This was a tough book for our characters. They all faced bad things, from outsiders and at times from themselves too. The sisters did get closer, a goThis was a tough book for our characters. They all faced bad things, from outsiders and at times from themselves too. The sisters did get closer, a good thing. For most of the book I wasn't sure about Lizbeth and Eli, things were very much up in the air until the end and even then it sort of seems iffy. Felicia really got to test her magic and saw how it could be good and bad, yet still had limitations. By the end of the book they are all battered and it looks like a new enemy is on the horizon....more
I liked that with this one we get a different part of the world this series is set in, that we get to learn more about the Grigori school and what lifI liked that with this one we get a different part of the world this series is set in, that we get to learn more about the Grigori school and what life is like there through the lens of Felicia. Felicia is very scrappy, she's had to be with how she was raised and by virtue of who she is. Felicia is doing well at the school, in a safe place, lots of food, clothes. A bit of trouble fitting in, others looking down at her for her donating her blood and not having magic. Man...do things change for Felicia over the course of this book.
Felicia finds out more about her family, most of it not good. Had to fight her way through a lot of situations, often her life on the line. Finds friends, looses friends, has an ally give her an odd warning, souring that relationship. By the end of the book Felicia's whole life is different. It will be interesting to see where life takes her from here and who is by her side....more
Lizbeth is out of her comfort zone for most of this book. In a city, a Russian one at that, with Eli's family, trying to save him. Lizbeth was fun to Lizbeth is out of her comfort zone for most of this book. In a city, a Russian one at that, with Eli's family, trying to save him. Lizbeth was fun to see work her way through things. She had her sister to depend on, but only if she could get her out of school. And boy did Lizbeth learn somethings about Felicia, good things and things that shocked her a bit, but after hearing the why, made total sense. Then there was Felix, who is iffy in Lizbeth's eyes, but comes through when needed and finally Eli's family, who weren't quite sure what to make of Lizbeth and at times weren't the nicest to her. It didn't help that Eli wasn't around to help smooth things over.
As much as the family might look at Lizbeth in disdain at times, she was there when they needed help and crossed some lines to help Eli. By the end it seemed like everyone approved of Lizbeth and Eli together, but it came at a great price.
The action got a bit crazy for a while. No one was sure who they could trust and who they couldn't and of course they were guarding a precious treasure. In the end things worked out in a way, but could have been better too....more
This was a tough book for Lizbeth. First off the job went to hell pretty quick, her crew in tatters, stuck in a town where life is so different from wThis was a tough book for Lizbeth. First off the job went to hell pretty quick, her crew in tatters, stuck in a town where life is so different from what she knows and where she can't trust anyone but Eli, who mysterious showed up right when she needed a friendly face. As Lizbeth and Eli try to get to the bottom of things they end up getting closer and crossing a line with eyes wide open, yet by the end of the book you can tell they both have regrets, not sure if those regrets are for the same reason though. And while Eli accomplished what he set out to do, it seems like things left with Lizbeth are up in the air in so many ways. I look forward to seeing what happens next....more
I should have really liked this one. I like magic books, like WWII books, so with them mixed I thought I wouldn't be able to turn the page fast enoughI should have really liked this one. I like magic books, like WWII books, so with them mixed I thought I wouldn't be able to turn the page fast enough. Sadly that didn't work out for me that way. I didn't like Cade, hated how he came off as entitled, both before and after the ship events. In the end this one wasn't for me....more
I was excited when I saw that this book was going to be released this book to greater audiences. I really like the author, love reading about WWII andI was excited when I saw that this book was going to be released this book to greater audiences. I really like the author, love reading about WWII and loved Buffy, there was no way that this book shouldn’t have worked for me. Sadly it didn’t. I found Rosie to be too naïve, too wholesome. Sure some of that would have been the time, but once Rosie realized that monster were real I thought it would change, it didn’t. She kept telling people expecting them to believe her. Then when Hank, the cop, started to talk to her about how the world of monsters really was and she got all indigent about the men and women having different roles I gave up. It wasn’t that I think men and women have specific roles, but this is the 1940’s and that was the norm. Also the roles set out were due to how they related to the demons and made sense to me. This one wasn’t for me....more
With this book our two main characters, Jane and Katherine really go through a lot. Things seem good at the start as they are out of Summerland and frWith this book our two main characters, Jane and Katherine really go through a lot. Things seem good at the start as they are out of Summerland and free, but as they get to the next place they find their past hasn’t been left behind and things aren’t quite what they seem. From there things go from bad to worse with the women getting separated and having to survive on their own. Each of them thrives in their own way, yet they seem off. It’s only when the women end up back together again things seem right. Of course it wasn’t all sunshine and puppy dogs when they saw each other again, because we all know Jane is a bit ornery in the best way. I really like that Jane and Katherine were together at the end, how they fought, how they live and how they choose to live their lives going forward. ...more
This book was getting such buzz that when it popped up on my library’s site I grabbed it not knowing anything other than people were talking about it.This book was getting such buzz that when it popped up on my library’s site I grabbed it not knowing anything other than people were talking about it. So color me surprised when I started reading it and it was an alternative ya history with zombies, sure wasn’t expecting that. Lol
I loved Jane, would love to be her when I grow up, but hated how she was treated. I loved that Jane stood up to people, even though it often got her in trouble. The sad thing was that most of the time when she spoke up it was because she was right and the others wouldn’t listen to her. It was only as things went to hell people realized that Jane knew what she was talking about.
