting to see more of Jensen’s fellow ghosts, as they definitely have their own stories that are worth exploring further.

This book has some definite strong points, a different take on ghosts, and also feels like it’s still learning to stick its landings. So far, it’s worth it to stick around and see where it all goes from a promising second outing.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Between Dreams and Reality
     Bibliosanctum
     a GREAT read

Previous Books:
     1. Only the Good Die Young

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Early Review: Armageddon Rules by J.C. Nelson

Armageddon Rules by J.C. Nelson

Grimm Agency #2

Marissa Locks, newly appointed partner of the Grimm Agency, has a reputation for making a mess of magical matters—although causing Armageddon is a new low, even for her…

Marissa is due for a little happily ever after. After all, she did kill the evil Fairy Godmother, end a war, and snag a sweet promotion within the Fairy Godfather's magical-problem-solving Agency. But between maintaining a relationship with someone whose amorous advances can cause third-degree burns, dealing with a killer-poodle infestation, and helping her best friend, Princess Ari, learn to wield spells more powerful than curing a hangover, she’s not getting as much peace and quiet as she hoped.

When an enemy from her past appears to exact a terrible revenge, Marissa’s life goes from hectic to hell on earth. With Grimm inexplicably gone and Ari trapped by a sleeping spell, Marissa decides to fight fire with hellfire—and accidentally begins a countdown to the apocalypse.

With the end of days extremely nigh, Marissa will have to master royal politics, demonic law, and biblical plagues in a hurry—because even the end of the world can’t keep the Agency from opening for business…

This was such a fun book! I love Marissa's character. She's so quirky and sassy, plus has a backbone of steel to boot. And trust me, she needed it with everything that was thrown at her in this book. Considering what happened to her in the last book, it's impressive that the bag of nasty tricks this round was worse. But she handled everything in her usual quirky way. And let me just say, how she managed the apocalypse curses? Priceless. She kept me entertained throughout the entire book. If you are a fan of Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson, you'll love Marissa as well. And of course the rest of the cast is pretty fantastic as well. From Her best friend Princess Ari, to her dragon cursed boyfriend, and even the Fairy Godfather himself, Grimm, each one added another interesting layer to the series.

This series is perfect blend of modern fantasy, humor, fantastic character, and a killer plot. I loved every minute of this book and I can't recommend it any higher. If you looking for something fun, yet action packed, look no further than this terrific series. It's the perfect book to kick back and enjoy the ride. I'll be counting down the days until the next book releases.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Previous Books:
     1. Free Agent

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Kirsten Reviews: Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hullick

Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick

Tales of the Kin #2

It’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it.

With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes. And to make matters worse, when one dies, all signs point to Drothe as wielding the knife. As members of the Kin begin choosing sides – mostly against him – for what looks to be another impending war, Drothe is approached by a man who not only has the solution to Drothe’s most pressing problem, but an offer of redemption. The only problem is the offer isn’t for him.

Now Drothe finds himself on the way to the Despotate of Djan, the empire’s long-standing enemy, with an offer to make and a price on his head. And the grains of sand in the hour glass are running out, fast...

Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hullick continues the story begun in Among Thieves. As the story begins, it’s been several months since the protagonist Drothe killed a legend, burned down a fair amount of the imperial capital, and in doing so, managed to catapult himself upward into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince of the underworld, he’s finding that rising to power is not so simple a life as she might have imagined. In killing a Gray Prince, Drothe is no longer Kin, and as a Prince, he has a great deal of additional responsibility, and he isn’t exactly sure how to best go about handling this new role.

Barely established as a Gray Prince, Drothe is already having to deal with challenges from other Princes, and when one of them is found dead, everyone believes that Drothe is the one responsible. The resulting power struggle, which finds the Kin choosing sides does not look to be the kind of situation which will end well for Drothe. At this critical moment, Drothe is approached by one of the Degans, Wolf has engineered a clever piece of blackmail, and who offers him the solution to his problem, and even more tempting, redemption. But, this offer isn’t for Drothe, and he has to journey to the Despotate of Djan, enemy of the empire, to make this offer to Bronze, from Among Thieves, all the while he has a price on his head.

Of course, there is the issue of the way Drothe and Bronze parted in the last book, and needless to say, there are other complications that arise. This includes a group of traveling troubadours and a number of other interesting characters.

Part of what keeps the story moving is the fact that Drothe is not same confident individual from the first book. As a newly-promoted Gray Prince, he is unsure of how to handle himself or these additional duties. Instead of being able to do everything himself, he has to learn how to delegate authority, work with other people, and so rather than planning out his moves, and anticipating what his enemies might do next, Drothe spends the majority of the book reacting to events as they occur. By the end of the story, he has had more than a few setbacks, and not only from people out to get him, but he does have an objective, and at least some idea of how to go about reaching it.

