While this is a prequel to the Hollows series, I'd recommend that you start with book 1 Dead Witch Walking. Then read the series in order and come bacWhile this is a prequel to the Hollows series, I'd recommend that you start with book 1 Dead Witch Walking. Then read the series in order and come back to this one last. No, I am not messing with you OCD-must-read-it-in-order types, it's just that The Turn will mean so much more to you.
The Turn is set before the events of The Hollows series. It describes exactly why tomatoes are the villains (no, nothing like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, but it could be....). We meet some of our Hollows favorites, some new characters, and there are a few interesting cameos.
It's a fascinating story that Hollows fans will eat up. Please pass the ketchup!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book. ...more
What I liked: The book is well written. Christopher Golden has a way with words and I know that I'll be reading more Hmmm.....How do I rate this book?
What I liked: The book is well written. Christopher Golden has a way with words and I know that I'll be reading more books by this author in the future. I liked the focus on the characters of the book. In many ways, this book reminded me of the early Stephen King books, however more attention was needed on the Big Bad.
What I disliked: It takes a long time to find out what is really out there. I wish that there was more development on Big Bad; they weren't that scary until nearly the end of the book.
I really wanted to 5 star this book. I had great expectations for the Experiment in Terror finale. I'd grown to love Perry and Dex over the past year I really wanted to 5 star this book. I had great expectations for the Experiment in Terror finale. I'd grown to love Perry and Dex over the past year or so. I just felt like this book did not meet my expectations. If you've been following the series, you would know about all the stuff that Dex and Perry have gone through - ghosts, demons, and the like. This book just took me to places that I didn't want to see.
Without spoiling, I'll just say that I wasn't that happy about some things that went on. I am looking forward to reading a bit more about Perry's little sister - Ada.
I did love the epilogue - and funnily enough, I visited Snoqualmie Falls and the Salish Lodge this summer. A fantastic location for a well deserved finale.
I will recommend this series. While Darkhouse is by no means perfect, it kind of has that Blair Witch Project feel to it. The books do improve and they are a fun read, especially for Halloween. ...more
10/7/15 - Free audio book download from Audible. Take advantage of this - it has an all star cast including my favorite chameleon Tatiana Maslany.
5 st10/7/15 - Free audio book download from Audible. Take advantage of this - it has an all star cast including my favorite chameleon Tatiana Maslany.
5 stars for the acting and production value. This audio book had an all-star cast (Tatiana Maslany, Haley Joel Osmet, Kate Mulgrew, Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, Stephen King, and more) complete with music (pretty catchy), sound effects, and an announcer/narrator reminiscent of those old radio plays from the forties.
3.5 stars for the story which was a little hard to follow and at times, a little manic. You see, the villain in this book is very, very deranged and when he was on, he was criminally insane. If you can follow the story or are familiar with the graphic novel, I think that you will enjoy this more.
Initial Thoughts: A solid installment in the Jessica MacClain series however I feel that it could have been a novella ending at around the halfway poiInitial Thoughts: A solid installment in the Jessica MacClain series however I feel that it could have been a novella ending at around the halfway point. The second part of the book dragged a bit. I am still invested in the series and am eagerly awaiting the next book.
The Review: Pure Blooded is the fifth installment in Amanda Carlson's Jessica MacClain series. This book continues the ongoing adventures of Jessica MacClain, a female werewolf and her pack. This is by no means your regular werewolf tale (no pun intended!) - Jessica is a special werewolf and in this book we learn more about her abilities.
What makes this series special is the combination of supernatural beings who work together. Jessica's pack includes witches, a vampire, even a reaper. The antagonists are also quite a challenge for Jessica and her friends. I was also very happy to see that Jessica got some time with Rourke, even though it never seems to be enough one on one time.
Pure Blooded is a solid installment in the series. While I enjoyed the book, I felt that while it resolved a big problem for Jessica about halfway through, the second half of the book lagged a little. Despite my small criticism, Pure Blooded was action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I can't wait to read more.
The Jessica MacClain series is best read in order, starting with Full Blooded.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for a review copy of this book.
About 4.0-4.5 stars. I'd go ahead and give the series a 5 star, just for originality, creativity, fantastic imagery, and for Raffe. He's definitely 5 About 4.0-4.5 stars. I'd go ahead and give the series a 5 star, just for originality, creativity, fantastic imagery, and for Raffe. He's definitely 5 stars of wonderful. Oh, who am I kidding? Penryn deserves 5 stars, just for her badassery. Thank you Ms. Ee for writing such a strong female lead role.
Enough gushing about the series....Did End of Days deliver? Did it answer all those niggling questions that we were left with at the end of World After? Yes.
We finally learn what those rotten eggs were good for. Well played, Penryn's mom. You rock. (See I started with the little innocuous things so I don't spoil the story). I loved the banter between Raffe and Penryn. It was funny, entertaining, and you could really see how they rely upon each other. Despite all the crazy that Paige endured, she became one of my favorite characters. Leave it to Dee and Dum to produce a talent show in the midst of an apocalypse. And wow....what an epic end to a wonderful series.
