Look what Candlemark&Gleam revealed last week. It made me even more eager to buy the book. Is it November yet? ( Although if you join the Kickstarter that Candlemark&Gleam will run ( probably), you will get it earlier.)
Tag: Urban Fantasy
ARC Review: Heart of Briar by Laura Anne Gilman
The Particulars: U
rban Fantasy, Harlequin Luna, available as e-book and in print
rban Fantasy, Harlequin Luna, available as e-book and in printThe Source: e-ARC from Netgalley
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:
“He has been taken. And you are his only chance.”
That wasn’t something Jan expected to hear-especially from strangers who’d just rescued her from some mysterious and ferocious creatures. And she really hadn’t expected her rescuers to be shape-shifters….
Now it turns out her boyfriend, Tyler, hasn’t gone missing, he’s been stolen-and Jan’s the only one who might be able to get him back.
From Elfland.
Yeah, Jan’s pretty sure the entire world’s gone crazy. Even if the shifters claim that the naturals (like her) and the supernaturals (like them) belong in this world…but the preternaturals, what humans call elves, don’t. And the preters have found a portal into our world. A doorway they can use to infiltrate, to take, to conquer.
Jan’s not just Ty’s only hope – she’s got to rescue humanity, as well….
The Review:
I love Laura Anne Gilman‘s novels, so when I saw this one at Netgalley, I requested it on the spot. After reading it, I am glad I did. Mostly. I had one big issue with it.
This is the first book in the Portals duology, which isn’t set in the Cosa Nostradamus world. No, this is a world filled with tension between the non-native Preternaturals and the native Supernaturals. I really liked that the Preters and the Supers behaved very differently. The Preters were cold, and only acted for the benefit of Preters. The Supernaturals on the other hand, were motivated with a drive to save the world.
The characters were intresting. I liked how Jan struggled with the fact that Supers and Preters existed. I also liked the fact the Supers didn’t try to hide that the situation was dangerous, and that she shouldn’t really trust them.
Jan’s, Martin’s and to some degree AJ’s, search for Tyler was well plotted. I liked how it took Jan from an ordinary life, to a life filled with danger. What I especially liked was Jan’s stubbornness. She was scared, but she searched for Tyler anyway. And I really admired her when she faced the Preters.
Despite all the things I liked with this book, I didn’t feel the urge to pick it up to continue reading when I put it down. But I still plan to get the second book.
Friday Bargains: Historical mystery and Urban Fantasy ( and a recommendation)
If you like Contemporary Romance and Women’s fiction, I recommend that you add Lani Diane Rich to a E-reader IQ alert since her books are really good and in KDP Select. Right now, A Little Ray of Sunshine is free.
In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she’s on. She’s never brought her work home with her—until now.
This time, it’s personal.
Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn’t quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.
Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new “friend,” Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.
It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever rub the genie’s lamp.
Catherine Webb’s Horatio Lyle mysteries are discounted to 1 dollar at Omnilit. They seem to be 8-10 dollar at all the other stores. I bought the first one, since it sounded intresting. 
In Victorian London at the height of the industrial revolution, Horatio Lyle is a former Special Constable 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 Her Majesty’s Government calls, Horatio swaps his microscope for a magnifying glass, fills his pockets with things that explode and sallies forth to unravel a mystery of a singularly extraordinary nature.
Thrown together with a reformed (i.e. ‘caught’) pickpocket called Tess, and a rebellious (within reason) young gentleman called 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…
Review: Under A Witch Moon by Maria E. Schneider
The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Bear Mountain Books, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Smashwords
The Grade: B+
The Blurb:
Adriel should have known that with a werewolf, it never stopped with just one body. She would have gone to the police after witnessing Dolores’ death, but she wasn’t certain the killer she saw was responsible for the other murders. Besides, the police didn’t believe in werewolves, and they weren’t going to believe she was a witch either so what could she tell them?
She kept her eyes and ears open while she tried to help her latest client escape the clutches of a voodoo witch, but things went from bad to worse when more bodies turned up. She was greatly relieved when she met White Feather, an undercover cop. Unfortunately, he wasn’t convinced she was innocent of all wrong-doing.
It was going to take every spell she knew and a few she hadn’t tried to solve the murders and stay alive.
The Review:
This book have been on my wishlist for a long time. And after finally buying, I kicking myself for waiting so long. But the upside is that book 3 is out soon.
The version of Santa Fe that the author created felt believable to me. The supernatural elements felt seamlessly integrated into the non magic society. I liked how Adriel’s magic worked, and how she created potions that might or might not work like she thought they would.