Beyond the plot and character development, the author does a substantial amount of worldbuilding, further explaining things like the Order of the Degans, the system of magic that is part of this series, and other information which readers will find interesting. The setup for the next book is clear by the last few pages, and there is quite a lot of room still to be explored, both for the characters, and the world they inhabit.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The Bibliosanctum
     Staffers Book Review
     Open Book Society

Previous Books:
     1. Among Thieves

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Early Review: Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

Seeker #1

Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’.

Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin's new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her.

Right off the bat I have to express frustrations with the marketing on this book. It was pitched to me as The Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones. When I read that I was sold 100%. Sure after reading the blurb, I was a bit iffy on it, but with that comparison, I figured I couldn't go wrong. Well, I was wrong. The book is nothing, and I do mean nothing like either comparison, and that false marketing really soured things for me, but even so I kept reading thinking it would turn around and I would see what the raving was about. Unfortunately it didn't.

At times it felt like only half the story was being told, leaving the reader to try and fill in the rest, which left me rather frustrated and unsatisfied. I just felt like there was so much going on that was never explained leaving me feeling a step behind pet much throughout the entire book. Granted, the world and concept were intriguing even if the cast of characters weren't exactly strong, so it was rather disappointing with the lack of real details or explanation. In fact all of it was rather convoluted which frankly was unnecessary. So much seemed to go on off page and only briefly mentioned then glossed over yet it was supposed to play this huge role in how the characters acted. That just didn't work for me. I still don't understand much of this works even after finishing the book, and it's frankly a shame. There was so much potential here that ultimately fell flat for me.

To be honest I'm not sure why I kept reading this one. I guess I kept waiting for it to turn around and I remember thinking, you made it this far, might as well continue to see what happens. Problem is that it doesn't really start going anywhere until about the 70% mark in this longer YA. That's a lot of pages to get through just to get involved in the story. It's a shame because there was potential here, but the end result just wasn't for me.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The Starry-Eyed Revue
     The Eater of Books!
     The Reading Diaries

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Kirsten Reviews: Symbiont by Mira Grant

Symbiont by Mira Grant

Parasitology #2

THE ENEMY IS INSIDE US.

The SymboGen designed tapeworms were created to relieve humanity of disease and sickness. But the implants in the majority of the world's population began attacking their hosts turning them into a ravenous horde.

Now those who do not appear to be afflicted are being gathered for quarantine as panic spreads, but Sal and her companions must discover how the tapeworms are taking over their hosts, what their eventual goal is, and how they can be stopped.

Symbiont by Mira Grant is the follow up to Parasite, and the second book in a series which focuses on science, tapeworms, and the attendant horrors thereof. In a world where tapeworm implants are commonplace in order to enjoy a full, healthy life, the consequences are an inevitable transformation into zombies.

Sal, the protagonist and her friends must discover the reason the implants are malfunctioning, and if they can, how to stop it. In such a society, it is unsurprising that the government and scientists are working together, and their efforts to control the implants, a rising population of zombies, and Sal herself. This leads to a number of unpleasant encounters for Sal, including being held captive by the military, and learning exactly how dedicated some scientists are to maintaining the status quo, even at the expense of human life.

Without spoiling any of the story, readers should assume that these are not friendly scientists, and anyone who wants to ‘just take a blood sample’ should be avoided if at all possible.

There are both familiar characters, and a few new ones, from Fishy, a man who wrongly believes he’s actually in a video game, and therefore the world is not actually falling apart around him, and Ronnie, a tapeworm assassin who just so happens to be stuck inside a man’s body.

While all of the worldbuilding and focus on science gone awry is definitely interesting, this is a fairly substantial book, and not all that much happens. Sal finds herself in more than a few tight spots, but they don’t seem to move the plot along a great deal, although her character growth doesn’t stagnate, which is a good thing when the plot appears to be retreading some of the same ground of the last book.

As a cautionary tale, Symbiont is timely, at a time when science and technology are making huge strides, and any untested invention could conceivably, in the wrong hands, have similarly devastating effects.

