Hint of Frost (Araneae Nation #1) - A promising new series!
The new Araneae Nation series by Hailey Edwards kicks off with Lourdes, daughter of Araneidae clan leaders, running for her life from treacherous enemies that have poisoned her mother and father with plans to usurp power. Lourdes refuses to give up easily and she wants revenge, so she decides to ally with the venomous and cannibalistic Mimetidae clan through marrying their maven’s mercenary warrior son. Rhys the Cold is this warrior, and he is committed to his duty with hopes for his clan to flourish. But through working together with the Araneaens, these people become a little too tempting for kind.
Rhys is devoted to his clan first, but as he spends more and more time with his future wife priorities may be shifting and he becomes more conflicted about his true loyalties. This is further tested once Lourdes’ younger sister turns up missing, possibly abducted, and with his betrothed they travel to the southlands to find her. They are in for a bit of a surprise once they discover a deadly plague that risks spreading throughout their whole world. Lourdes must test herself as a true maven, juggling her decisions to save her fellow clansmen from this disease as well as save her sister and exact revenge on those responsible for her parents’ deaths.
For the most part, I enjoyed the read by Ms. Edwards. It’s definitely firmly in the fantasy category. It takes us to a completely new world and we’re introduced to characters with abilities more unique than we’re used to seeing. There’s a good deal of character development for the two leads, Lourdes and Rhys, both separately and together which I think is really important for ongoing novels like this. Their adventure was engaging and I looked forward to how Lourdes would solve these issues. She’s forced to grow up really quickly so you admire her and sympathize with her quite a bit. She has a lot of chemistry with Rhys, so I think romance lovers will enjoy this angle of the novel.
That said, I did have a couple of quirks with the story. I enjoyed being introduced to a new world, but I think the series could really benefit from a glossary or at least some kind of reference so that the reader can fully understand the different clans as well as the geography of the land. I got confused a few times trying to remember who was who and who did what to whom, and more importantly which clans had what kind of supernatural ability. There were some points where I got confused and then the answer would be revealed later on, but I sort of felt like these answers should have been revealed immediately. The ending also felt somewhat rushed to me. Overall, the book is a relatively short read, so it’s worth reading twice to grasp everything even better.
I think the cover is nice and well done. It captures the atmosphere of this world pretty well. However, the title could be a little more distinctive. Even though I don’t read the series, I immediately thought about Laurel K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series (I believe she has a book titled Lick of Frost), so I’m unsure weather or not providing a similar title was intentional. It’s not a big deal, but it was just my observation.
I think this series has a lot of potential and I wonder where Edwards can take things next. Will it still center on Lourdes and Rhys? Maybe we’ll see focus shift to another character and couple? The latter is my bet because there are others who could have interesting stories of their own.
*ARC Provided by the Author.
Cover Reveal: The Kingmakers (Vampire Empire Trilogy #3)
Did I spaz like a teenybopper at a Justin Bieber concert when I saw this? Maybe just a smidgen. I SO can’t wait to get my paws on this! If there’s anything I regret most with this series, it’s that I didn’t wait for all books to be released when I started it.
Anyway, the cover looks fantastic! Adele looks badass, too! This is probably my favorite cover with her. I liked his pose more on the second one. But I like the background the best here with the vampires. Looks scary!
Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1) - Lucky for us, the end is just the beginning!
I picked Susan Ee’s Angelfall at just the right time. Coming off the high of reading and totally adoring Wicked as They Come by Delilah Dawson, another debut author, I am fully convinced that rookies know how to play with the big boys. And that’s a wonderful thing.
Susan Ee’s post-apocalyptic series takes place in Silicon Valley, California. In only six weeks the world has been brought to its knees by the hands of beautiful, yet destructive angels. There’s little order among the chaos as gangs terrorize by day, and the supernatural terrorize by night. One night, 17-year-old Penryn and her family take their chances and a brave the night to find a safer harbor. But once they witness a major struggle between an angel called Raffe and his fellow brethren, it ends with the lone angel beaten and wingless, and her little her sister being abducted by the winged terrors. They must begrudgingly team up with one another so that they can get back what they want most; Penryn, her sister, and Raffe, his wings. And they face almost any and every danger along the way.
