Month: May 2013

Friday Finds: Fantasy and Steampunk

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

I don’t have that many books this week, but the ones I have are high up on the to buy list 
I stumbled upon this one, and both the blurb and the cover intrigued me, so I’ll probably add it to the wishlist. 

On the eve of her retirement from the army, Mistress Commander Angharad Godkin finds herself re-activated and directed to replace the governor of the newly conquered territory of Shraeven. With its multitude of diverse societies and religions, the province will not be easy to tame; but Angharad has thirty-four years of experience and is determined to succeed–even with the additional challenge of an ex-lover as her second-in-command.

However, what starts out as a seemingly predictable military challenge takes multiple unexpected turns at the hands of Shraeven’s rebellious people, their unorthodox beliefs, and their capricious, demanding, and very tangible gods. Angharad quickly finds herself the central piece in a game being fought on too many levels, all of them very foreign to her nature and background.

But if she’s being forced to play, she’s going to play to win; and Shraeven may come to regret having gotten her into the game.




I have been meaning to read more steampunk, and this sounds really intresting. 

The Honorable Alice B. Michaels is in a life or death struggle for survival—socially speaking, that is. At twenty-one, her age, her unladylike interest in automatons, and the unfortunate deaths of most of her family from the plague have sealed her fate as a less than desirable marriage prospect.
But a series of strange occurrences are about to lead Alice in a direction quite beyond the pale. High above the earth on the American airship USS Juniper, Gavin Ennock lives for the wind and the sky and his fiddle. After privateers attack theJuniper, he is stranded on the dank, dirty, and merciless streets of London. When Alice’s estranged aunt leaves her a peculiar inheritance, she encounters Gavin under most unusual—even shocking—circumstances.
Then Alice’s inheritance attracts the attention of the Third Ward, a clandestine organization that seizes the inventions of mad geniuses the plague leaves behind—all for the good of the Empire. But even the Third Ward has secrets. And when Alice and Gavin discover them, a choice must be made between the world and the Empire, no matter the risk to all they hold dear.
 I admit it. I cursed when I read about this book. Why? Because it sounded great, and it had just been a Kindle Daily Deal. But I am looking forward to reading it. 
Book One: Hard Day’s Knight
Children are missing.
The police are stumped.
Halloween is coming, and an ancient evil is on the horizon.
The vampires are the good guys.
This is not your ordinary fall weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. Vampire private detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood have been hired to save a client from being cursed for all eternity, but end up in a bigger mess than they ever imagined.
Suddenly trapped in the middle of a serial kidnapping case, Jimmy and Greg uncover a plot to bring forth an ancient evil. Soon, they’ve enlisted the help of a police detective, a priest, a witch, a fallen angel and a strip club proprietor to save the world. This unlikely band of heroes battles zombies, witches, neuroses and sunburn while cracking jokes and looking for the perfect bag of O-negative.
Book Two: Back In Black
Vampire detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood investigate a series of assaults plaguing the alleys of Charlotte, North Carolina. The string of hate crimes becomes personal when Jimmy’s just-maybe-main-squeeze Detective Sabrina Law’s cousin is attacked. Helping a lady out could get the boys killed when they end up in Faerie. Before long, they’re up to their butts in trolls, dark fae and a grand battle royale. The odds are against them, but to the boys, this is just another day on the night shift—if the night shift included a steel cage match of supernaturals.
Book Three: Knight Moves
Et tu, Vampire? The boys discover they may be tied to a string of serial killings at the college and that they suddenly aren’t the only vampire game in town.
The vampire count in Charlotte is at least three. Or more. As far as the unhappy boys are concerned, anything more than two is a crowd not to be tolerated.
While tracking down the killer and the competition, they encounter coeds, booby traps (not related to the coeds) and a hirsute bounty hunter with a moon fetish and a bad attitude. To catch the killer, Jimmy will have to survive a dive headfirst into the great unwashed horde of Dorkdom (game night at the local comic shop).
What’s a red-blood-drinking vampire to do? His job. Again.

Friday Bargains: All about Urban Fantasy

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Kobo have two coupons that expires tomorrow ( I think.): Springromance for 75 % off ( it says Harlequin, but I got  one of Jaci Burton’s Sport Romances. But they might have fixed it) and Springsave80 ( from a list, but worked on a book outside the list)

Ilona Andrews offer A Questionable Client for free on her webpage for a limited time. Or you can buy it in Magic Graves for 2.99 at most places.