Ultimately, one of the most unsettling aspects of Symbiont is not the zombies, but the companies, governmental agencies, and other authorities who, in attempting to offer a cure for disease, instead create an even greater threat to humanity.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Happy Indulgence
     The Nocturnal Library
     Badass Book Reviews

Previous Books:
     1. Parasite

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Early Review: Lucky Break by Chloe Neill

Lucky Break by Chloe Neill

Chicagoland Vampires #10.5

In this thrilling new novella from the New York Timesbestselling author of Blood Games, vampire Merit bites off more than she bargained for when a romantic trip to a secluded Colorado town turns deadly.

Merit and Ethan are in desperate need of some alone time, far from the worries of Cadogan House, but trouble tends to follow wherever they go. Their attempt at a romantic getaway is quickly interrupted when one of Ethan's vampire friends shows up at their door--covered in blood and accused of killing her shifter husband.

Merit and her Master soon discover their vacation spot is far less idyllic than it appears. A centuries old quarrel between local vampires and shifters has made the town a perpetual supernatural battle zone, and this fresh blood has stirred the already volatile pot. Now, Merit and Ethan must put their passion on pause to figure out who's really responsible for the murder before all hell breaks loose...

This was a fun little extra for the Chicagoland Vampires series. A lot of times it seems like Merit and Ethan are always going in two different directions due to their own responsibilities. They just don't always get as much page time them getting to be just them due to the crazy that always surrounds them. So it was really nice to see them at least try to get away together alone. But of course, things wouldn't be that easy, and they land themselves in the middle of a mess. They handle it well, and I have to admit it was fun to see them working on their own without all the other Chicago players in the mix. While there weren't any game changing events in this novella, I have to wonder if the outcome will play a role in the vamp politics coming up in future books.  So all in all, this was a fun read that should please fans of the series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Previous Books:
     1. Some Girls Bite
     2. Friday Night Bites
     3. Twice Bitten
     4. Hard Bitten
     5. Drink Deep
     6. Biting Cold
     7. House Rules

     8. Biting Bad

     9. Wild Things

     10. Blood Games

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Kirsten Reviews: Broken Soul by Faith Hunter

Broken Soul by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellorock #8

Jane Yellowrock is a vampire killer for hire—but other creatures of the night still need to watch their backs....

When the Master of the city of New Orleans asks Jane to improve security for a future visit from a delegation of European vampires, she names an exorbitant price—and Leo is willing to pay. That’s because the European vamps want Leo’s territory, and he knows that he needs Jane to prevent a total bloodbath. Leo, however, doesn’t mention how this new job will change Jane’s life or the danger it will bring her and her team.

Jane has more to worry about than some greedy vampires. There’s a vicious creature stalking the streets of New Orleans, and its agenda seems to be ripping Leo and her to pieces. Now Jane just has to figure out how to kill something she can’t even see….

Broken Soul by Faith Hunter is the eighth book featuring Jane Yellowrock, which means there’s quite a lot of history to keep in mind. This time, Jane has been asked by the Master of New Orleans to take charge of security improvements for an important visit from a delegation of European vampires. Despite Jane naming an exorbitant price, Leo agrees to it - because the European vampires are making a power grab for Leo’s territory, and Jane can help him prevent things from getting messy. But, Leo doesn’t go into any detail about how this job will put Jane and her entire team in a huge amount of danger. To anyone who’s followed the series for any length of time, Leo’s non disclosure of important information is nothing new, and it’s gotten a bit old.

In the meantime, Jane has other things to worry about besides vampire politics - something is stalking her, and she has to figure out what is going on in a hurry. This involves her delving into the history of vampires, while also working with her team, aka her chosen family, which nicely highlights the character growth Jane has undergone since the beginning of the series. The relationship with Beast isn’t neglected, and is strengthened by the events of the book, which bodes well for further books and plotlines.

In general, the Jane Yellowrock series has a great track record when it comes to the plot and overall worldbuilding. Of late, the romantic subplots have been scattered, if not a complete mess. Fortunately in this book, the romantic tangle seems to have turned a corner, in a dramatic way that helps to move things several huge jumps ahead.

Although there is definitely an antagonist causing problems, in some ways this book feels a bit like Jane and the rest of them are waiting for the European vampires to show up. That caveat aside, it moves relationships and plot forward competently, and sets up future conflicts in such a way that readers will want to pick up the next book in the series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Red Hot Books
     Gizmo's Reviews

Previous Books:

     1. Skinwalker
     2. Blood Cross
     3. Mercy Blade
     4. Raven Cursed
     5. Death's Rival
     6. Blood Trade
     7. Black Arts

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Early Review: Hunter Reborn by Katie Reus

Hunter Reborn by Katie Reus

Moon Shifter #5

Losing her was the hardest thing he’d ever endured...