This book would have taken me by surprise, but the high ratings and praise made me pretty confident that it would live up to the hype. Though I’m capable of thinking for myself, I have to side with the majority here. It’s a fantastic new series and it’s definitely one of my favorite dystopian novels. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for all things paranormal and this book blends both elements perfectly? I’m not going to try to figure it out, but it just works. Every time I had to put the book down, I really didn’t want to. And if that’s not a sign of a good read, I don’t really know what is.
The cover is really cool. I like the simple, but understated feel to it. It sets you up for a complete surprise once you begin to read the book because it’s filled with tons of creepy and pulse-pounding moments. Penryn and Raffe’s uneasy relationship is surprisingly endearing and it only gets better as the book progresses. I wasn’t sure what to expect since this book seems to be classified as young adult, but I found there to be a number of mature subject matter involved and the only thing separating it from an adult novel is the lack of sex, though the themes are there.
Speaking of themes. There are a number of others that Susan Ee brings to light in this book from racism, to misogyny, to religious beliefs, to human experimentation, to rebellion, to fractured family life. Each setting is structured to tackle these issues, or at least bring them to light for the reader to ponder. But it’s easy to see that it’s all under one big umbrella of deceit.
The book only lagged for me once when they reach a resistance camp. I think it’s because that’s the only area of the novel where it felt like your standard dystopian fanfare for the oppressed to strategize about how to take down those currently in power. With a book so unique, this scene stuck out to me like a sore thumb, though it’s still manageable and the book does move along to other places.
There’s very little to complain about on my end. I highly recommend this book. It’s only $1.99 right now, so you’re not breaking the bank too much if you want to give it a try. But I personally think you won’t be sorry.
Duncan (Vampires in America #5) - Excellent rebound from the prior novel
I just recently posted about how I’ve noticed my hometown, Washington, D.C., becoming a more prevalent setting for urban fantasy novels, and this book further supports that!
A change for Duncan was far from a surprise. Serving Raphael for nearly two centuries, he was more than ready to become a Vampire Lord and manage his own territory. With Raphael and Cyn’s blessing, he’s sent from the west coast to the east coast on a mission to overtake the current Lord in Washington, DC and clean up the territory while he’s at it. Politics, corruption and secrets are big characteristics of the city, and the vampire community has its hand in all of it. Duncan will have to prove that he has what it takes to turn things around.
Enter Emma Duquet. She infiltrates the world (or at least she tries) in an attempt to locate her best friend and roomate, Lacey. Lacey’s a bit of a social buttery, but she may have landed herself in the center of a complicated web that is the vampire underground, and Emma wants to do all she can to get her out of it even if that means teaming up with the mysterious Duncan to find her.
I do have to give D.B. Reynolds credit for moving all over Anglo-America in her books. You might not appreciate it unless she’s written about your hometown, but a lot of thought goes into describing the settings correctly. I haven’t read her biography but I wonder if she’s lived in these places for a time herself. It’s a little trippy to read a book about D.C. while IN the city myself. I was actually in the park facubg one of those famous landmarks as I was reading the book (though I won’t say which one). That makes it a little more fun.
Once again she seems to have returned to her roots featuring a story on about a missing female, but there is more of a twist to it this time around. Duncan’s character was great and I liked seeing him in the driver’s seat this time, being a natural leader. You think about how far he’s come since the first book a lot. Emma’s character isn’t really that distinguishable from any other heroine, but the chemistry between her and Duncan was natural at least. While she has a tragic back story, she doesn’t really let it get her down, and through that we learn about Duncan’s past as well which is great for character development.
The cover is bad, yet again (though this time it’s the female model that’s the worst of the two), but at least this time I can see the subtitle! We’re making progress!
This book is an absolute must-read for the fans. Though it’s the penultimate book in the series, you don’t really get a sense of building tension until the end. But once you read the last page you will be totally pumped to see how everything plays out in the finale.
Win a Gunmetal Magic ARC by Ilona Andrews
I debated with myself about whether or not I should the word (because the smaller the pool the greater my chances, right?), but I decided to look out for my peeps because you guys rock. So yeah, if you want a chance to win the book then check out the Ilona Andrews Blog:
http://www.ilona-andrews.com/give-away/win-an-advance-review-copy-of-gunmetal-magic/comment-page-7#comment-70880
And if one of you wins, you HAVE to tell me! I’m entered so I’ve got my fingers crossed. Good luck everybody!
Sophia (Vampires in America #4) - The weakest of the bunch
Every series is likely to have a weak entry and this one is it for Vampires in America. Raphael and Cyn are back in the spotlight, but they now they share it with a crop of new characters, including the title vampire character.
