Category: reviews

New feature: Out of Print reviews

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews, Uncategorized

I have been thinking about how to branch out from reviewing mostly romance during the last couple of months. As I wrote my review for Alien Taste by Wen Spencer, I realised that I have a lot of fantasy and science fiction books that I love ( or loved once upon a time).

I am sure you are scratching your heads, wondering why on earth I am reviewing books that are 10-15 years old.  That is, because with e-books the age doesn’t matter any more.   No matter if the book was written 10 years ago, or last year, they are competing on the same basis, and both need reviews.

That said, I promise to only post reviews of books that are available as e-books from either the publisher or re-issued by the author.

ARC review: Silver Mine by Vivian Arend

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, Paranormal Romance, reviews

The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain Publishing, available as e-book.
The Source: ARC from the author
The Grade: A
The Blurb: Life in isolation is the safest place for Chase Johnson, a crossbreed who doesn’t know which form he’ll assume next-cougar or wolf. Once a year, his unelected position as spokesman for the Yukon outcasts forces him to visit civilization. This time he runs across someone unexpected. She’s not his mate, but she pushes all the right buttons.
It’s taken years for Shelley Bradley to gather the courage to return to her home pack. In spite of being the lowest of the low-a shifter who can’t shift-she’s determined to make a place for herself as the Whitehorse locals’ new vet-slash-doctor.

There’s definite electricity between her and Chase, but sex with fellow shifters and the inherent mind games got old a long time ago. Ignoring him seems best. When he shows up at her office with a wound that won’t heal, she’s stuck-yet drawn to solve this medical mystery.

As they journey deep into outcast territory in search of answers, their powerful sexual attraction crumbles her resistance. But time is of the essence. If a cure can’t be found before his human and cougar succumb to his injury, he-and others like him-will die.

Warning: Contains a silver-tongued, hairy-chested, lean-muscled Alpha who’s got what it takes to lead in the wilderness and in the bedroom. Yeah, I know…not really much of a deterrent, is it? Throw in continuing territorial wars and a domestic cat. Stir and enjoy the chaos.

The Review:
I jumped on the chance to read an ARC of Silver Mine when Vivian Arend posted about the opportunity on her blog. And I am glad I did. This book was Vivian Arend at her best.
This book took place in Whitehorse and in the wilderness in Yukon. I loved the tiny details in small town life. From how everyone knows everyone, to the layer of secrets that existed beneath the surface. But, I loved the descriptions of the wilderness more. It tugged at something within me, and made me long to walk along the path that led to Chase cabin.
When it comes to the characters, I loved how Chase and Shelley reflected each other. They were both outcasts, but it very different ways. Shelley’s wariness towards re-joining the Takihini pack made sense. Sometimes, I wanted to smack the old Takihini Alpha. This also affected their relationship. The attraction was there, but Shelley fought it. It was nice to meet the Takhini wolves again, but my favorite characters were the outcasts. They were grumpy, and had their bad sides, but all of them had a heart of gold.
But what made the book for me was how it showed that shifters isn’t perfect. When Chase got wounded he shrugged it off, but the tension and worry gradually increased when his wound didn’t heal. More, I liked how it was gradually revealed that the infection didn’t just affect him, but it threatended all shifters. And that it affected shifters differently. Some it affected mentally, and some it affected physically.   
I cannot say that there was anything glaring that I disliked with this books, just a few typos.

Urban Fantasy Challenge: Monster in my closet by RL Naquin

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews

The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Carina Press, available as e-book
The Source: Net Galley
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

I stopped believing in monsters long ago. But I knew I wasn’t imagining things when I found one in my kitchen baking muffins. I’d seen him before: lurking in my closet, scaring the crap out of my five-year-old self. Turns out that was a misunderstanding, and now Maurice needs a place to stay. How could I say no?
After all, I’ve always been a magnet for the emotionally needy, and not just in my work as a wedding planner. Being able to sense the feelings of others can be a major pain. Don’t get me wrong, I like helping people–and non-people. But this ability has turned me into a gourmet feast for an incubus, a demon that feeds off emotional energy. Now, brides are dropping dead all over town, and my home has become a safe house for the supernatural. I must learn to focus my powers and defeat the demon before he snacks on another innocent woman and comes looking for the main course…

The Review:

I rarely request ARCs through NetGalley, but I decided to make an exception for this book. And I am glad I did.
This book has everything I want in an Urban Fantasy. Familiar fantasy races, but with enough twists for them to feel brand new. And then there are the Closet monsters. I loved Maurice, with his fretting and cooking. What’s more, all the twists and the reasons for them made a lot of sense. 
This was the first time I read about a wedding planner, but it was intresting to get an insight in how much job it is. I loved following Julie’s struggle to adapt to the changes in her life. From the closet monster in her kitchen, to the fact that she has a gift. But it wasn’t just that. I loved the snarkiness and the quiet humor that Julie had, and how much she cared about her clients, even though some of them annoyed her.
The plot was intriguing, and filled with plot twists that took me by surprise, yet made sense when they happened. I loved how the stakes gradually increased through the book. From the first time Julie and Sebastian met, until the last confrontation.  I also liked that Julie didn’t expect anyone else to solve this. She faced down Sebastian several times. When it comes to the romance between Riley and Julie, it was cute and I am curious how it will affect the two of them in the upcoming books.
What I didn’t like was that even though a lot of the plot twists took me by surprise, I had a hunch about who the final victim was for a long time. But that is the only thing that mars the book, at least for me.
But I definitely plan to buy the next book in the series, since I liked this one a lot.

Urban Fantasy Challenge: No Dominion by C.E Murphy

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews

The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Kickstarter, not available for sale (yet).
The Source: Kickstarter ARC
The Grade: A+
The Blurb:

Recently widowed after nearly fifty years of marriage, Gary Muldoon had given up on adventure. Then shaman Joanne Walker climbed into the back seat of his cab, and since then, Gary has trifled with gods, met mystics, slain zombies and ridden with the Wild Hunt.
But now he must leave Joanne’s side to face a battle only he can win. Because as their long battle against a dark magic-user races toward its climax, it becomes clear that it was not illness that took Annie’s life, but their enemy’s long and deadly touch.
Though lovers be lost, love shall not…
     …AND DEATH SHALL HAVE NO DOMINION.

The review:
I have waited for this book since I first heard about it… Actually, that is not true. I have hoped C.E Murphy would write Gary’s story since I first read Urban Shaman. But I never expected it would be like this. This book… is C.E Murphy at her best.
I’ll admit that for the first pages it felt odd to not read about Jo, but I got used to it. I loved Gary’s voice. Loved it. I could almost hear him speaking in my mind ( I imagined him as having an Irish dialect. Yeah, I know. He is from Seattle).I kept on reading as he rode with the Hunt, and was delightfully human towards Cerunnos. Not that he mouthed off, but that he didn’t show any deference. Through the whole story, Gary is delightfully himself. No matter if he is talking with Cerunnos or with one of his Army mates. He is his own gruff, rocksteady self.
This story had everything that a good story should have. Action. Lot’s of it, especially in the beginning. From the start, Gary goes on Wild ride. There were times how Gary managed to keep up with Cerunnos. But there isn’t just action. No, what made most impact on me were the part when Gary went back in time, to the time he met his wife Annie. It was poignant to read about their romance. Yet in it, there was a touch of paranormal. I admired Gary for keeping quiet, and letting their marriage unfold. But the end. Oh lord. The end. It made me cry. And I cannot remember when that happened the last time.
So, what I didn’t like.
There is nothing I didn’t like with the story. This is C.E Murphy at her best. I just wish that more people hade been able to read it since it adds an layer to Raven Calls, but hopefully it will be available sometime in the future.

Review: Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

On By MikaelaIn reviews
The particulars:  Contemporary Romance, MacMillan, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Kobo
The Grade: A
The blurb:
Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington. She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal: her fiance Kevin has left her. His new lover is Lucy’s own sister. Lucy’s bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life. Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy’s parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to “romance” Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life–even after being broken–can be made into something new and beautifu
The Review:
I like Lisa Kleypas historicals, but I had never read her contemporaries. I kept hearing good things about this one, bu the price stopped me. When Macmillan discounted it to 2.99 earlier this summer I snapped it up.
And I am glad I did.
The setting for this sweet romance was San Juan Island outside Washington state. I liked the careful details that Ms Kleypas inserted in her description of the island. From the description of Friday Harbor, to the nature that is an important part of the story.
That said, what made the book for me was the relationship between Sam and Lucy. One thing that I loved were that nothing felt rushed.  The romance unfolded at a pace that felt right. They started out as friends and let it evolve, both of them clear that they made no committments. As their relationship unfolded, Ms Kleypas cleverly wov in the details why they were committment shy.   
I also liked how both Sam and Lucy dealt with the stinking aftermath of her breakup with Kevin.  It could have spoiled the book for me if they had dealt with it differently, but they didn’t.
 But what I also liked was the sense that both of them had something they were passionate about, and careers they loved, yet they didn’t let takeover their lives. 
That said, I wanted to strangle Alice and Kevin for their selfish behaviour, and the fact that they didn’t care if they hurt their family. Just.. Argh.
The magic element in this book felt unnecessary. It was hardly more than a quiant touch. That said, I applaud Ms Kleypas for having the courage to add it. I would love to read a true paranormal romance written by Lisa Kleypas in the future.