I also liked how the other supernatural elements was explained, and how not everyones magic worked exactly the same way, but it depended on what gift you had.
I liked Adriel. She was down to earth, and happy laying low, not attracting attention to herself. I felt for her when her life suddenly turned upside down. I also liked the other characters we met, from the streetwise Lynx to the vivacious Matilda. And Whitefeather. dreamy sigh
The plot was fast paced, and I enjoyed following Adriel as she struggled to defeat the villain, and save her client. I loved how the stakes slowly rose through the plot, as Adriel and her friends gradually discovered who was behind it. One aspect that I especially liked was how several separate plot threads turned out to be connected in the end. Which lead to some unexpected plot twists.
The biggest problem I had with this book, was that one tiny detail in the beginning of the book pissed off the biologist in me, and it took awhile for me to calm down, and appreciate the story. But otherwise, it was a well written Urban Fantasy.
ARC Review:Pooka in my pantry by RL Naquin
The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Carina Press, available as e-book
The Source: Review copy, courtesy of the author
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
Zoey Donovan—empath, wedding planner, go-to girl for monsters with personal problems—has been marked twice for pickup by Death. On both occasions, Riley the smoking-hot reaper has refused to follow through. For his breach of protocol, Riley is now on probation. For her refusal to die on schedule, Zoey’s right to live is challenged. She will have to undergo a life-or-death trial, but she won’t know when or where it will happen…
Staying alive might not be so difficult if the Leprechaun Mafia hadn’t strolled into town. Now every business owner with the slightest connection to the supernatural community is being threatened with the most appalling bad luck if they don’t pay up. Mirrors are smashed, bodies are dropping, and Zoey’s still got clients waiting for fabric samples.
With a little luck, she might be able to save everyone and still have time for a second attempt at a decent first date with her favorite reaper.
The review:
I read and liked the first book in the series, so when I got the chance to read an arc, I took it.
In this book, the author took the world she introduced in Monster in my closet to another layer. I liked how she deftly revealed the existence of both Mafia and the governing system. Both elements made sense, since no society is without crime.
Zoe was her normal cheery, helpful self in this book. I loved reading about her adventures as she faced down the Leprachaun Mafia ( I loved that idea, an refreshing twist) as they caused havoc in the city and adjusted to the fact that she was an Aegis. I also liked how her empathy gift was tied into something that she had no idea existed.
I also liked seeing Zoe taking tentiative steps with her relationship with Riley. Their dates were charming, but not with out their troubles.
The plot was filled with unexpected twists, that took me by surprise. Yet they made sense once they had occurred. The different subplots were interconnected, and helped making Zoe’s life much harder. In fact, a couple of times I wondered if Zoe would survive.
That said, the thing that I missed in this book was a feeling of increased tension, that the scenes were building towards a confrontation with the bad guys.
Giveaway: Bladesong by J. C. Daniels
I am giving away two copies of J.C. Danielsexcellent Urban Fantasy Blade Song. The giveaway ends on Sunday March 3, and the winners will also be announced on Sunday. To enter, just leave a comment with your e-mail and if you prefer Kindle or Smashwords.
Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.
So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.
Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.
If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee…
Review: Fated by Benedict Jacka
The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Ace (US)/ Orbit (UK), available in Print and e-book
The Source: Purchased at Sf bokhandeln ( Swedish edition)
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex’s own powers aren’t as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future–allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success.
But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever’s inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none…
The Review:
I have wanted to read this ever since I saw it on the swedish publishers webpage. I know I could have bought the book in English, but I wanted to support the Swedish publisher for translating Urban Fantasy.
The World that Alex Verus lived in felt refreshing and belivable. The fact that nothing was black and white felt refreshing. The tension between light mages and dark mages felt realistic. What I liked was that the conflict was based on so many things, from history to different ethics. As a result of this, everyone in the book had their own agendas. And I loved it.
I liked the fact that we got glimpses of Alex past in the book. But what I loved the most was the fact that he was a seer. It felt refreshing, yet totally logical in the way he used his gifts. I also loved the fact that he mostly of all wanted to live a quiet life.
Luna.. .I loved Luna. She was human, but with a twist. I felt for her as she was pulled into the search for the fateweaver. Said search led them to some fascinating characters. I shuddered when they met Arachne. She might be friendly but I am glad I don’t live in Alex Verus version of London.