This time we move northwest to Vancouver, British Columbia and Washington state. Sophia herself has been summoned there by her Sire in the wake of three vampires’ untimely murders. Coincidentally, Colin Murphy, a retired Navy SEAL has relocated to the area to clear his mind and live a quiet life. But he winds up learning about the vampire murders, and as the ultimate protector of the innocent he becomes involved in the case in order to bring to justice those responsible. As they cross paths and work together, we realize that they have their own history, which presents a challenge. But they will have to work through that to locate the killer in time before he hurts anyone else.
These vampires were children of Raphael, and the Vampire Lord is none too happy to know of their demise. He doesn’t trust Sofia, and Cyn wants to help solve the case as well, which only exacerbates his concern for her safety and the unpredictability of the outcome. But if we know Cyn, we know she is committed to the job and will face whatever danger there may behead on. But this time around, she may have bitten of more than she can chew.
One of the reasons I enjoy this series is that there’s a lot of focus on the mystery component, and while there’s definitely a strong presence of romance, it’s not overbearing a lot of the time. Well, for this book that’s gone out the window. Sure, there’s a mystery but the romantic melodrama is laid on thick. This is because we’re not dealing with one couple now, but two. And that’s just too much for me. I just wasn’t invested in Sophia and Colin’s situation in the least and I’ll outright admit that I skimmed a lot of their scenes.
I was hoping for the books to get away from the missing women trend that it had going, and it did do that here. But it still wasn’t enough to create a compelling enough storyline. I guess D.B. Reynolds stuck with it before because it was a strength.
I would have recommended you skip this book altogether, but there are a few major plot developments that are worth reading. I can say that I was able to skim through certain scenes with little consequence to getting the big picture, so if you feel that urge, go with it. You’ll be fine.
And of course, a VNF review of this series isn’t complete without my comment on the cover…which is still pretty bad. I feel like they get worse and worse. The male model’s pose looks completely unnatural, awkward, and so NOT badass for a supposed Navy Seal. And once again you can barely read the text at the top of the book thanks to the trees. Whoever designed it obviously skipped the “contrast” chapter in their graphic design book. It’s ONLY one of the major principles, but what do I know!
So yeah, this book was a bit of a let down, but it wasn’t enough to deter me from continuing with the series, especially knowing that Duncan gets his turn next!
Rajmund (Vampires in America #3) - Another good installment
So as to not make us become too tired of Raphael and Cyn, D.B. Reynolds shifts focus from the west coast to the east coast, taking us from Malibu, California to New York City. While Raphael makes his business rounds, meeting with the master of New York City, Rajmund Gregor, he brings Cyn along to meet her good friend, Professor Sarah Stratton, who came down from upstate New York to visit. All is well until Rajmund and Sarah bump into each other at their party, and their lives won’t ever be the same.
While Raj is the master of The Big Apple, the official Vampire Lord Krystof rules the entire northeast territory from Buffalo. Succumbing to the mandess that comes with age, Krystof has made his territory vulnerable, motivating Raj to consider challenging him for power. He has to bear this pressure as well as solve a mystery involving the disappearances of a string of women. Police believe vampires are involved, so to exonerate his people it’s up to him to solve it. Sarah Stratton has her own little secret as well; she has a strange psychic connection to these women. So to help save them she teams up with Raj, but both of them are in over their heads, ending up with more than they bargained for, including each other.
This book is actually very good. I wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in another couple other than Raphael and Cyn, but it really worked out quite well and Reynolds timed the change of scenery perfectly.
I liked Rajmund’s character. He’s got a younger air about him than Raphael and he’s working his way up towards becoming a Lord, so that was a little more refreshing. While Raphael is the most powerful of the North American Vampire Lords, he’s not the only one, so it’s good to explore other territories since some are evil like Jabril and Krystof, and it’s interesting to see if and how these characters meet their overtimely demise.
Sarah isn’t as physically capable as Cynthia since she’s only a professor, but she’s smart and has a checkered past of her own. There’s a lot of chemistry between these two from the beginning, but of course we never get a pay off right away with these books, and the series is better off for it. Again, I’m not the biggest PNR fan so I prefer that we don’t get it out of the gate.
As always with this series, the cover doesn’t live up to the quality of the story. Sure, there’s beefcake, but again the design is amateurish and I really have to wonder who illustrates them. This is probably the worst one so far. I can barely even read the subtitle written across his head.