Review: Enchanting the Lady by Kathryne Kennedy

On By MikaelaIn reviews
The particulars: Historical Paranormal Romance, Sourcebooks, available as e-book and in print
The Source: Discover a new love
The Grade: D+
The blurb:
Sir Terence Blackwell is a lion shapeshifter who is determined to find the magical relic that killed his brother. When he sniffs out the taint of magic on Lady Felicity Seymour, a disinherited duchess, he’s sure that she’s far craftier than she first appears. Terrance believes that the easiest way to learn all of her secrets is to court the young miss. Unfortunately, Terrance’s plans for vengeance are soon thwarted when he finds himself falling under the lady’s enchanting spell…
The Review:
I downloaded this from Discover a new love since I read and liked The Firelord’s lover a couple of years ago.
This is a light paranormal, set in an alternate Victorian London. I had a lot of fun trying to guess which parts of London the different neighborhoods was based on. The alternative place names felt right and reflected the neighborhoods status.  How the magic system was set up appealed a lot too me.  I liked that you ( and your family) could raise or fall  in status, depending on which kind of magic you had.  I also liked that no one could do everything.  
The thing I liked most about this book was Terence and Felicity. Both of them were shaped by their backgrounds. Terrence just lost his brother, and is fiercely protective of his remaining family. And I liked the lengths he went to protect Felicity.
Felicity has spent her life being ignored. And her adaptions to that made me smile. But the first scenes made my heart ache as well since they showed very clearly how her life must have been.
Too me the plot was very predicable. From the way they met, to their courtship and then their HEA. The thing that kept me reading was Terence and Felicity’s relationship, but when I stopped reading yesterday I wasn’t sure if I would finish this.  In fact, it wasn’t until the last 70 pages or so that I felt that I was interested in what happened next.
A lot of that stemmed from my main problem with this book: I had a lot of problem connecting with the characters. I liked Terence and Felicity, but I didn’t love them. It felt like their feelings were just hinted at, and never truly shown. Which is too bad, since I felt that there was a lot of promise in the worldbuilding, and in parts of the plot.

Review: Wolf Line by Vivian Arend

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, Paranormal Romance, reviews

Wolf LineThe Particulars:  Paranormal Romance, Samhain, available as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Books on board
The Grade: A

 The Blurb:

Jared’s not sure how his quiet morning coffee near the harbour ended with him on a cruise ship impersonating one of his pack mates. Well, it might have something to do with a woman, but who can blame him? The female of the species was made to love, and he’s more than willing to share his considerable skills in that area. Especially since he figures the chances of meeting his own one-and-only are slim.
Keri Smith is positive the last-minute recruit sneaking aboard the Arctic Wolf Cruise Lines tour is her mate. Ix-nay on confirming that, though, at least for the next ten days. She’s promised her best friend to be overall troubleshooter for the shifter-only cruise. Getting tangled up in mating lust would reduce her skills to nil. Avoidance of the sexy wolf for the duration of the cruise, followed by jumping his bones, seems the logical solution.
But when libidos are on the line, “logic” and “wolves” don’t go together. Throw in suspicions of wrongdoing, and these two virtual strangers will need a lot more than luck to find their way through to forever.

Warning: Really? You need to be warned about the hot nookie and sarcasm? Yeah, it’s in here. Also colourful cat shifters, lupine royalty, and wild adventures in cabins like you’ve never seen before.


The Review: 

I pre-ordered this one, but for a number of reasons I never got around to read it until now.   And I am glad I read it.

It was nice to re-visit the Granite Lake wolves, and get another insight into the world that Ms Arend has created.  Unlike the previous books, which took place in and around Haines (mostly), this book took place at a cruise ship.  Which has its problems.  I loved how the demands from the passengers and the unexpected problems affected Jared’s and Keri’s relationship.

At first glance, Keri and Jared felt like an odd couple but as the story went on, I started to see that they weren’t an odd couple. In fact, they match each other quite well.  I had a blast following them, from the bumpy start  to their HEA. 

One thing that I loved was the mix of romance and.  I especially liked how intergral the  mystery that was to the story.  ( Sometimes a mystery subplot feels tacked on to add length, but not this time.)  The search for the thief kept throwing wrenches into the relationship.  I loved how they thrusted each other, and worked out their problems. 

The only thing that I didn’t like was Jared’s secrets. Yes, I can understand the wish for him to live a quiet life, but  as his secrets was revealed, I couldn’t help wondering how the rest of the Granite Lake Pack will react when they finds out.

Book recommendation: Silver Mine by Vivian Arend

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, Paranormal Romance, reviews


 

Life in isolation is the safest place for Chase Johnson, a crossbreed who doesn’t know which form he’ll assume next—cougar or wolf. Once a year, his unelected position as spokesman for the Yukon outcasts forces him to visit civilization. This time he runs across someone unexpected. She’s not his mate, but she pushes all the right buttons.

