A Book Obsession..

Early Review: Autumn Thorns by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Autumn Thorns by Yasmine Galenorn

Whisper Hollow #1

In an all-new series, New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn invites readers to Whisper Hollow, where spirits walk among the living and the lake never gives up her dead…

Fifteen years ago, I ran away from Whisper Hollow, Washington, a small town on Crescent Lake in the Olympic Peninsula. But truth is, if you were born here, you can never really leave. I’m Kerris Fellwater, and when I returned, I inherited my grandmother’s house—and her gift. As a spirit shaman, it’s my responsibility to drive the dead back to their graves, because around Whisper Hollow, people—and secrets—don’t always stay buried.

When I was little, I was told my mother ran off. But now it looks like she was murdered. With the help of my mysterious neighbor Bryan, we begin to unravel the mystery of her disappearance, and in doing so, unearth a dark force seeking to bury Whisper Hollow. Now I must work with the dead, rather than against them, because our enemy will do whatever she can to destroy the town, and she means to start with me.

While the premise and the characters of AUTUMN THORNS intrigued me, the immense world building kept me from enjoying this book as much as I would like. I'm all for a complex and unique world, but in this case I felt things were a bit too on the "craft" side. I'm a big fan of the author, and follow her various networks, so I know that she is very immersed in the magical world, and beliefs, and that knowledge showed in this book. Unfortunately it showed so much that it made it incredibly hard to keep up for lamens like myself. There were so many different magical aspects, deities, and ritualistic methods portrayed in this book that my head was spinning. That being said, as I started to get a grasp on the rules of the world by the end, I do have high hopes for the rest of the series.

World building woes aside, I greatly enjoyed the characters in AUTUMN THORNS. Kerris is a no non-sense, kick butt heroine that you couldn't help loving from the start. She's thrust back into a town and duty she never wanted to return to, and yet she accepts it all with grace. Even better yet, when other powers that be, be they good or evil, attempt to bully her, she stands firm despite having no real idea what's she's doing. I really admired her for that. Add in a yummy hero who may have sparked a bit more of instalove than my tastes prefer at times, but seems to be everything Kerris needs, and I was sold.

All in all while the world building bogged the book down a bit for me, I see a great amount of potential for this series, and I'm eager to see where things lead. If you're a fan of urban fantasy with a spicy romance, then this one is definitely worth a look or two.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Review: Dragos Goes to Washington by Thea Harrison

, by KT

Dragos Goes to Washington by Thea Harrison

Elder Races #8.5

Dragos Cuelebre, Lord of the Wyr, needs to throw a party without maiming anyone. That isn’t exactly as easy as it might sound.

After the destructive events of the last eighteen months, the Elder Races are heading to Washington D.C. to foster peace with humankind. Not known for his diplomacy skills, Dragos must rely on his mate Pia to help navigate a battlefield of words and polite smiles rather than claws. With Dragos’s mating instinct riding close to the surface, his temper is more volatile than ever and the threat of violence hovers in the air.

Then the human spouse of a prominent politician winds up murdered and Dragos and Pia must race against time to hunt down those behind it before they are held responsible for the crime.

For fans of DRAGON BOUND and LORD’S FALL, the latest novella in the Elder Races holds passion, peril, political intrigue, and revelations that will change Dragos and Pia’s lives forever.

I'm a huge fan of the Elder Races series, and I have to admit while I love all the characters, Dragos, Pia, and Liam are by far my favorites. So these small outtake novellas are the perfect "fix" for me. I'm also always impressed at how much emotion and actual events Thea always manages to pack in these considering how short they are and this novella was no exception. It kept me hooked from the very first page, and even brought a tear felt moment by the end. Perfect for fans of the series who need a bit more Dragos and Pia in their lives like I do, DRAGOS GOES TO WASHINGTON is not to be missed. I'll be counting down the days until the two follow up novellas arrive, and of course the next full length coming soon. If you haven't started this series yet, what are you waiting for?