The storyline is okay, but after a while once you’ve read these books back to back like I have, it becomes a bit of a pattern so I found my attention wandering here and there, but it wasn’t too significant. Though it isn’t too bad, I think I’d like to see this series branch out from mysteries about missing women, which was also the mystery for its predecessors. I would like to see more fighting because the action is well done and it keeps the adrenaline going.
All in all, these are easy and entertaining reads and the quality has remained consistent through book 3, so I’ll continue to recommend this series at this point.
Review + Giveaway: Wicked as They Come (Blud #1) - My FAVORITE book of 2012 thus far!!
Yeah, those of you who follow me closely know I wouldn’t throw that out there lightly, but there it is! I’d heard good things about the series but I wasn’t in the hugest rush to read it. Man am I SO glad I got around to it!
Delilah Dawson introduces us to a new world through the eyes of Letitia Everett (aka Tish), a nurse who spends most of her time tending to patients in reality, including her terminally ill grandmother. That is until she stumbles upon this interesting ruby locket at an estate sale. Unbeknownst to her it happens to be enchanted, and once she falls asleep it thrusts her into an alternate world called Sang where she meets Criminy Stain, a rebellious gypsy Bludman (aka vampire) who has been waiting for her for a long time. After all, he’s the one that had the locket spell cast to deliver the love of his life to him.
He leads a travelling circus mixed with fellow Bludman and Pinkies (aka humans) alike. Tish will fit right in as she realizes her powers as a Glancer, where she can see into someone’s past and future with just one touch. It’s a valuable ability and she learns her own fate when she touches Criminy, seeing her ultimate doom. Anchored between both worlds through wearing the locket, she can decide what she wants, but when the locket is stolen she goes on a journey with Criminy to find it. They face many enemies by land and sea, their ultimate target being the evil and manipulative Magistrate who hates all Bludmen and has a plan to eradicate them all from Sang. If they succeed, she must decide on a normal structured life or an unpredictable destiny with the person she was least expecting to love. Is Tish meant for all of this?
I won’t answer that question here, but I can just say that I loved loved LOVED this book! Dawson has an amazing imagination and has crafted a truly unique world with the Blud series. I wasn’t sure how much I could get into the world-building because Steampunk novels can be too heavy on the details for my liking. But she was able to harness it and describe everything effectively while still keeping my attention. I seriously don’t recall being bored at all and that’s saying a lot.
I liked that the Bludmen are really different for a change. Instead of being at the top of the food chain and rich like vampires in normal series, their race is oppressed and their people are considered second class citizens. Let’s not even get into the topic of a Bludmen becoming involved with a Pinky. It’s super taboo and usually the two races aren’t attracted to one another (well, aside from Bludmen seeing them as food of course). Because of this I enjoyed watching the tensions mount between the two.
Criminy Stain. Just one word to describe him: AMAZING!! I just don’t know if we can get enough of this character. He is so unique in a genre where it’s only getting more difficult to separate the best from the rest. He’s a born leader, honorable and adventurous; he cares about his people and hates that they’re suffering, but even still he doesn’t become emo and self-loathing. He maintains a great sense of humor throughout it all. I probably haven’t read about a more dynamic character since Algaliarept from The Hollows. The only downside is that I’m not sure what the second book will have in store. The book doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but I just can’t tell what’s going to happen next for him since the second book seems to shift focus. To ignore this character is to ignore a goldmine. He’s got potential to be a fan favorite, like a Jericho Barrons, Algaliarept, Jean Claude, Curran, the list goes on.
I think the love story between Criminy and Letitia is very well done and not too heavy on that sap. It’s definitely more of a romantic adventure so a lot of the focus is on the adventure side of things, which is just how I like it. All the while the feelings build allowing things to happen at the right time.
I really wish this series came out bi-annually simply because of him. Maybe we can coax the author into writing up some short stories or vignettes.
This series is one where I would love to see a movie adaptation created for it. It could be a big hit, seeing all of this come to life. I just can’t gush enough and I’ve decided to hold a giveaway right now! I can’t wait much longer for more of you to read it so….
Giveaway
I will select two winners for this and they may choose either the paperback or the ebook. I am collecting entries through May 4th. I will announce the winners on Saturday, May 5, 2012.