The plot was delightfully twisty. Alex was in a“ damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation” from the start, and I loved it. It fascinating to follow how he was dragged into opening the fateweaver’s vault. Alex slowly pieced the clues together, and the more he found out the deeper into trouble he got. Despite all this, what I missed in the book was a sense of the stakes raising. No matter how much the bad guys threatened Alex, I never felt he was in danger. But it might have been something that was lost in the translation.
Out Now: Mountain Echoes by C.E Murphy
You can never go home again.
Joanne Walker has survived an encounter with the Master at great personal cost, but now her father is missing – stolen from the timeline. She must finally return to North Carolina to find him – and to meet Aidan, the son she left behind long ago.
That would be enough for any shaman to face, but Joanne’s beloved Appalachians are being torn apart by an evil reaching forward from the distant past. Anything that gets in its way becomes tainted – or worse.
And Aidan has gotten in the way.
Only by calling on every aspect of her shamanic powers can Joanne pull the past apart and weave a better future. It will take everything she has – and more. Unless she can turn back time..
Go forth and buy it at Amazon and BN ( or your local bookstore)
C.E Murphy has also lowered the price of No Dominion for 4.99 for the e-book for 3 days on Amazon and BN . ( The paper version is also on sale, but I am not sure if the correct price shows for me. *scowls at Amazon*) I *highly* recommend that you get both of them at the same time, since if you haven’t No Dominion read you will want to when you reach the end of Mountain Echoes.
Cover reveal: The Portals duology by Laura Anne Gilman
Look what Laura Anne Gilman just posted at her blog. Aren’t they GORGEOUS? I am itching to request them at Netgalley ( and host a giveaway in October.) Heart of Briar is available for pre-order at Book Depository.
The blurb for Heart of Briar: “He has been taken. And you are his only chance.” That wasn’t something Jan expected to hear-especially from strangers who’d just rescued her from some mysterious and ferocious creatures. And she really hadn’t expected her rescuers to be shape-shifters…. Now it turns out her boyfriend, Tyler, hasn’t gone missing, he’s been stolen-and Jan’s the only one who might be able to get him back. From Elfland. Yeah, Jan’s pretty sure the entire world’s gone crazy. Even if the shifters claim that the naturals (like her) and the supernaturals (like them) belong in this world…but the preternaturals, what humans call elves, don’t. And they’ve found a portal into our world. A doorway they can use to infiltrate, to take, to conquer. And now Jan’s not just Ty’s only hope-she’s got to rescue humanity, as well….
ARC review: Mountain Echoes by CE Murphy
The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Luna, available in print and as e-book
The Source: ARC from Netgalley
The Grade: B+
The Blurb:
You can never go home again.
Joanne Walker has survived an encounter with the Master at great personal cost, but now her father is missing – stolen from the timeline. She must finally return to North Carolina to find him – and to meet Aidan, the son she left behind long ago.
That would be enough for any shaman to face, but Joanne’s beloved Appalachians are being torn apart by an evil reaching forward from the distant past. Anything that gets in its way becomes tainted – or worse.
And Aidan has gotten in the way.
Only by calling on every aspect of her shamanic powers can Joanne pull the past apart and weave a better future. It will take everything she has – and more.
Unless she can turn back time…
The Review:
If Raven Calls was about Jo discovering her Irish Heritage, this book is about her discovering her Cherokee heritage.
The vivid details in the setting sucked me in. I loved how the author described the Appalachian landscape, and how the Cherokee was connected to it. The struggle between traditions and the modern society that the author describe felt very delievable.
The Cherokee nation was closeknit, which made sense to me. I also liked the suspicion that Jo’s return caused. Their wariness made total sense, since she had been… prickly during her stay in Qualla boundary. In some ways, this book is about healing and making amends. I liked how she slowly started to build a relationship with her son, Aidan, at the same time while assuring his adoptive mother that Jo wasn’t there to usurp her place. I also liked how returning to Qualla Boundary made her look back at her time there during high school, and reflect over the mistakes and memories she had made. And there was Morrison. I loved the interactions between him and Jo, I felt like their relationship became more solid.
The plot was fast paced, and deliciously complex. Everything that happened in the book was connected, from Jo’s discovery of
The plot was a fast paced, and deliciously complex.
The plot was fast paced and deliciously complex. I loved how the fast pace threw unexpected twists a Jo, and forced her to discover new aspects of her gifts. The painful history of the Cherokee was a big theme in the plot, and I loved how Ms Murphy described how the pain had affected both the past and the present.
The biggest problem I had was that sometimes Jo did things that defied physics, which boggled my mind, since I couldn’t understand how she could do that. And, no, I am not talking about her gift to travel through time.