(Received a copy from the author)

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Other Reviews:
Where the NightKind Roam
Tome Tender
Books in Brogan

Previous Books:
1. Dragon Bound
2. Storm's Heart
3. Serpent's Kiss
4. Oracle's Moon
5. Lord's Fall
6. Kinked
6.5. Dragos Takes a Holiday

6.6. Pia Saves the Day

6.7. Peanut Goes to School

7. Night's Honor

8. Midnight's Kiss

Early Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

, by KT

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes #2

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

I really enjoyed the previous installment, but ICE LIKE FIRE just didn't have the same spark for me. I just didn't feel like the book was moving anywhere to be honest and considering it's a 500 page book that didn't work so well for me. There was just a bit too much meandering rather than anything real happening. After the big build up and everything that happened previously I was expecting a bit more action this time around as well. Unfortunately while there was a quest, it was unrealistically easy, and the rest of the focus was more internal with both Meira, Mather, and even Theron's ruminations that were more wallowing than anything it seemed. Between that and all of the politics I found myself skimming at times as it just wasn't holding my attention. It really is a shame because there's so much potential here.

I will say however that the ending events are what brought some excitement and action back into the book, and what made me decide to bump my rating up to a three instead of two. It's almost frenetic and a serious game changer yet again. I only wish it had of been spread out a bit more, and not left things so abruptly.

In the end I can only hope that ICE LIKE FIRE suffered from a middle book syndrome and that the finale will return to the splendor of the first installment.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Enchanted by YA
The Eater of Books!
Stories on Stage

Previous Books:
1. Snow Like Ashes

Kirsten Reviews: Fearless by Elliott James

, by KT

Fearless by Elliott James

Pax Arcana #3

When your last name is Charming, rescuing virgins comes with the territory -- even when the virgin in question is a nineteen-year-old college boy.

Someone, somewhere, has declared war on Kevin Kichida, and that someone has a long list of magical predators on their rolodex. The good news is that Kevin lives in a town where Ted Cahill is the new sheriff and old ally of John Charming.

The attacks on Kevin seem to be a pattern, and the more John and his new team follow that thread, the deeper they find themselves in a maze of supernatural threats, family secrets, and age-old betrayals. The more John learns, the more convinced he becomes that Kevin Kichida isn't just a victim, he's a sacrifice waiting to happen. And that thread John's following? It's really a fuse...

Fearless by Elliott James is the third book in the Pax Arcana series. The protagonist, John Charming is a werewolf, former Knight, and is learning to adjust both to working with a team, and courting Sig, the valkyrie he met in the first book of the series.

The motley group is asked for help from Ted Cahill, now a dhampir, and the sheriff of a small town. It seems that someone is after Kevin Kichida, a supposedly ordinary nineteen year-old college student. Whoever has it in for Kevin is sending all the supernatural muscle they can find after him, and John and his companions have their hands full keeping him safe and finding the bad guy.

As it happens, John is both a Charming, and able to recognize patterns, and the more they look into things, the more it seems there’s a tangle of family secrets, and the sort of betrayals that make for lingering resentments - even from beyond the grave.

The series has a lot of familiar supernatural creatures, however this book introduces even more to audiences most familiar with werewolves and vampires. Those not familiar with Japanese culture, its mythology and traditions will likely find this a refreshing change from the sometimes wearying and endless parade of European beasts and spirits.

Meanwhile, another plot thread from previous books, that of the ongoing integration of a faction of werewolves with Knights crops up again, and is both important, and promises to figure prominently in another book.

This book marks the point at which John steps into danger, perhaps rushes in foolishly at times, for the sake of someone who is not part of his immediate group of friends. It should be noted that while John does propose plans that are often risky, he has good reasoning, experience as a tacticien, albeit one learning to work in a group, and is learning to listen to others, making him a refreshing urban fantasy hero.

As the supernatural world is further illuminated with each book, it becomes clear that villains use the Pax Arcana to their own advantage, and in this case, may be stretching it to the point of snapping, which puts all the supernatural community at risk, something that is sure to come up again. Each of the main characters is wrestling with issues of their own while they’re working to organize what is, in essence, a caper, involving an underground supernatural fight club, and the resolution of the story resolves a few problems, raises more, and leaves the field wide open for the next snag to hamper a simple happily ever after.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Rabid Reads
Reading Reality
The Book Nympho

Previous Books:
1. Charming
2. Daring

Release Day Review: Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

, by KT

Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

Menagerie #1

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series set in the dark mythology of the Menagerie…

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale.