How to Enter (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY): My giveaways are only open to followers of Your Urban Fantasy who are 18 years of age or older. In order to enter YOU MUST COMMENT ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT POST! If you’re a new member, sign up on the right panel to follow my blog via email and/or Twitter. (Make sure you check your email to confirm your subscription. You should receive a notification immediately, so check your spam folder if you don’t see it right away). Current followers can just say so in their post and your entry will be added. Overall, there are up to 3 chances to win:
- Follow this blog via email (THIS IS REQUIRED)
- Follow me on Twitter (bonus entry)
- “Like” Your Urban Fantasy on Facebook (bonus entry)
While I do appreciate RSS subscribers, I cannot confirm your status as a follower so your entry will not count (sorry!); however, you are welcome to sign up by email and Twitter or Facebook.
Jabril (Vampires in America #2) - Even better than the first
While the scenery has shifted a bit from Malibu, California to Houston, Texas, Cynthia Leighton brings some of her problems there with her. After her falling out with Raphael, to keep herself focused Cyn heads to the lone star state to help yet another Vampire Lord. Except this time her client is the purely evil and sadistic Jabril Karim, who needs Cyn’s P.I. skills to track down the most important acquisition-an heiress who has escaped his clutches before her 18th birthday. Like her sister who he already controls, once she turns 18 she is to become a vampire so that he can acquire her family’s fortune as her guardian.
Of course word spreads fast and Jabril has summoned Cyn all because of her connections to Raphael. Forbidden fruit is always the most tempting and he wants a piece. He is all about ruffling feathers and doing whatever it takes to get ahead. As Cyn soon realizes this, she is in too deep and has to do all she can to save the very two sisters that he wants to keep under his thumb. It takes her back to Cali, showing that she can’t run away from her problems like she wants. And she certainly can’t do it alone, facing Raphael once again since it takes a Lord to defeat a Lord.
This second installment of D.B. Reynolds’s wonderful PNR series is even better than the first. It continues the storyline from the first book, unlike a number of books in this genre that present new heroes and heroines from book to book. Having an overarching couple allows the reader to become more attached to the characters, so I’m glad she took this approach. We get to see them deal with the aftermath of their decision to not be together, which builds a lot of tension and makes their dynamic more interesting.
The villain is fantastic. I love that we got do see a good deal of the horror he revels in inflicting. There were actually a number of bone chilling scenes for me which was a welcome surprise and is another quality that helps separate this series from your typical cookie-cutter story.
I liked how the victims were portrayed as well. Sometimes they were very naive and they embodied the attitude of your typical frustrating and irrational teenager a number of times. Even though they had an enormous hardships losing their parents and falling into Jabril’s clutches, they still managed to be innocent in a lot of ways.
The cover still leaves a lot to be desired for me and I think Jabril looks a bit cockeyed, so I try not to use that picture as a reference when I imagine him. I still think the lack of a good cover doesn’t do this series any favors. That said, I’m past judging a book by its cover when it comes to this series, though I’ll comment on the covers until they start to look better. I don’t know if anybody else does this, but I know it didn’t help to make me want to read these books right away.
The story resolves itself in this book, but the author leaves breadcrumbs that will build up to the following book. And because of that I went right into the following book right away. This book only strengthens my opinion that this series is worth the investment.
Raphael (Vampires in America #1) - A new PNR series I can really get into!
I am first and foremost an Urban Fantasy fan, so while I read PNR series on occasion they don’t really grip me. Heck, I’m only through book 2 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series myself after starting that series months ago, though I do plan to read them all eventually. That said, D.B. Reynolds has done a great job at keeping me engaged all throughout. I have read these books back to back, so I will write a review per day for each one. Not since the Fever series have I been motivated to read this many books all together. Though, I read that whole series in 6 days so it’s still distinguished for me. But I digress…
Raphael is the the first book in the Vampire Empire series, taking us to present day Malibu, California. The title character, Raphael, is the Vampire Lord of his territory with legions of loyal vampire and human underlings, but the strength of this loyalty is tested after a female vampire who’s dear to him is abducted. Since this happens during the day (while vampires sleeps), humans are the likely culprits, so he needs to recruit a human to solve this mystery.
Cue Cynthia Leighton, a successful P.I. and former cop who takes the job on to give herself a good challenge. But she may have bitten off more than she can chew (pun intended?) as she agrees to work for Raphael, who is proving himself to be irresistible for all of the wrong reasons. Begrudgingly she has to work with him to find his special vampire, and that’s where things get dangerous…and complicated.
