A Book Obsession..

Kirsten Reviews: Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

, by KT

Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

The Others #4

For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…

Marked in Flesh, the fourth book in Anne Bishop's The Others series continues the set in Namid, a world very much like our own, but one where humans are not the dominant form of life on the planet and are prey for the Others. As things stand, the Others have allowed humans to settle many parts of the planet, but have given them strict boundaries and control all natural resources that humans need to survive. The arrangement has worked, more or less for centuries, but every so often a group of humans radicalizes and begins stirring up trouble. In this case, the Humans First League have been attempting to provoke the Others with a series of attacks which break the treaty between the races and have awakened the Elders, Others so powerful that they are only whispers and unfortunately, these humans don’t believe the old stories.

Placed squarely in the middle of this conflict are the Others and humans of the Lakeside Courtyard. Simon Wolfguard, Wolf and leader of the Courtyard and blood prophet Meg Corbyn see the benefits in maintaining peaceful relations between the races, but must now contend with humans who see the Others and anyone associated with them as pests to be eliminated. However, these humans have no idea what sort of forces they have disturbed with their greed for the planet’s resources, and the time for talking has passed, war has arrived and while the Elders did not strike first, their wrath will leave scars on the entire world.

This series has a richly imagined world as well as a premise that can be seen as a bit of a cautionary tale, given the current misuse of natural resources, and there are many times in the book where readers will find themselves cheering on the forces of nature pushing back against human encroachment.

There are also plenty of interesting characters, with the focus being largely on the Lakeside Courtyard Others, humans associated with them, as well as several groups aligned with Lakeside. Bonds between the human law enforcement are strengthened, new characters enter the Courtyard, and some notable steps are taken by both Simon and Meg who are navigating the intricacies between humans and Others with some awkward and sweet moments.

The war has come, and its impact will not only determine the fate of many, but also very future of humanity's survival on Namid.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Between Dreams and Reality
Rabid Reads
Hot Listens

Previous Books:
1. Written in Red
2. Murder of Crows
3. Vision in Silver
4. Marked in Flesh (Katie's Review)

Early Review: All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes

, by KT

All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes

Ciel Halligan #4

The hilarious adventures of human chameleon Ciel Halligan continue in the fourth installment of this original urban fantasy series, All Fixed Up.

Ciel Halligan, aura adaptor extraordinaire, has a lot of experience filling in for her clients--as them. A rare genetic quirk gives her the ability to absorb human energy and project it back out in a flawless imitation. She's hard at work, posing as a well-known and celebrated astronaut, about to make a stunning announcement on behalf of the space program...when the photographer documenting the job sees right through her aura. Worse, it soon becomes apparent that he not only knows Ciel’s not who she's supposed to be, but means her harm.

When Ciel's elderly Aunt Helen—also an aura adaptor—is murdered in Central Park, and the same photographer shows up at the funeral, Ciel starts to feel even more exposed. Then more adaptors are killed in the same way, and she becomes terrified her friends and family are being systematically exterminated ... and it's starting to look like she's the ultimate target. She turns to Billy Doyle, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend, for help, but when an unexpected crisis causes him to take off without a word, she's left to rely on her not-so-former crush, CIA agent Mark Fielding.

Staying alive, keeping control of her romantic life, and unraveling the mystery of why adaptors are being pursued becomes a harder balancing act than ever in this new Ciel Halligan adventure from Linda Grimes.

I really enjoyed ALL FIXED UP just as I have the rest of the series. They are so much fun, full of hilarious hijinx, and it’s always interesting to see what mess Ciel gets herself into in each new book, and this one was no exception. Things kicked off to a hilarious start with Ciel winding up on a job impersonating an astronaut doing a flight demo propo. Only problem is that Ciel get extreme motion sickness, so hilarity ensues as she can’t show it. Of course that’s just the start of the mayhem and hijinks. She gets herself into more than a few pickles in this book, almost more than her normal I daresay, and it’s always fun to see how she gets herself out of her messes. Typically I just sit back and laugh, but I have to admit one particular event and choice left me more than a little shocked, and frankly I’m still reeling at her choices days after finishing the book. I’m going to be vague here to avoid spoilers, but at one point I literally wanted to reach through the page and scream at her to STOP! While I understand what she was going through/thinking at that moment, it was such a shocker and utterly the wrong choice in my opinion that it just stopped me in my tracks. The funny thing about that is that while her choice horrified me, I have a feeling others may have the opposite feeling depending on where they stand on certain things.