What a completely unique and very interesting read! I have to admit I wasn't quite sure what I was going to get when I read the blurb as it sounded nothing like what the author had done before, or really my normal genre reading preferences. But I'm so glad I took the chance as once I started reading MENAGERIE, I simply couldn't put it down. It was dark and gritty and oh so horrifying. I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts about this book into words, rather than just feelings like horror, outrage, etc, but imaginative would probably be the best description. This book made me feel so much it truly was impressive, from the creepy, to the terrible, to the heart-warming AND heart-breaking moments, I was an utter wreck by the time I finished.

That being said, as much as I enjoyed MENAGERIE, there were a few things that kept me from giving it a full five stars. At times the violence was too much. It's not that I mind violence in books, quite the contrary, but I do prefer a bit more positive or hope to balance things out. Aside from Delilah's stellar strength, for most of the book I didn't feel any hope or goodness, and it was just a bit oppressive. I also wish the ending and the interesting side of a certain character that I won't mention to avoid spoilers, would have been developed a bit more. Both the ending and that character's "story" and the repercussions felt incredibly rushed, and I just wish those parts had been expanded more.

All in all, this book is a must read for any Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Thriller, and/or Suspense lover. From the moment you start this book you'll be on the edge of your seat biting your nails in anticipation for what's going to happen next.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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a GREAT read
The Eater of Books
Nick's Book Blog

Early Review: Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson

, by KT

Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson

Odea Donahue has been able to travel through people’s dreams since she was six years old. Her mother taught her the three rules of walking: Never interfere. Never be seen. Never walk the same person’s dream more than once. Dea has never questioned her mother, not about the rules, not about the clocks or the mirrors, not about moving from place to place to be one step ahead of the unseen monsters that Dea’s mother is certain are right behind them.

Then a mysterious new boy, Connor, comes to town and Dea finally starts to feel normal. As Connor breaks down the walls that she’s had up for so long, he gets closer to learning her secret. For the first time she wonders if that’s so bad. But when Dea breaks the rules, the boundary between worlds begins to deteriorate. How can she know what’s real and what’s not?

I have really mixed feelings about DREAMLAND. The premise was really interesting but the actual execution didn't quite live up to it. While I was kept engaged by the book for most of the read, I felt like there really wasn't a lot of momentum. Things that should have been focused on, weren't, and things that I feel mattered much less stayed front and center. It was rather frustrating at times. Even so, all could have been forgiven if the portrayal and focus on the Dreamland had of been different, or more. For a book with this kind of premise, I just expected a lot more attention and explanation to be tied to it. It just was a let down to be honest.

Onto the characters, I can't say that I really connected fully with any of them. Odea can't across as a petulant child at times, keeping everyone including her mother at arms length. And while a part of me understands Odea's rebellion due to the circumstances, it just rang a bit false. This non-connection came strongly through the book and despite the budding romance, most the characters felt flat.

Overall despite being engaged enough to keep reading, this one just didn't work for me. I wanted so much more and while there were parts and glimpses at that great person hinted to in the premise, ultimately it fell flat.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Fluttering Butterflys
Novels and Necklaces
MC's Corner

Release Day Review: Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong

, by KT

Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong

Anthology

Two brand new tales anchor this wide-ranging collection from one of urban fantasy's most successful authors. Here is the first time that best-selling fantasy, YA, and crime author Kelley Armstrong has had her stories collected from Otherworld and beyond. With her signature twists and turns, Armstrong gives a fresh spin on city-dwelling vampires, werewolves, and zombies, while also traveling further afield, to a post-apocalyptic fortress, a superstitious village, a supernatural brothel, and even to feudal Japan.

With tales that range from humorous to heart-stopping, these are the stories that showcase Kelley Armstrong at her versatile best.

I've really enjoyed all of Kelley's books, including the other anthology, Otherworld Nights. So when I had the chance to read this one I didn't hesitate. Unfortunately, while LED ASTRAY was enjoyable, it just didn't suck me or wow me like I had hoped. Anthologies, and short stories are tough tricks because unless they are longer novellas, the short format just doesn't lend to the full set up I would like. However, in cases like Otherworld Nights, the stories are set in an established world with established characters, so much of that build up is unneccsary anyway. Unfortunately that wasn't the case here as most of the stories were not set in Otherworld or Cainsville, and even the ones that were didn't revolve around the main characters, with just a few exceptions. And I would guess it's no surprise that the stories that those exceptions were the ones that I enjoyed the most.