The story deserves a better cover than this. It’s not the worst cover, but the quality doesn’t really correlate with the writing, which is on a greater level. I loved that this book drew me in pretty easily. It’s not too heavy on the magic and world building which may have helped, but the mystery aspect was still pretty interesting as well as the author’s personal take on vampire lore. I liked that the heroine was smart, even though Raphael becomes a growing weakness for her over time. I thought the characters were introduced nicely and I could see signs of personalities that will only develop as the series continues.
Thankfully, a number of books are already out because this one ends on a slight cliffhanger. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting from other reviews, but you definitely become motivated to want to pick up the next book. Raphael and Cyn have great chemistry and it’s only strengthened through the author allowing it to build within the plot. It keeps things a little more organic than what you find in the everyday run-of-the-mill PNR title. That said, I still have a problem with centuries old vampires falling for human women who aren’t that extraordinary. I have a hard time believing that Raphael never came across a independent, smart, and capable woman like Cyn before. But that didn’t keep me from wanting to continue reading the novels.
I think this series is a really good blend of everything, making it a great middle-ground for PNR/UF fans.
Darkness Rising (Dark Angel #2) - Now we’re talkin’!
I read the first novel of Keri Arthur’s series, Darkness Unbound, finding that the pieces of a good Urban Fantasy series were there, but it didn’t really come together to carve out its own unique spot in this genre. Well, Darkness Rising is definitely putting this series on the right track to do that and I’m glad that it didn’t take very long. Many books suffer from FBS (first book syndrome), even some of the best series. So that’s why I decided to give the Dark Angels saga another shot and I’m happy I did.
After the heart-wrenching ending of the prior book, Risa Jones, the Aedh/werewolf hybrid, is out for blood and desperately searching for her mother’s killer. She’s even willing to work for Madeline Hunter, the evil leader of the vampire council, doing her bidding in exchange for information to help her get to the bottom of the murder.
Part of that includes Risa finding the culprit responsible for spelling elder vampire council members to rapidly age and die. As if those two pesky tasks weren’t enough on her plate, Risa’s Aedh father also has plans for her, practically demanding she thrust herself into danger to locate the keys to heaven and hell—to what purpose we still don’t quite know, but if she fails it will be her friends who pay the price. All of this while trying to figure out the growing powers within herself.
This book still wasn’t perfect, but I felt like I was finally becoming familiar with the world and the characters. I wasn’t hooked during the first book until the very end, but the momentum flows into this book so it ended up being quite an entertaining ride. I’m still not totally in love with the characters yet, but I think it has potential to grow over time. I particularly see a lot of potential with Risa’s own personal “guardian angel” of sorts, Azriel. Some of their interactions are a bit predictable and I think I have a sense of where the relationship is going, but I appreciate that the author isn’t rushing it. I was concerned this could be the case considering how Risa rationalizes her whoring ways as “celebrating sexuality.” Still not buying it and I still think it’s a lame attempt by the author to seem edgy, but it doesn’t detract overall from the story.
After reading the first novel I wasn’t really sure I would be interested in reading the original 9 novels from the Riley Jenson books. But after this book my interest has piqued a bit more. Unfortunately, I know how those books will end up so that may take away a bit of the suspense, but it could be worth it regardless of that. I’m still not in a rush to read them though and I doubt I will get to them this year.
All in all, for anyone that may have had a hard time getting into the first book, I urge you to give the second book a try because the series has potential to be really great.
Mercy Thompson Graphic Novel: Moon Called Vol. 2 - Eye candy extraordinaire
It took me a little while to get around to reading the second and final volume for the Moon Called graphic novel. What with no bookstores nearby, I wasn’t totally sure if I wanted to pay for a comic that I couldn’t see. The first volume was beautifully illustrated, but I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy the story. For me the Mercy Thompson series definitely suffers from FBS (first book syndrome), but seeing the story illustrated mitigated the experience immensely.
Volume 2 picks up directly after Volume 1. Adam’s daughter, Jesse, has been kidnapped and Mercy tries to help track her down. She has to enlist help from her vampire friend, Stefan, whose camarilla may have information on where to find her. She has to manage this on top of figuring out whose been experimenting on weres. Facing a lot of danger, Mercy has to work with vampires, werewolves and faeries while she tests her own boundaries to see where she fits into it all.