It’s taken years for Shelley Bradley to gather the courage to return to her home pack. In spite of being the lowest of the low—a shifter who can’t shift—she’s determined to make a place for herself as the Whitehorse locals’ new vet-slash-doctor.

There’s definite electricity between her and Chase, but sex with fellow shifters and the inherent mind games got old a long time ago. Ignoring him seems best. When he shows up at her office with a wound that won’t heal, she’s stuck—yet drawn to solve this medical mystery.

As they journey deep into outcast territory in search of answers, their powerful sexual attraction crumbles her resistance. But time is of the essence. If a cure can’t be found before his human and cougar succumb to his injury, he—and others like him—will die.

I read the first one, and felt meh, but the blurb is intriguing and I liked the excerpt that Vivian Arend posted awhile ago. So I’ll buy it.

Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge: Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews

The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Angry Robot, available as print and e-book. 
The source:  purchased at Robot Trading Company
 The Grade: D
The blurb:

Zinzi has a Sloth on her back, a dirty 419 scam habit and a talent for finding lost things. But when a little old lady turns up dead and the cops confiscate her last paycheck, she’s forced to take on her least favourite kind of job – missing persons.

Being hired by reclusive music producer Odi Huron to find a teenybop pop star should be her ticket out of Zoo City, the festering slum where the criminal underclass and their animal companions live in the shadow of hell’s undertow.

Instead, it catapults Zinzi deeper into the maw of a city twisted by crime and magic, where she’ll be forced to confront the dark secrets of former lives – including her own.

The Review:
 

I have been curious about this book for a long time, so when Angry Robot had an 50% off sale, I decided to take the chance.
It was refreshing to read an Urban Fantasy that was set outside the US. The hustle and bustle of Joburg flowed through the page, and there were times I could hear her talking with the street vendors or her boyfriend. What I liked were the contrasts between the rundown apartment were Zinzi lived, and the luxious house her client lived in.
I liked the concept of the animalled, and how you got an spirit animal if you committed a serious crime. It felt right that some people disliked them, and other loved them.
I liked the characters, from Zinzi with her bad habits, to the spoiled pop stars she had to deal with. There was mix of desperation and hope in this book that gave me goosebumps.
That said, I had lot of problems with the plot. I found the plot to be confusing, and I couldn’t follow her motivations. One reason for that feeling might be the excerpts from articles that was scattered through the book. They annoyed me, and jarred me out from the book.

Urban Fantasy reading challenge: Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews

The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Berkley, available in print and as e-book
The Source: The bookshelf
The Grade: B
The Blurb:
We’re the D’Artigo sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we’re savvy—and sexy—operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency.  But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times.  My sister Delilah shapeshifts into a tabby cat whenever she’s stressed.  Menolly’s a vampire who’s still trying to get the hang of being undead.  And me?  I’m Camille—a wicked-good witch.  Except my magic’s as unpredictable as the weather, as my enemies are about to find out the hard way… At the Wayfarer Inn, a portal to Otherworld and the local hangout for humans and beasties alike, a fellow operative, Jocko, has been murdered.  Every clue points to Shadow Wing, the soul-munching, badass leader of the Subterranean Realms.  He’s made it clear that he aims to raze humankind to the ground, turning both Earth and Otherworld into his private playground.  Our assignment:  Keep Shadow Wing and his minions from creeping into Earth via the Wayfarer.  The demons figure they’re in like Flynn.  After all, with only my bumbling sisters and me standing in the way, how can they miss?  But we’ve got a secret for them:  Faulty wiring or not, nobody kicks ass like the D’Artigo girls…

The Review:
One of my reading challenges this year is to re-read the Otherworld series by Yasmine Galenorn, originally the plan was to re-read it before Shadow Rising was out in February, but obviously that didn’t happen.
That said, I am glad that I made that vow, since I enjoyed this book a lot.
The world was rich, and intriguing. I loved the twists on the myths and standard tropes that was revealed, and in some cases hinted at.
I also liked the impact the Sidhe had on humans, that some loves them and some hates them. Which makes totally sense.But more than the world, I loved meeting the characters. I loved Camille. Her struggle with her feelings to the Svartan Trillian, who showed up without warning. Her love to her sisters. Her courage, and determination to do what is right.
The plot was fast paced, yet it felt as if it wasn’t too fast. It was easy to understand the characters reactions and actions. I loved how Camille’s Magic affected the plot. Not that it made it easier, if anything it made it harder.
So what I didn’t like with this book. It took a long time before it sucked me in, before it hooked me. In fact, it wasn’t until page 150 or so that I felt the urge to just keep on reading. Before that I put it down and picked it up several time.
Interstingly I have had different reactions each time I have read this book. The first time, I felt it was good, but not great , the second I loved it. This time it was a mix of the previous times.