Dragon Virus by Laura Anne Gilman is 50% off on Book View Cafe. ( Not technically UF, but I have heard good things about it. Ends today!)

Halfway to the grave by Jeaniene Frost is 1.99 right now ( lasts until June 6th.US only, probably.)

I discovered that John Hartness The Black Knight Chronicles are available in an omnibus for 10.99. ( A bargain, considering the individual novels sells for 7.99) If you haven’t tried his books, he also  have  several Short stories available for 0.99. ( Although it is probably better value to get one of the collections for 2.99)  

Review: Unnatural Issue by Mercedes Lackey

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations
The particulars: Historical Fantasy, DAW, available as e-book and in print
The Source: Purchased at Books on Board, I think.
The Grade: C+
The blurb:
Richard Whitestone is an Elemental Earth Master. Blaming himself for the death of his beloved wife in childbirth, he has sworn never to set eyes on his daughter, Suzanne. But when he finally sees her, a dark plan takes shape in his twisted mind-to use his daughter’s body to bring back the spirit of his long-dead wife
 
The Review:
I have had this book for years, but never got around to read it until now.   
It was nice to revisit the world of the Elemental Masters. The alternative Europe that Ms Lackey has created felt very believable to me. From the moors of Yorkshire to the battlefields of Europe, it felt like I was there.
I liked Susanne and Peter. Susanne was smart, down to earth and had a good dose of common sense. Peter played the gentleman to the fingertop. He was used to a certain level of comfort. It was fascinating to watch how he used other peoples misconception to coax out clues.
It was also interesting to see how Susanne’s father changed from the Earth Master he was at the beginning, and how he started to use darker magics. ( I’ll admit that he gave me the creeps.)
The fantasy part of the plot was well crafted, if a bit predictable. I liked read about Susanne’s journey from the moors of Yorkshire to the battlefields of France. I liked how they managed to thwart her father through pure ingeniousity, but that they also realised that Susanne had to leave England. I liked how the war made life harder for Susanne, and how it gave her life a direction. I liked how she and Peter kept on trying to stop her father, and how it was Susanne who came up with the plan that finally succeeded.
What pulls down the grade is the romance. It felt.. unbalanced. Not in the way that Susanne is a Squire’s daughter and Peter is the son of an higher ranking noble. But it stems more from the fact that Susanna spent a big part of the story being infatuated with another man. While Peter was gradually falling in love with her. They did get their HEA, but Susanne’s part felt very rushed.

WWW Wednesday May 29th

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations2 Comments

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently read:
Unnatural Issue by Mercedes Lackey. I had had this in the tbr pile for ages, and while it was good it wasn’t my favorite. But it did make me want to re-read the previous books.

Currently reading:
Nothing. I am in between books since I finished Unnatural Issue this morning.

Reading next:
 I’ll probably read Murder in the Marais by Cara Black. I started it awhile ago, so I guess I should finish it.

Review: The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures ofHoratio Lyle by Catherine Webb:

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations
The Particulars: Historical Mystery, Hachette, available as e-book and in print
The Source: Omnilit
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:

In Victorian London at the height of the industrial revolution, Horatio Lyle is a former volunteer law enforcement officer with a passion for science and invention. He’s also an occasional, but reluctant, sleuth. The truth is that he’d rather be in his lab tinkering with dangerous chemicals and odd machinery than running around the cobbled streets of London trying to track down stolen goods. But when his government calls, Horatio swaps his microscope for a magnifying glass, fills his pockets with things that explode, and goes forth to unravel a mystery of a singularly extraordinary nature. Thrown together with a reformed—in other words “caught”—pickpocket named Tess, and a rebellious young gentleman named Thomas, Lyle and his faithful hound, Tate, find themselves pursuing an ancient Chinese plate, a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of polite society, and a dangerous enemy who may not even be human. Solving the crime will be hard enough—surviving would be a bonus