The comments from my first review remain steady when it comes to the artwork. If anything I think it’s even better than the first volume. The story is the weakest part of this entry, but I can’t say if it’s because I was never really interested when it came to the written novels or if it was because it’s difficult to grasp the whole story when you’re limited to speech bubbles. Sometimes it was hard to follow and I noticed a couple of continuity issues from frame to frame. Even still, the art exceeded my expectations when it comes to this series. I have a new way to imagine the characters. I was really happy to see Stefan this time around and he has a significant presence. I feel like the illustrator probably liked drawing him. He’s quite the looker! I like Mercy and Adam together, but I honestly wouldn’t have minded seeing her with Stefan in the books, and the graphic novel only makes it worse now, haha!
So all in all, I do recommend this if only to admire the beautiful illustrations, but you will definitely need Volume 1 as a companion to know everything that’s happened.
The Hollows makes me bipolar, and tsk tsk Linda Larsson!!
So while I’d been whining a little bit a few days ago about The Hollows getting a 13th book, my biggest harp was that I thought it’d mean we had to wait yet another year for Rachel’s HEA. But if we still get it in 12 and 13 is a bonus, then I’ll take it! Though Kim could change her mind, if she sticks to this then I’m totally on board now :-D. She also confirmed for me that book 12 won’t be a cliffhanger so that’s another plus!
But yeah, Linda, being a resident Your Urban Fantasy follower (yes, I’m calling you out, missy) didn’t shout this info from the rooftops! Our other fellow follower, Diva, actually showed it to me. Still, thank you both, Linda for asking the question and Diva for sharing the answer!
Giveaway to celebrate the big 10K: Love is Darkness (Valerie Dearborn #1) by Caroline Hanson
To tie in (in part) with Your Urban Fantasy’s 10,000 views celebration, Caroline Hanson is offering her Valerie Dearborne novel “Love is Darkness” for FREE today and tomorrow through Amazon. If you didn’t get a chance to nab it soon after my review, here’s another chance! I really enjoy this series and I’m definitely looking forward to book 3! Thanks again to all of you guys and thank you, Ms. Hanson, for this offer!
Guest Blogger - Author Caroline Hanson: Best vampires EVER…I think. Or probably. Certainly for the moment.
Today’s post is about my three favorite vampires. But it’s hard to narrow it down to just three. Even VampireNovelFan’s guest post on my blog could only highlight her favorite vampires in newer series. Depending on the criteria, my choices might change. For example, if the category was best pedophelic vampire, obviously I would choose Edward. If it was hottest gay vampire it would probably be a toss up between Lestat and Ivy. So how did I decide which three are my favorite? I chose a vampire I’m currently obsessed with, one that is my all time fave and one that inspired me as an author.
#3- The Vampire I’m currently obsessed with. Elijah- Vampire Diaries
Elijah hasn’t had a ton of face time but every time he shows up on the screen I’m drooling. He’s everything a vampire should be- rich, aloof, hot and charismatic. He will kill to get things done and he’s smart. And yet, like all dynamic vampires he has a weakness- his family. That makes him a well rounded character and one I want to see over and over again. He also comes across as quite cold and distant which makes me wonder what sort of woman would melt that icy exterior. As far as I’m concerned, he’s O positive.
#2- Favorite Book Series Vampire- Jean-Claude from Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake Series.
Before Charlaine Harris’ Eric Northman there was Jean-Claude. I guess before either of them there was Lestat, but he is gay and therefore does not make the list. I always joke that one of the great things about vampires is that it’s another form of penetration. But it’s one of those jokes that has a lot of truth to it. And If I know the vampire has no interest in penetrating my gender, why bother?
JC has no penetration problems. In fact, he plays for everyone’s team. Male, female, dead, alive, Were, etc. You name it, he’s done it. Despite his skanky ways, he has the necessary credentials: he’s devious, sexy, European, rich and a bit tortured.
I was never sure what his agenda was but wanted to believe he would do right by Anita given half a chance. I’ve read and re-read those books because Hamilton brought her vampires to life. It was the first series I read where my mouth hung open in shock and I thought ‘did she just write that?’ which is an enviable and bold trait in an author. Readers want their author’s to not only bare their souls but convince them their characters are real and worth fighting for.