Shocking choices aside, as always I loved the cast of characters in ALL FIXED UP, they are so rich and full of depth. I truly love the utterly strong family bonds and the quirks that not only Ciel, but everyone else had. From the two ruling matriarchs, Mo and Ro, to Ciel’s brothers, Billy, and Mark, the list goes on and on, each and every single one stood out as a fully fleshed character. The various bonds and dimensions between all their relationships truly make this series shine. Add that into the fast paced and high stakes plot, and oh yeah all the extremely hilarious moments, and you have one heck of a winner.

Fans of the series will be more than pleased with this fantastic new installment in the Ciel Halligan series. A guaranteed solid block of hilarious entertainment, ALL FIXED UP is not to be missed!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Previous Books:
1. In a Fix
2. Quick Fix
3. The Big Fix

Kirsten Reviews: The Dragon Lantern by Alan Gratz

, by KT

The Dragon Lantern by Alan Gratz

The League of Seven #2

Archie Dent is convinced that he and his friends Hachi and Fergus are the first three members of a new League of Seven: a group of heroes who come together to fight the Mangleborn whenever the monsters arise to destroy humanity. His belief is put to the test when they are forced to undertake separate missions. Archie and his faithful Tik-Tok servant Mr. Rivets pursue a shapeshifting girl who has stolen the Dragon Lantern, an ancient artifact with mysterious powers. And Hachi and Fergus travel to New Orleans to find Madame Blavatsky, the only person who knows the circumstances surrounding the death of Hachi’s father.

In the course of their adventures the three heroes meet potential candidates to join their League. At the same time, they learn deep-rooted secrets that could destroy the League forever...

The Dragon Lantern, the second book in the A League of Seven series by Alan Gratz is a steampunk adventure for young readers that adults may liken to League of Extraordinary Gentleman. The book is illustrated by Brett Helquist, and the chapter heading images both highlight events in story while not spoiling readers for what’s to come next.

The tale picks up where the last book left off with Archie Dent unsure of whether being one of the League of Seven is as easy as he’s been told. Archie, Fergus and Hachi have come together in order to fight the Mangleborn, monsters who humanity is fighting again, and things have gone a bit sideways at this point. They don’t see much of an improvement when the three heroes are obliged to take on separate missions. That puts Archie and his Tik-Tok servant Mr. Rivets on the trail of a shapeshifting girl who has stolen an ancient artifact called the Dragon Lantern, and while the group aren’t sure what it does, they are told its powers have something to do with Archie’s indestructibility. In the meantime, Hachi and Fergus must travel to New Orleans in search of Madame Blavatsky who may be the only person with information about the death of Hachi’s father.

Dragon Lantern blends history and alternate paths it might have taken with the addition of large steam-powered machines, some of which are attempting to gain their freedom, such as Jesse James. Along their journey, Archie and the others meet people who help or hinder their quest and at the same time could be potential members of the League of Seven, among them General Custer, and Sings-in-the-Night, who was a victim of experimentation with the lantern and now has wings.

With the group split up, the action is also divided between the different plotlines, and some readers may not enjoy that aspect of it as much, however it’s a genre standard to separate protagonists in order to advance the story and raise the stakes. Young readers who like history, robots, and other things steampunk will enjoy a different take on the world, and adults will enjoy the story, creative retelling of events, and the fact that many nursery rhymes are actually codes which unlock puzzle traps and reveal the location of powerful artifacts.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Elitist Book Reviews

Previous Books:
1. The League of Seven

Kirsten Reviews: Midnight Taxi Tango by Daniel José Older

, by KT

Midnight Taxi Tango by Daniel José Older

Bone Street Rumba #2

The streets of New York are hungry tonight...

Carlos Delacruz straddles the line between the living and the not-so alive. As an agent for the Council of the Dead, he eliminates New York’s ghostlier problems. This time it’s a string of gruesome paranormal accidents in Brooklyn’s Von King Park that has already taken the lives of several locals—and is bound to take more.

The incidents in the park have put Kia on edge. When she first met Carlos, he was the weird guy who came to Baba Eddie's botánica, where she worked. But the closer they’ve gotten, the more she’s seeing the world from Carlos’s point of view. In fact, she’s starting to see ghosts. And the situation is far more sinister than that—because whatever is bringing out the dead, it’s only just getting started.