As I said, the stories were largely entertaining, but I can't help being frustrated at feeling like I was left hanging in each story at the end. They were just too short to be developed how I had hoped, and some are still leaving me scratching my head, namely the Dragon story set in Cainsville. I also would have loved to have seen more from the Door story, but again, these short stories just didn't lend to a lot of detail.

It's a compliment to Kelley's writing in itself that I wanted more from these stories. Despite that short format, I was engaged with each new tale. I can only hope that some of these will be expanded upon in the future as my appetite has been whetted, but not satisfied. In the end, aside from anthologies firmly set in established worlds, I think I'll pass on groupings like this. I just wanted more.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Rabid Reads
The Eater of Books!
a GREAT read

The Drafter by Kim Harrison

, by KT

The Drafter by Kim Harrison

The Peri Reed Chronicles #1

Detroit 2030. Double-crossed by the person she loved and betrayed by the covert government organization that trained her to use her body as a weapon, Peri Reed is a renegade on the run.

Don’t forgive and never forget has always been Peri’s creed. But her day job makes it difficult: she is a drafter, possessed of a rare, invaluable skill for altering time, yet destined to forget both the history she changed and the history she rewrote.

When Peri discovers her name on a list of corrupt operatives, she realizes that her own life has been manipulated by the agency. She joins forces with a mysterious rogue soldier in a deadly race to piece together the truth about her final task, unable to trust even herself.

Talk about some twists and turns! THE DRAFTER is a great mix of scifi and thriller, and with each chapter a new depth and twist to the story was unveiled. Every time I thought I had things figured out, the rug was pulled out from under me. It made for an incredibly intense read that bordered on stressful to be honest. If I only had one word to describe this book, nail-biter would be the one that comes to mind. Once things took off I couldn't put it down. Frankly, I was a nervous wreck while reading the last half of this book, but in the best sort of way. I couldn't have put it down if I tried.

One thing I do wish is that I had read the prequel novella. It seems like it's more of a integral read to the series than I originally thought. I have to admit that the beginning of this book was a bit slow for me as I felt like I was scrambling to keep up and figure out what was going on. But after reading the description and the reviews for Sideswiped I think a lot of my early confusion wouldn't have happened. THE DRAFTER has a lot of world building, which is to be expected in a new series, especially a futuristic scifi thriller like this one. However when you add that heavy world building with the very secretive side of the thriller parts of the story, it just kept me from really sinking into the book quite as much as I had wanted to. Of course, things do pick up almost to a frenetic pace once more things are revealed, I just wish I had the prequel's knowledge to have balanced out the pacing overall.

All in all, THE DRAFTER is one heck of a nail-biting intense ride of a book. World building pacing and confusion aside that should be alleviated by reading the prequel, this is an utterly fantastic read that is sure to please fans of an intense read.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Gizmos Reviews
Red Hot Books
Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

Previous Books:
0.5 Sideswiped

Early Review: Hunter by Mercedes Lackey

, by KT

Hunter by Mercedes Lackey

Hunter #1

Centuries ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were slashed open allowing hideous fantastical monsters to wreak havoc; destroying entire cities in their wake. Now, people must live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the evil creatures constantly trying to break in. Only the corps of teen Hunters with lightning reflexes and magical abilities can protect the populace from the daily attacks.

Joyeaux Charmand is a mountain girl from a close knit village who comes to the big city to join the Hunters. Joy thinks she is only there to perform her civic duty and protect the capitol Cits, or civilians, but as cameras follow her every move, she soon learns that the more successful she is in her hunts, the more famous she becomes.

With millions of fans watching her on reality TV, Joy begins to realize that Apex is not all it seems. She is forced to question everything she grew up believing about the legendary Hunters and the very world she lives in. Soon she finds that her fame may be part of a deep conspiracy that threatens to upend the protective structure built to keep dark magic out. The monsters are getting in and it is up to Joy to find out why.