Warrior shifter Aiden’s investigation of the trafficking of vampire blood leads to a startling discovery: the beautiful vampire bondmate he thought was dead. Decades ago, they’d defied their powerful families to be together, but then Larissa disappeared without a trace. When their mating link broke, it nearly destroyed Aiden. Now she’s back with no memory of where she’s been. Even more shattering—Larissa claims she has no idea who Aiden is.

Now she’s back...

It’s a race against time to bring down an operation more evil than his pack ever suspected, and Aiden finds himself working side by side with a mate who no longer trusts him—and she wants out. But he lost her once, and he won’t let her go again. Unfortunately, Larissa’s blood is the key to a powerful monster’s dangerous plan—and he’ll stop at nothing to destroy her, sparking off a war between the supernaturals and humans that no one will win.

I'm a sucker for reunited lovers, and I was especially looking forward to seeing Aiden get his HEA. In the previous books you could really feel how much he was hurting by the way he lashed out at anyone who took their potential mate for granted and tried to fight it. The poor man had everything and lost it, so my heart really went out to him. Let me just tell you, the raw emotion and shock when he felt her again? Staggering. And then once they were past that shock, lordy, lordy was the tension between these two hot! With her not remembering him mentally, but still felt the inexplicable physical draw, let me just say it made things rather interesting, and I loved every second of it. I especially enjoyed the way things were drawn out rather than rushed into. Typically I'm always in a hurry for the couple to get together, but this time around it was handled so well that I enjoyed savoring it. Bravo!

Yet again one of the best things about these series is the focus not only on the main couple but the side couples as well. I really love how closely all of the books are tied together, and it makes it easy to jump right in after the long break between books. I read a large number of books a year, so it's always a huge bonus for me when things are set up like this series where I don't have to go back and try to recap so I'm not lost. So from an avid and voracious reader, I thank you Ms. Reus very much for this.

HUNTER REBORN is yet another installment in the fabulous Moon Shifter series that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's sure to please fans of the series, and there's enough backstory for new readers to jump in, but I guarantee they'll want to go back and start from the beginning after reading this one. A must read for any paranormal romance fan.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     East Coast Book Chicks
     Twin Sisters Rockin' Book Reviews
     Book Sniffers Anonymous

Previous Books:
     1. Alpha Instinct
     2. Primal Posession
     3. Mating Instinct
     4. Avenger's Heat

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Kirsten Reviews: Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older

Bone Street Rumba #1

“Because I’m an inbetweener—and the only one anyone knows of at that—the dead turn to me when something is askew between them and the living. Usually, it’s something mundane like a suicide gone wrong or someone revived that shouldn’ta been.”

Carlos Delacruz is one of the New York Council of the Dead’s most unusual agents—an inbetweener, partially resurrected from a death he barely recalls suffering, after a life that’s missing from his memory. He thinks he is one of a kind—until he encounters other entities walking the fine line between life and death.

One inbetweener is a sorcerer. He’s summoned a horde of implike ngks capable of eliminating spirits, and they’re spreading through the city like a plague. They’ve already taken out some of NYCOD’s finest, leaving Carlos desperate to stop their master before he opens up the entrada to the Underworld—which would destroy the balance between the living and the dead.

But in uncovering this man’s identity, Carlos confronts the truth of his own life—and death…

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older is the first book in the Bone Street Rumba series, and gives readers the first full length novel featuring the character of Carlos Delacruz, previously introduced in a story collection from the author.

For those who haven’t heard of Carlos before, he’s what is known as an ‘inbetweener.’ This means he’s both alive and dead, quite possibly the only one of his kind, has virtually no memory of who he was before he crossed over to the other side, however briefly, and consequently has a few issues.

In the course of working for the the New York Council of the Dead, Carlos is usually called in when the dead need help dealing with issues like unwarranted revivals, or a suicide gone wrong. This time, he’s tasked with taking out a man by the name of Trevor, who is somehow threatening the stability of an ‘entrada,’ aka an entrance into the underworld. What Carlos doesn’t know is that this assignment will result in him finding out more about his past, and also crossing the path of Sarco, a sorcerer who is looking to obliterate the barrier separating the living and the dead. To do so, he’s summoned a horde of implike ngks who have the ability to eradicate spirits, and as is their nature, these imps are spreading quickly throughout the city.

Carlos has to figure out both Sarco’s identity, and figure out a way to stop him, but he will also have to confront his life, and death, which is something of a tall order.

The author has a lyrical writing style that lends itself well to this version of New York City, often taking the twisted path in his storytelling, which makes for a highly readable first installment in a promising series.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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     My Bookish Ways

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