Midnight Taxi Tango by Daniel José Older continues his Bone Street Rumba series. The first hurdle for any sequel is to measure up to its predecessor and raise the stakes. In this case, the book picks up the story of Carlos Delacruz, a man who is neither fully alive nor completely dead. The exact circumstances of his death aren’t clear, and part of what occupies his existence “in between” is trying to figure out what happened to him. The rest of the time he works as part of the clean up crew or enforcement division of the New York Council of the Dead and hunts down and executes those ghosts or other supernatural beings who break the rules.

Of late there has been a number of murders around Brooklyn’s Von King Park which have the marks of a paranormal culprit, and Carlos is tasked with finding the perpetrator and dealing with them. At one point he and his team are able to interrupt an attack and the intended victim is someone Carlos knows fairly well, Kia, a teenage girl who works for one of Carlos’ friends. Although Kia is justifiably freaked out about the fact that now she’s been touched by a ghost she can see all the spirits and other creatures that most living people have no idea about, she’s far from the kind of girl who will sit out a fight, despite Carlos thinking doing so will protect her from the monsters.

As heroic protagonists go, Carlos is in a sorry state following the events of the last book, and is often the character about to run heedlessly into danger, if not for the intervention of other characters. While his state of mind made sense, at times it felt as if he should simply not be allowed anywhere without a buddy.

The story has several points of view, that of Carlos, as well as Kia and another character named Reza. This does provide other perspectives, but at times it felt as if Kia or Reza should have their own story, as there wasn’t enough room for Kia’s story or Reza’s past, and the route she to finding out that the dead don’t rest easy at all. There were a couple other side characters who deserve their own novels, and given some of the connections, but romantic and otherwise, this is very likely in the rest of the series.

The story moves along without stumbling as it bounces from one character to another, but there felt like there were some parts of the story weren’t tied together as strongly as they could be, and there was more explaining than should have been necessary. But, as a whole, the characters had clear goals and were all prepared to do whatever was necessary to get revenge, avenge lost loved ones, or protect their families. If readers have any issues with cursing, roaches or violence this may be too much for them, but Older’s stories are not prettied up, and the characters are up against stakes that compel them to make difficult choices and keep putting one foot in front of the other to keep going.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
The Bibliosanctum
Fantasy Literature
Koeur's Book Reviews

Previous Books:
1. Half-Resurrection Blues

Review: Ruined by Amy Tintera

, by KT

Ruined by Amy Tintera

Ruined #1

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

There are a few things this book does well, and a few not so well. Let's start with the good, the world building and intense plotline. I absolutely love the world behind RUINED. The fantasy elements with the Ruined and all their many different abilities hooked me in. When you combine that with the various lands, and the court politics/dynamics and I was completely sold. Throw in the fact that the Ruined are being hunted to extinction due to fear/predjudice and the revenge plotline, you have one heck of an intense read. It was incredibly fast paced, and I was simply amazed at how much was packed into the book. I realize the main plotline is nothing new, where the heroine infiltrates an enemy kingdom to achieve xyz revenge/goal, in fact I could probably name several books with very similar plots. But somehow it still felt fresh and exciting the entire read. And that in itself is mighty impressive, to take a been there, done that plot and make it fresh and new.

Now onto the not so great, the characters/relationship development, first up the heroine. Ooooo boy is Em a blood-thirsty little hellion! I have to admit, she and this book got off to a bit of a rocky start for me. We're thrust right into things with Em killing the princess Lera in order to take her place. It was an insanely vicious place to start, and made me take a step back to push the back button on my kindle several times as I thought I had accidentally started a few chapters in rather than at the beginning. But alas, the book starts in the middle of Em committing murder. Oh it's for a good "cause" of course, if revenge/protection of your own people really constitutes a good cause. Even so, Em just generally is an overall blood-thirsty character. There were several times in the book where she'd go off on random mental tangents that where calling them violent and vicious would be an understatement. She sure holds a lot of resentment, and perhaps it's somewhat understandable, but I have to admit being in her head was a jarring at times. It's a bit hard to stay sympathetic to a character's plight when you're also thinking that she might be more than a little psychopathic.

