MacAlister's talent definately lies in the comedic end of the paranormal romance field. Joy's adventures in clowning her way through a new romance andMacAlister's talent definately lies in the comedic end of the paranormal romance field. Joy's adventures in clowning her way through a new romance and a world where steamy romances about Dark Ones and their Beloveds turn out to be true made for a fun bit of reading and a break from darker paranormal that takes itself too seriously. I'd have rated it higher, but the dialogue tended to get on my nerves, especially Joy's lover using "baby" in every single sentence referring to her. The minor mystery was rather left in the dust of Joy's antics and should have been more in the forefront of things. Kind of like Lucille Ball or Amanda Bynes in a vampire world....more
Rather than follow the usual paranormal formula of vampires, witches, and shapeshifters, Gilman opts for magic in her urban fantasy romance. The worldRather than follow the usual paranormal formula of vampires, witches, and shapeshifters, Gilman opts for magic in her urban fantasy romance. The world in general remains in ignorance of the magical folk living among them. Humans number the Talent, who use a magic that feeds off electricity and is referred to as "current". Wren, whose Talent manifests as a Retriever, works with her non-magical partner in a thriving business of finding lost items for clients. They take on a job that takes Wren through a showcase of the magical world. Gilman's demons are an interesting twist from the tired old "Evil Demon" format, and I wanted to see far more of P.B. than he got showcased. Not a lot of romance in this one, but Wren and Sergei have a strong friendship that seems to trend the series more towards Tanya Huff's Keeper series in style than the harems of LKH's Anita Blake series....more
I have mixed feelings on this book. While it has an interesting premise, the characters seem a bit one dimensional to me, even the heroine, who at leaI have mixed feelings on this book. While it has an interesting premise, the characters seem a bit one dimensional to me, even the heroine, who at least gets more fleshing out than all her supporting cast. The one male character who gets enough play time to seem interesting is as flat as a pancake personality-wise, although maybe it's just first book of the series jitters and he'll actually grow a personality in later books. Plot of world jumping people who are mobsters in the "real" world and aristocracy in the "other" world is interesting, but the novel was too short to really delve into the intricate ways this could have been more interesting. Would have been a 4 or 5 star with a little more length to it....more
I'm the co-editor, so of course I enjoyed these stories! My story is also in the volume - 'Scent of Magnolias'.I'm the co-editor, so of course I enjoyed these stories! My story is also in the volume - 'Scent of Magnolias'....more
A fantasy tale set in her Witch World era. This tale was a bit confused and jumbled, and made me realize that Norton has a facination with flowers andA fantasy tale set in her Witch World era. This tale was a bit confused and jumbled, and made me realize that Norton has a facination with flowers and plants as symbols in her novels. Passing this one on to my son....more
While the storyline had great potential, and I liked the lead male character, the main character (female) was just too passive for me to want her to sWhile the storyline had great potential, and I liked the lead male character, the main character (female) was just too passive for me to want her to succeed. A good story, but not memorable....more
This science fantasy book was very slow going, as the first section seems as much "information dump" as actual story. The heroine, a pre-teen girl, isThis science fantasy book was very slow going, as the first section seems as much "information dump" as actual story. The heroine, a pre-teen girl, isn't terribly likable in the first section either, which made me not want to finish the book. However, I shouldered onward and it improved greatly in the second section. Definately a good book for young boys, if they can manage to tolerate part one....more
This is a story based on Charles Perrault's darkly adult fairy tale, Donkeyskin. It's the tale of your usual most-beautiful-princess - with a twist. HThis is a story based on Charles Perrault's darkly adult fairy tale, Donkeyskin. It's the tale of your usual most-beautiful-princess - with a twist. Her father decides to marry her after her mother's death, the tale has a rather graphic assault scene to end Part One, and a weak ending to indicate happy ever after. I found Part One (84 pages) very tiresome and tedious, with the language very 'fairy-tale-like', which is great in a short fairy tale but not so fun in a book. However, I slogged through and found that Part Two was much lovelier and worth the wait. Part Three was good, but not the rousing conclusion that Part Three merited. As much as I like McKinley, and as much as I enjoyed Part Two of the novel, I have to rate it lower since the beginning and end weren't as pleasing....more