The Review:
I bought this awhile ago when Kari Sperring ( I think) recommended Ms Webb’s Urban Fantasy novels, written as Kate Griffin. Mainly because it was on sale and I was in the mood for Historical Mystery. And I am glad I did, since I enjoyed the book.
The author painted a detailed picture of London, never hiding the good and bad sides of London. Which led to a believable London, which worked as a background for Horatio’s, Tess and Thomas adventures.
I liked Horatio. He was observant, witty… and totally fascinated by science. Which felt logical since a lot of scientific discoveries happened in the 1800’s.Tess was a hoot. She was a thief to the finger tips which caused some intresting discussions between her and Horatio.
Thomas, the other sidekick that Horatio aquires, was Tess opposite. He was noble, and used to be sheltered. It was intresting to watch as him started to realise some unpleasant truths about his family, but I admired him for the courage he showed.
The search for the Plate took them all over London. The plot was action packed, and I frequently wondered how they would get out of trouble. But they succeeded, and I appreciated how the author used the characters strength.
I had two big problems with this novel:
1. The author’s tendency to use 10 words to describe something, when 5 would have been enough. Yes, all that description led to a believable setting, but it also slowed down the pacing.
2. I wish that it had dared to take the step out it needed to be a Steampunk novel. As it was, it flirted with Steampunk but it never took the plunge.

Traditional Swedish Raspberry pie

On By mikaelalindIn Life

It was Mother’s Day in Sweden yesterday, and I decided to make raspberry pie. Which turned out yummy but too much berries vs dough. So I made it again with less berries:).

Pie dough:
1 ½ dl flour
100 g butter
1 tablespoon sugar

Filling:
250 g frozen berries
½ dl sugar
1 tablespoon potatoe starch

Heat the oven to 225 C
Measure up the flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes. Mix the butter and flour mixture until a crumbly dough have formed.

Let the berries thaw a bit. Mix the berries, the sugar and the starch. (Either in a bowl or in the form). Pour the berry mix into the form, and spread the dough on top. Make sure the dough more or less covers the berries, and put it into the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Friday Bargains: SYNC audiobooks

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

SYNC offers free YA and Classics as audiobooks. Most of the titles are available outside the US, but some are US only.  Each title is available one week only, or at least that is the impression I got from their webpage.
SYNC Titles
Summer 2013
May 30 – June 5, 2013
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel (AudioGO)
The Tempest by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (AudioGO)
June 6 – June 12, 2013
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren (HarperAudio)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, read by Wanda McCaddon (Tantor Audio)
June 13 – June 19, 2013
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton (Scholastic Audiobooks)
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, read by Robert Ramirez (Recorded Books)
June 20 – June 26, 2013
Once by Morris Gleitzman, read by Morris Gleitzman (Bolinda Audio)
Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr., read by Dion Graham (christianaudio)
June 27 – July 3, 2013
Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne (Listening Library)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, read by Jim Weiss (Listening Library)
July 4 – July 10, 2013
Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford, read by Nick Podehl (Brilliance Audio)
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, read by a Full Cast (L.A. Theatre Works)
July 11 – July 17, 2013
The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, read by Peter Altschuler (HarperAudio)
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, read by Simon Vance (Tantor Audio)
July 18 – July 24, 2013
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon (Recorded Books)
Hamlet by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (L.A. Theatre Works)
July 25 – July 31, 2013
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, read by Charlie McWade (Scholastic Audiobooks)
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain, read by Steve West (Blackstone Audio)
Aug 1 – Aug 7, 2013
Death Cloud by Andrew Lane, read by Dan Weyman (Macmillan Audio)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, read by Ralph Cosham (Blackstone Audio)
Aug 8 – Aug 14, 2013
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis, read by Katherine Kellgren (Brilliance Audio)
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, read by Miriam Margolyes (Bolinda Audio)
Aug 15 – Aug 21, 2013
Sold by Patricia McCormick, read by Justine Eyre (Tantor Audio)
Let Me Stand Alone by Rachel Corrie, read by Tavia Gilbert (Blackstone Audio)

Review: Prudence by Elizabeth Bailey

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

The Particulars: Historical Romance, Harlequin Historical, avaible as e-book, out of print