The other not so great would be the hero/romance. Frankly I just didn't get this one at all. Cas seemed, well weak. I had a hard time getting behind him as he seemed about as strong as a limp noodle. Where Em overcompensates with violent thoughts and behaviors, he's one heck of a pushover. Talk about polar opposites, to the point where I just wasn't feeling the connection one bit. It's like the words were there, but not the feelings. I think a little balance in both their personalities would have gone a long way. And in the book's defense, by the end of RUINED, I did feel like that balance was starting to come into play as Em learned to care about more than her violent revenge, and Cas started to stand up for things he believed in. So there is hope for the next book in the romance department eventually.

As I said, there were some good things and not so great things about RUINED, but since I was completely engrossed almost from the very start, I'll call this one a win overall. I'd recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a fast paced fantasy YA, with an incredibly strong (and blood-thirsty!) heroine, and interesting world behind it all.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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The Eater of Books!
Du Livre
Hit or Miss Books

Kirsten Reviews: Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

, by KT

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

The Shadow #1

A rich, dark fantasy of destiny, death, and the supernatural world hiding beneath the surface.

Nettie Lonesome lives in a land of hard people and hard ground dusted with sand. She's a half-breed who dresses like a boy, raised by folks who don't call her a slave but use her like one. She knows of nothing else. That is, until the day a stranger attacks her. When nothing, not even a sickle to the eye can stop him, Nettie stabs him through the heart with a chunk of wood, and he turns into black sand.

And just like that, Nettie can see.

But her newfound sight is a blessing and a curse. Even if she doesn't understand what's under her own skin, she can sense what everyone else is hiding -- at least physically. The world is full of evil, and now she knows the source of all the sand in the desert. Haunted by the spirits, Nettie has no choice but to set out on a quest that might lead to her true kin... if the monsters along the way don't kill her first.

Wake of Vultures, by Delilah S. Dawson writing as Lila Bowen and the first book in The Shadow series is the sort of coming-of-age Western story that was once solely reserved for boys. It calls to mind such recent comic titles as Pretty Deadly and East of West, and with a female protagonist being confronted by an array of supernatural and very human monsters, it belongs to what may prove to be a further revival of the genre.

There may be many protagonists who believe themselves to be the most unlikely of heroines, but Nettie Lonesome has the deck stacked high against her. She stands out in a world that does not look kindly on women, mixed-race people, or anyone who does not let themselves be entirely broken by a harsh world and cruel people. Nettie, who is attracted to both women and men, and self-identifies as a man, preferring to dress as such, is a slave in all but name when she is attacked one day by a stranger. In defending herself, Nettie stabs the stranger through the heart with a piece of wood, only to be shocked when he turns into black sand.

This event, besides propelling Nettie into a greater wariness of people also makes her aware that there are more monsters in the world, and some of them have very sharp teeth. The difference is that now Nettie has the ability to see them for what they truly are. Such knowledge does not make life any easier, and now Nettie is aware of exactly what comes out of the desert at night to attack people, steal children, and drink blood. Although she is in no hurry to try her hand at heroics, Nettie’s soon encounters vampires, chupacabras, and harpies, and her journey takes her into the sand and toward an evil which she both fears and knows must be stopped.

As protagonists go, Nettie is both a survivor, and someone who, in spite of all the hardship she’s endured, a good person, who ultimately chooses to listen to her gentler instincts instead of being selfish and steering clear of danger. It is this kindness, bolstered by admirable ferocity and the determination that a person shouldn’t let other people dictate who they are that makes her so compelling, and the story one which demands a sequel.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Paranormal Haven
Dark Faerie Tales
Gizmo's Reviews

Early Review: Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn

, by KT

Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn

There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them-literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave.
These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late-after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago.

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashioned bootlegging.

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year.

Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

When I read the blurb for this one I was incredibly intrigued. It sounded so interesting I knew I’d have to read it, and I’m so glad I did. I wound up devouring it in one setting turning the pages as fast as I could to see what happened next. DOWN WITH THE SHINE is a fun, and yet twisted story that was very entertaining. It felt almost like a twist between a backwoods small town you’d find in a movie mixed in the fantastical element of genie like wishes. It definitely made for an interesting mashup.