#1- My all time favorite vampire is…Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I love Joss Whedon, the man who was the brains behind BTVS. I even have a ‘what would Joss do?’ t- shirt and it’s something I try to write by. He’s the king of complex characters. And Spike is the perfect example of that. He’s not the oldest vampire around, I think he’s under 200. He was supposed to be a one episode vamp but was so scene-stealing that Joss couldn’t bear to kill him off.
His back-story was spun out over seven seasons and he went from incompetent villain who’s girlfriend cheated on him with any monster that strolled by, to a demon fighting good guy. In his human life he was a terrible poet and a mama’s boy and yet he became a Billy Idol-esque romantic hero.
Here is his most famous poem:
“My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,
Midnight descends in raven-colored clothes,
But soft… behold!
A sunlight beam
Butting a swath of glimmering gleam.
My heart expands,
’tis grown a bulge in it,
Inspired by your beauty…
Effulgent.”
See? It’s terrible!
But he wasn’t just a bad poet, he was thoroughly repulsive. He licked up his own nose blood, beat up some nerds and forced them to create him a Buffy sex doll, lived in a dumpy crypt and was not (by his own admission) ‘much of a thinker’ but despite that he’s my favorite.
Spike was passionate. In the end, he changed who he was for Buffy, so that he could be a good enough monster for her to love. He sacrificed his life for her and took care of those that she loved. For me, Spike’s most swoon-worthy moment is after Buffy comes back from the dead and he tells her that he knows he failed her when it counted, then he says, “But I want you to know I did save you. Not when it counted, of course, but…after that. Every night after that. I’d see it all again…do something different. Faster or more clever, you know? Dozens of times, lots of different ways…Every night I save you.”
And I think that is the fantasy we want when we read PNR/UF. We want the hero to change and be reformed/redeemed even if it takes hundreds of years to get there. It’s reading about love that transcends mortal lives and limited emotion. It’s love so intense that we are consumed by it, and know that for all of the centuries, all of the different women who lived, only one was ever special enough to make an impact.
Darkness Unbound (Dark Angels #1) - FBS (First Book Syndrome) strikes again!
I will start off by saying that I have not read Keri Arthur’s original Riley Jenson series. I honestly went into this thinking it was the beginning of a new series, not a spin-off of 9 prior novels. Maybe that’s why it was hard to really get into this book and into this world, but I did try. The leading lady of the Dark Angels series is Risa Jones, a psychic Aedh/werewolf hybrid whose day job involves running a restaurant with her buddies, but her most important job includes talking to souls of those who are near death’s door, helping them realize whether or not it’s their time to go. She also has the added perk of seeing soul reapers who guide these souls to the next life.
It’s not Risa’s favorite thing to do. And we soon learn why when she is sent to help a little girl who is comatose in a hospital. A somber, but routine visit goes horribly wrong when Risa learns that the little girl’s soul was actually stolen, robbing her of the choice to move on. It leads back to a supernatural creature that’s been collecting souls. Risa will have to do all she can to solve stop them. It leads to revelations that put the world as she knows it at risk. She has a daunting task ahead of her and needs all the help she can get. But will she get it?
This series has a well developed world, which seems to go back to the Riley Jenson novels. It’s so developed that I couldn’t always keep up at times; I will be honest and say that there are things I can’t even remember now. It made it somewhat difficult to get into the story. Not to mention, there are a number of characters introduced so it’s hard to pin down their personalities and decide on how I feel about them. I tend to read novels primarily for the characters and if they are lacking, then my readership follows.
I don’t like how the sex is handled in this book. I wasn’t expecting Risa to be such a hoe, being quick to hop in the sack…with multiple parters no less. She doesn’t even need to know their names, or their true intentions towards her! I’m no prude or anything, and the books thankfully don’t make it the main focus of the plot, but this is a double edged sword because it feels arbitrary and pointless. It was a failed attempt at being edgy and the characters’ relationship suffers for it because it doesn’t give the reader any sense of a genuine bond, especially towards the end where one lover is completely MIA and a chance for decent development outside the bedroom (or club dance floor) is lost.
I wasn’t completely gripped with this book until the very end if you could believe it, but I was determined to keep trucking on. I feel like it has potential with the number of creatures we learn about and worlds that we’ll no doubt continue to explore in future novels, so that alone is why I will give the second book a chance. And by the end Risa has motivation, drive, and an overarching mystery plot line that I genuinely want to see her solve. But does this make me want to backtrack and read the Riley Jenson books? Not really, though that could change later on.
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