The Source: The Bookshelf
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
Would Her Tender Heart Lead Her Into His Arms?
No one was more aware of their position in life than governess Prudence Hursley. Fresh from the Paddington Charitable Seminary, softhearted Prue expected to see little of her new employer, Mr. Julius Rookham, and was prepared for a life of lonely independence.
However, Julius’s willful niece continually threw Prue into his path, and the more she got to know the dashing confirmed bachelor, the more she found herself wishing for the impossible. So when Julius began actively seeking out her company, she couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps dreams did come true….
The review:
Edit: I discovered that information at Goodreads was wrong, so I changed the title and cover.
This book is one of my favorite Regencies, but I hadn’t re-read it for awhile, so when I found it at my mum’s recently I decided to read it again.
And I am glad I did. This is a charming Regency without any dukes or earls, which was a nice change.
Most of the book took place at Rookham Hall, and it felt believable to me. I appreciated the tiny details, from the drab dress Prue wore, to the way the staff had their internal tensions.
But mostly, I enjoyed getting re-aquitanced with Prue and Joshua. Both of them were very down to earth, and happy with their lives ( mostly). I enjoyed reading about Prue’s adjustment to life in the Rookham household. From how she struggled with bouts of missing her friends, to how she started to get to know the rambunctious twins.
I enjoyed Prue and Joshua’s romance. It was sweet, and slow paced. What I liked was that both Prue and Joshua struggled with their growing feelings, although their reasons were different. But that made me like the book even more.
Despite all the things I liked about the book, it took awhile before it hooked me. Which might have been because I have read it before.

WWW Wednesdays May 22:

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

To play along, just answer the following questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading:
Uh..Nothing. Ok, technically, I am re-reading Fatal Affair by Marie Force, but I think it will be a DNF for me. It isn’t bad I just don’t care about the characters.( Probably stems from the fact that  I wish she had finished the series at book 4.) 
Recently read:
Horatio Lyle by Catherine Webb. I bought this because Kari Sperring recced her Urban Fantasy novels, written as Kate Griffin.  I liked it, it wasn’t perfect, but it was good.
Reading next:
Well… Rocky Mountail Rebel by Vivian Arend was released yesterday, and I am itching to buy a book. So it is high up on the list.

Review: Fated by Lauren Dane

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance
The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Allromance

The Grade: B
The Blurb:
 Could there be any worse fate than a road trip from Seattle to L.A.—with one’s mother—to attend a wedding? Why yes, when one isn’t married yet, like Megan Warden. Toss in a grandmother and a carload of already married sisters and it’s a recipe for sneaking sips of “special” coffee while someone else drives.

Shane Rosario has better things to do than attend a wedding where his father’s relatives will be at him nonstop about getting married and having children. If it weren’t for seeing his anchor bond, Layla, he’d have taken a pass on the entire weekend. It would be easy, since he’s become adept at hiding who and what he is.

When the two weren’t even looking, Fate steps in and before they know it, their bond is sealed. Bonded pair, married in the eyes of their people. Two people tied together in every way. Trouble is, Shane’s not sure he wants all that comes with Megan. And Megan’s certain she’s not willing to live outside her pack, pretending to be human.

The distance between them is more than geographical. It’s a widening gulf rapidly filling with resentment…an emotional divide only acceptance could bridge. Can Shane can accept himself to cross it? Only if they let love take control.

Warning: The usual players – hot sexing, pushy Warden males and the women who keep them in line, some EMO (read: grab your hankies) and bad words.

The Review:
I read an excerpt from this one a couple of months ago, and was hooked. Unfortunately, I was also broke so it got wishlisted. Until now. Let me tell you, it was well worth the wait.
I loved the banter between Megan and her family. They might get exasperated at each other occasionally, but it was clear that they loved each other. They were comfortable with the fact that they were werewolves. Which is a contrast to Shane who is used to hiding who he is, living among humans. It was touching to see Shane struggle with who he was, and it made sense that he clung to his old life since that was all he knew.
The attraction between Megan and Shane sparked from the moment they met. Their romance was a whirlwind, but I liked that their path to a HEA wasn’t smooth. The issues they had to work through felt very human, and believable. It was interesting to see how the Anchor bond worked, and how it also affected the relationship between Megan and Layla.
It was interesting to get a glimpse of how living outside the pack affected a werewolf. It felt as if it was possible in theory, but I loved how Ms Dane showed why it had made Shane a mess.
That said, I felt that it went too fast between the first mating bliss, to the start of their issues. The issues made sense, but I wished the book had been a bit longer and Megan’s growing frustration had been shown instead of told.