I would have loved to have rated DOWN WITH THE SHINE 5 stars considering how hooked I was and how much I enjoyed it while reading it, but unfortunately the heroine’s character is holding me back. I liked Lennie but parts of her personality and actions just rang false. She just didn’t quite ring true to me. She acted the wounded and outcasted party from everyone, and while that made sense in her school life due to how her classmates treated her, she also acted as if her uncles only tolerated her presence. There also was the deal with her dead best friend and while her words showed devastation at the loss, her actions sure didn’t. Things just didn’t line up, and that only held true the further in the book I read. I think the book meant to have her only feel as if she was outcasted and that it was her own misconceptions of other’s thoughts and feeling to her that were in the way, not real events. Unfortunately I felt there just wasn’t enough set up for this. It’s almost like the case of someone not realizing they are beautiful until the hero comes along and magically tells her that she is. Only in this case it wasn’t just her not realizing that other people are not outcasting her it’s her own fear in the way, but it also was her acting out against things that just weren’t there. I guess I feel like there was no set up at all for her insecurities and misconceptions, so I had a bit of a hard time believing them. Just rant a little false.

Frustrations with Lennie’s actions aside, I really loved the rest of DOWN WITH THE SHINE. There was just the right amount of fantasy elements intermeshed in. I particularly loved how vibrant and in depth the author painted the consequences of the rampant wishes, and the book definitely had more than a little sinister feeling to it. It’s one that makes you think because any wish no matter how simple could become amazingly twisted beyond recognition. Nothing comes without a price, even magical wishes it seems. I won’t spoil things, but suffice it to say things spiral way out of control in a hurry and it was incredibly entertaining to both watch that spiral and all the character’s scramble to try and fix things. Sometimes the fixes were worse than the original mess up, adding yet another layer that kept me hooked.

If you’re looking for a fun yet, slightly sinister and engrossing read that can be devoured in one setting, look no further than DOWN WITH THE SHINE. Perfect for fans of standalone novels with more than a little danger and fantasy elements, this one is not to be missed.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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My Guilty Obsession
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Down the Rabbit Hole

Early Review: Soldier by Julie Kagawa

, by KT

Soldier by Julie Kagawa

Talon #3

A fighter dedicated to saving humankind from dragons in strictest secrecy.

That was what Garret Xavier Sebastian thought he was part of as a soldier of the Order of St. George. What he learned from a fiery dragon hatchling twisted all he believed in and set him on a collision course with certain death-but not without a chance to put things right.

Betrayed and on the run again, Ember and rogue dragon Riley discover an unthinkable truth about Talon and St. George. They'll need Garret's skills and insider knowledge of the Order to negotiate an impossible deal-and if they fail, there will be no way to stop all-out war.

I have to admit I don’t really understand the love triangle in this series. It just doesn’t make sense or really work emotionally to be honest. I don’t know if there just isn’t enough depth to it to make it believable to me, or if thing just need to develop further, but honestly I’m let scratching my head. First off you have the complication that Dragons aren’t supposed to love or have partner, preferring to be solitary creatures. But then there’s this inexplicable bond pulling Ember and Riley together. It almost feels like the mating bond so common in shifter books which would make sense since the dragons are technically shifters although they are dragons really, just mimicking humans. But that there leads me to the other part of the triangle, Embers attraction and pull towards Garrett. She’s not supposed to be human nor be capable of love, and yet in so many ways Ember is very very human. While it’s something that was started to slowly be considered in SOLDIER, there’s really so much more to be figured out. I guess in the end I just need more from the romance for this triangle to work for me. As it stood in this book there was barely any moments romantically between Ember and either “boy” and even the ones that were seemed rushed and glossed over. I need more.

Onto the plot, this is one area where SOLDIER shined. The sheer amount of twists, turns, and machinations between all the various factions left my head spinning at times. It felt like Ember and co were under fire from all directions, and nothing and no one were safe one bit. It definitely made things more than interesting and the stakes incredibly high. Almost too high perhaps. By the end of the book I was left amazed at everything that had happened, the new developments and things revealed to come, and it’s hard to imagine a reasonable survival outcome for anyone. I almost feel like things are headed into unbeliveability territory. I could be wrong, but only time will tell in the next book to see how they get out of the building chaos.

Overall SOLDIER kept me entertained, but unfortunately it lacked the amount of depth I would like to have seen. This book and characters have so much potential in my opinion and I’d love to see so much more from them, but as seems to be the course for this series I feel like we’re only scratching the surface. I’m enjoying them well enough to continue the series as I’m definitely invested, but I can’t help hoping for more depth in books to come.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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The Thoughtful Spot

Previous Books:
1. Talon
2. Rogue

Kirsten Reviews: The Scent of Secrets by Jane Thynne

, by KT

The Scent of Shadows by Jane Thynne

Berlin #3

August, 1938. Paris is a city living on its nerves and the threat of war hangs heavy as a distant thunderstorm on a summer's day.