Jane was lucky enough that throughout her life there were people looking out for her, just as she looked out for others. At times this created some unusual alliances at first, but later they were strong. I liked how Jane’s past was doled out as the story evolved, how we learned about the relationship she had with her mother. I really hope that at some point we get to see the two women interact in person.
I’m really looking forward to the next book. I want to see where Jane heads from here and if she keeps her friends with her. ...more
I like this author, her series are always so different from each other at times it’s hard to believe it’s the same person writing them.
I really likedI like this author, her series are always so different from each other at times it’s hard to believe it’s the same person writing them.
I really liked the world that this book was set in. An alternate history, the US fractured into different countries during the time of Franklin Roosevelt. The world a harsh place and magic is a real thing, although not trusted, its users more so.
Gunnie Rose lives a hard life, her job, to lead others to safety a dangerous one, one with not a long lifespan. Although Gunnie Rose has a great crew, the job they go on goes wrong fast. While Gunnie Rose is able to get her people where they need to go, those events were hard on her, she lost many trusted people. In the aftermath of this job gone wrong Gunnie Rose ends up on the radar of a couple Russian wizards, who are on a quest to save the Czar. In this world the Russian Imperial family did not die, instead they escaped to the US and when the world fell apart they claimed a part of it.
Gunnie Rose feels forced into taking the job the Russians offered her due to her circumstances, but she makes sure that she is paid well. Of course the job runs into all kinds of trouble, the least of which is a secret that Gunnie Rose is hiding. The time with the Russians opens Gunnie Rose’s eyes to the way of magic as she sees much of it up close. It’s also surprising how during the travels that Gunnie Rose’s reputation proceeds her. So many of the people are not who they seem when the encounter them, which makes things a bit tricky for Gunnie Rose and her crew.
By the end of the book Gunnie Rose has helped do what was needed to help the Russians, but now she is on their radar and a couple of them know her secret. It remains to be seen how that will affect her.
I look forward to reading more in this series!!...more
I made it about half way through before giving up on this one. Things just got weird for me. Strange animals showed up, there might or might not have I made it about half way through before giving up on this one. Things just got weird for me. Strange animals showed up, there might or might not have been time travel, the ship's crew wasn't sure, so I wasn't either. In the end this one just wasn't for me....more
I didn't care for this one as much as the first one, mostly because our group was split for most of the book. I liked it when they finally converged tI didn't care for this one as much as the first one, mostly because our group was split for most of the book. I liked it when they finally converged towards the end. I like the plan that Hero has for a future, would love to see all of them there and happy....more
This book crossed my radar when Ilona Andrews mentioned it in a blog. The book was about feral hippos, not really something you see or hear about and This book crossed my radar when Ilona Andrews mentioned it in a blog. The book was about feral hippos, not really something you see or hear about and I thought I might check it out. When it showed up on my library's website I knew I must check the book out, it was fate.
I ended up liking this one, liked the alternate history that the world lived in, liked the language, how hops worked and even the tame hippos. Houndstooth was an interesting character, one who really seemed to love hippoes and just wanted a quiet place to work with them and build his hippo empire. Life got in the way, thwarting him. With this book he has a chance to get back what he lost after finishing a job that would net him some cash to start new. The crew he builds to help him are just as quirky and crazy as he is and each seems to have their own agenda. Many of them manage to trip up Houndstooth, but he isn't out of things yet.
I look forward to the next book, to see who comes out ahead, Houndstooth or those that are working against him. ...more
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