HUNTER is one of those books where you have to immerse yourself and give the book plenty of time to fully take off. The beginning is very slow, almost painfully so. The world building is immense and full of info dumps, which slows the pacing a great deal. However, waiting for the payoff is worth it in the end. The book, once it takes off is very impressive, and I was fully hooked, it's just a matter of being patient through all of those early info-dumps. It's a bit of a shame, because I feel like this book had incredible potential, but the beginning slowness will likely deter many. Once things are set up, the fascinating world and interesting characters truly stand out, making me wish the early parts of the book would have been tightened to allow this new series to truly shine.

Joy was a really strong and interesting character for me. At the start sure, she seems very Mary Sue, however, as the book progresses, she starts to come out of her shell, and her strength shines. Of course, she's very special, which is a common theme in YA novels, but I didn't find her overtly so, or unrealistic. She's a game changer, and I can't wait to see how the story progresses as she makes her mark.

Slow beginnings aside, all in all HUNTER was really entertaining read. The perfect blend of dystopian, scifi, fantasy, and paranormal all in one, HUNTER earns a recommendation from me.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Brittany Marie Reads
Bookworm Coalition

Kirsten Reviews: The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes

, by KT

The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes

Bring Down Heaven #1

Long before he was sent to hell, the Aeon known as Khoth-Kapira was the closest thing to a living god the world had ever known. Possessed of a vast intellect, he pioneered many of the wonders that persist in the world that lingered long after he was banished. Nearly every fragment of medical, economic and technological progress that the mortal races enjoyed could be traced back to him. But with his wonders came cruelty beyond measure: industrialized slavery, horrifying experimentations and a rage that would eventually force the world to bow to him.

Now, as Khoth-Kapira stirs the world begins to shudder with disasters yet to come.The epicenter is the city of Cier'Djaal. A religious war between two unstoppable military juggernauts begins to brew. The racial fury among many peoples of the world is about to explode. Demons begin to pour from the shadows at the head of a vicious cult worshipping dark powers.

And Lenk finds himself in the middle once more, his fate and the fate of Khoth-Kapira interlinked as the demon attempts to convince him of his earnestness.

"Your world is breaking around you," He Who Makes says, "let me fix it. Let me help you. Let me out."

The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes is the first book in his Bring Down Heaven trilogy, and from the first pages, readers step into an adventure winding down, or so the main characters believe.

The story picks up as a group of adventurers attempt to enter the city of Cir’Djaal in order to obtain money they are owed. The premise seems fairly simple from the outset, but as with any such characters, things quickly go sideways, and they find themselves in the middle of a foot war, and political power struggles.

Fair warning, this book throws a lot of characters of varying species, temperaments and histories at the reader very quickly. However, while the plot sprawls over a large landscape, its threads are woven tightly, and it all comes together into much larger picture with the various characters each having their own issues to wrestle with.

The leader is a young man named Lenk, who is only in charge because nobody else wants the job, and most of the time, makes the worst plans. He’d like to stop killing - something which he has a talent for doing very well, and yet would like to preserve his relationship with Kataria, a shict, who is conflicted about her connection with Lenk, as well as her faith. Then there is Dreadaeleon, a young wizard, who would like to prove himself, often at the detriment of others. Denaos is the quintessential rogue, and he’d like to avoid the city more than most of the others. Finally, Gariath is their ‘heavy,’ a dragonman, who protects the other members of the party, and yet struggles with how to reconcile that with his sense of identity. There are a number of secondary characters, some helpful, others decidedly not, and many who have stories worth exploring further.

As the story progresses, the book is divided up into sections, and as circumstances deteriorate, so do the relationships among the adventurers. There are no easy answers to any of the plotlines, and as a rule, everything is terrible, or might be if somebody breathes wrong.

There are a fair number of fantasy books that follow a formula, where the protagonists are all good, or at least the kind of characters you wouldn’t mind meeting in a dark alley. This book departs from this rather spectacularly, as this group is as dangerous to their enemies as they are to their allies, and might rescue someone, or cut them down, depending on their level of emotional instability. Even so, Sykes’ sense of humor comes through strongly, and even though there’s quite a bit of bloodshed, the jokes aren’t in short supply either.

In future books, it would be nice to see the characters stepping away from their own stories a bit more, in order to interact more, beyond fights with one another and their many enemies, and there is definitely plenty of story and its world to explore.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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The Bibliosanctum
Fantasy Review Barn
Smash Dragons