The slow, careful world-building in this novel kept my attention so thoroughly that I nearly read it in one sitting. Jonas is a good focal point for tThe slow, careful world-building in this novel kept my attention so thoroughly that I nearly read it in one sitting. Jonas is a good focal point for the story and complex enough that he appealed even to me, as an adult, while still seeming like an actual child character. Too often child characters just seem like shrunken adults. By the time the worm was shown within the apple of Jonas' utopia, I had begun to wonder but wasn't entirely sure what it was. A definate "must own" book, for kidlet's collection if not my own....more
A bookcrossing.com book. I had to force myself to put this book down so I could get to mundane things like sleep and work. The lead female character iA bookcrossing.com book. I had to force myself to put this book down so I could get to mundane things like sleep and work. The lead female character is intriguing, skilled without being absolutely perfect. The lead male character was definately my favorite, and I was glad that the author switched between their points-of-view. The book is more adventure than fantasy, and the author does not hesitate to have less-than-happy-endings for her characters. I can't wait to find the rest of the books. A definate "must own" book....more
A Mythagos Wood book. Holdstock is another author who uses obscure mythology in his modern fantasy, and it works out decently. While this book wasn't A Mythagos Wood book. Holdstock is another author who uses obscure mythology in his modern fantasy, and it works out decently. While this book wasn't as absorbing as I've found books by de Lint, he's definately in the same calibre of writing. I liked the main character, although I felt at times the author was being deliberately obscure without need to be on the plot. The ending is rather unexpected and worth the wait....more
This author's style (and subject matter) reminded me strongly of Charles de Lint (in fact, there is a dust jacket blurb from de Lint in the book). JoyThis author's style (and subject matter) reminded me strongly of Charles de Lint (in fact, there is a dust jacket blurb from de Lint in the book). Joyce dips into a combination of Celtic mythology, witchcraft, and history to present a mostly-believable tale about a woman who finds her path as a witch after finding an old diary during a fireplace renovation in her house. The only real gripe I had about the story is some of the husband's behavior mid-book, which I felt was rather out of character for him and inserted only so that the author could have his lead female flit off on her own without any "real" blame on her. I'll definately be looking for his other work...more
A bookcrossing.com bookring book. A nice time-traveller adventure/romance story. Gabaldan lets you glimpse Claire's post-WWII life (and her husband inA bookcrossing.com bookring book. A nice time-traveller adventure/romance story. Gabaldan lets you glimpse Claire's post-WWII life (and her husband in that time, Frank) just enough to get a feel, then the story leaps 200 years earlier into Scotland. Character development was nicely done, with Claire not being the Superwoman character that is far too often found in time-traveller novels. The woman makes enough mistakes for an army of characters, either from sheer stubbornness or misunderstanding the differences between her time and the past. The author does not shy away from the harsher facts of life, but I felt that Claire recovered a little too easily from three different assault attempts made on her. The only other really discordant note for me was that the only homosexual characters in the book are characterized as either villain or nearly so. ...more
Carey's complex and detailed world remains believable, and her characters as intriguing as they were in Kushiel's Dart. I especially enjoyed that her Carey's complex and detailed world remains believable, and her characters as intriguing as they were in Kushiel's Dart. I especially enjoyed that her heroine remains rather humanly flawed, especially her facination for a woman who she knows is a traitor. It's not often that a book catches me unawares on a plot twist, but I did not expect the character deaths that occurred and was quite emotionally stricken when it happened. That happens so rarely that I consider it a testimate to Carey's characterization skills and cannot wait to lay hands on the last book of the trilogy....more
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