British actress, Clara Vine, is in Paris to film her latest movie, having left Berlin under a cloud. Joseph Goebbels has become increasingly suspicious that Clara has been mingling in Berlin society and passing snippets of information to her contacts in the British Embassy. It would have been absurd, if it hadn't also been true…

With war becoming increasingly likely, Clara is approached by an undercover British operative, Guy Hamilton, who asks her to perform a task for her country: to befriend Eva Braun, Hitler's girlfriend, and to pass on any information she can gather.  

Clara knows that to undertake this task is to put herself back in danger. But she also knows that soon she may have to do everything in her power to protect her country…

The Scent of Secrets is the newest book in Jane Thynne’s Berlin series about actress and spy Clara Vine. The story begins in Paris in August of 1938. The city and Europe itself teeter on the edge of war. Jewish citizens are facing ever-increasing discrimination and there are rumors of the Nazi government preparing an even worse crackdown, which history revealed to be the concentration camps and other atrocities.

Clara Vine, British actress is in Paris filming a new movie. She has become successful, and her rising career has given her the ability to move among the upper class of German society, putting her in proximity to such people as Joseph Goebbels, who is suspicious that Clara is actually a spy. He is correct, and if he found out that, or the fact that Clara’s grandmother was Jewish, something which she conceals with fake papers, she would be arrested or suffer a worse fate.

While in Paris, Clara is contacted by Guy Hamilton, a British operative also passing himself off as an ordinary citizen who asks Clara to do something nobody else has been able to: befriend Eva Braun, Hitler’s sweetheart in order to learn all she can and pass it along to British intelligence. This mission will position Clara squarely in the path of people who would think nothing of killing her, but although initially reluctant, Clara knows that every piece of information she gathers may be critical in protecting her country.

While there have been many books and movies about World War ll, there are far less that are set in the years before the way, and the story’s combination of political complications and intrigue are an excellent blend of historical detail and suspense.
Clara Vine is a young woman on her own among dangerous people, and she uses her wits, experience, and even fashion sense in order to pursue the truth, making her an appealing protagonist that readers will root for with increasing concern as she finds herself ever more entwined in conspiracy.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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A Garden Carried in the Pocket
Mystica
ARe Cafe

Previous Books:
1. Black Roses
2. The Winter Garden

Review: The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski

, by KT

The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Demonists #1

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series and the Remy Chandler series, a new dark fantasy series filled with demons, exorcisms, and the fight against the worst that hell has to offer...

There is more to our world than meets the eye—darker things, crueler things. Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, psychic medium Theodora Knight, know what lurks in the shadows. But even they’re not prepared for the worst Hell has to offer...

It was supposed to be a simple exorcism, a publicity stunt to firmly establish John and Theodora’s thriving paranormal investigation empire in the public eye. But something went wrong, leading to an on-air massacre that unleashed a malicious host of demons and left Theodora catatonic, possessed by countless spirits.

John sets out on a desperate quest to find a cure for his wife, but his obsession brings him face-to-face with an even more terrifying problem: Theodora’s possession is only one piece of a deadly plot that is threatening the entire world. Because an ancient evil is about to make Earth its battlefield—and without John and Theodora’s intervention, there is no chance for salvation...

THE DEMONISTS was a mixed bag for me. At times I was completely sucked in, reading the pages as fast as I possibly could, and yet other times I found myself skimming, particularly the further along in the book I read. It felt like things took off with one heck of a bang from the start and fizzled from that point on. I kept waiting for things to get that early spark back, and while I was sucked back in a few times, it never quite got the momentum back for me.

Another big strike against the book's pacing and flow was due to the almost random perspective changes. I felt like the story bounced from person to person without any real need to, making those changes more frustrating than they should have warranted. In particular, the extremely creepy villain's perspective is one I could have done without. Sure, that angle upped the creepy and horror factor, and yet I didn't feel like that added any real value to the book. It would have been stronger without that look into that side of things, instead staying more in the dark about those going ons. And lest you worry, there were plenty of other creepy things and scenes going on that it wouldn't have detracted from the horror angles overall.

Overall a mixed bag, THE DEMONISTS is a rocky start to a new series, but I haven't written it off yet. While this was a rough read for me, I'd be willing to give the next book a try as there were those parts in this one that sucked me in. Only time will tell.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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