Fantastic writing - eloquent and descrptive - epic battle scenes, and a wonderful sense of humor makes this series a must read. Can't wait to read more by this author in the future.
Initial Thoughts: This is a hard one for me to rate. As a series finale, I found the epic battle lacking. It was just too easy to get rid of Big Bad (Initial Thoughts: This is a hard one for me to rate. As a series finale, I found the epic battle lacking. It was just too easy to get rid of Big Bad (and I'll refer to him as such to avoid spoiling). In fact, Big Bad was my absolute favorite - so full of himself and his observations about his situation made me laugh out loud. I did enjoy the featured couple Kamen and Genvieve who made quite the pair. Those two sizzled. For fans of the series - all the Nightwalkers appear in this book as they battle Big Bad, so it's nice to see how these couples are doing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a review copy of this book.
Initial Thoughts: Wow. If you have not yet had a chance to sample a steampunk book, I would recommend this series. Clever contraptions, big guns, explInitial Thoughts: Wow. If you have not yet had a chance to sample a steampunk book, I would recommend this series. Clever contraptions, big guns, explosive alchemy, and even a mix of Egyptian mythology make this book a whole lot of fun to read. Full review to come...
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Del Rey for a review copy of this book....more
This book starts off quite slowly and may be painfully slow for some readers. It's told from the point of view of Sandrine, who in 1894 left her husbaThis book starts off quite slowly and may be painfully slow for some readers. It's told from the point of view of Sandrine, who in 1894 left her husband in New York and traveled to Paris on her own to live with her grandmother. When she arrives at their ancestral home, she is surprised to find that her grandmother is no longer living there and that the house in under renovations. Her grandmother lives not far from the house and takes Sandrine in. Sandrine's curiosity about the house takes her back and she and the architect make some fascinating art and jewelry discoveries. Her grandmother doesn't want Sandrine to live in Paris, nor does she want Sandrine anywhere near the family home. It appears that an ancestor known as La Lune was a powerful witch and she wants to possess Sandrine.
Since the story is told from Sandrine's point of view, she cannot see the changes to her personality. Her grandmother does and she is terrified. The local Rabbi is called in to help.
While I found the beginning of the book to be a little slow, I did enjoy this book because the writing was well done and some passages were beautifully written. I loved the fact that the story took place during the 1890's in Paris where so much was happening in the art world. The addition of the spiritual world, the hunt for eternal life, and the secret societies made this book incredibly fascinating.
I also admired Sandrine. I can't even begin to imagine the hardships a young married woman would have to endure in order to escape from a brutal marriage. Traveling to Paris on her own was a gutsy move. Dressing up as a man to attend art school, even more so.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a review copy of this book.
Initial Thoughts Fans of James Stark will love this latest installment of the Sandman Slim series. It's raining in LA and the population is leaving thInitial Thoughts Fans of James Stark will love this latest installment of the Sandman Slim series. It's raining in LA and the population is leaving the city in droves. All that's left are the Lurkers, the Golden Vigil, and a demented serial killer. This was an amazing romp through a water-logged LA and its parallel world "Downtown." Full of sarcastic wit and attitude, this book rocks!
Initial Thoughts: Another excellent installment in The World of the Lupi series. While it had a slow start and some missing favorite characters, UnbinInitial Thoughts: Another excellent installment in The World of the Lupi series. While it had a slow start and some missing favorite characters, Unbinding was an exciting story that focused on some of the secondary characters of the series. In this book a fae god favoring chaos gets a little too big for his britches and Kai, Nathan, Benedict, Cullen, and Arjeni and the rest of the San Diego pack work to bring back normality to the world. Oh, kudos to Dell, one of the best familiar characters ever.
The Review The World of the Lupi series by Eileen Wilks has got to be one of urban fantasy's best kept secrets. I don't understand why more people haven't heard of this wonderful series. Everyone that I've recommended this series to has loved it. The series is full of all sorts of supernatural creatures: werewolves, dragons, fae, and more. The author takes from various lore and myths as well.
In Unbinding, the author has moved the lead couple Lily and Rule away, out of the picture. While they are sadly missed, it is for their own good and it gives the reader a chance to meet Nathan and Kai, two very interesting characters with some unique capabilities and talents.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the ever changing fae city capital. I loved how the author integrates the clan mythology of the werewolves which is based on Native Indian lore with that of the fae. The magic is also fascinating.
I'm very excited to hear that book 12 Mind Magic is planned for release in November. I can't wait!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Berkeley NAL for a review copy of this book....more
Initial Thoughts: A bit of a slow start to this amusing story about a young boy who plays with magic and finds out that he got more than he bargained Initial Thoughts: A bit of a slow start to this amusing story about a young boy who plays with magic and finds out that he got more than he bargained for. Sean Wyndham finds an old book and inside the book an old newspaper clipping advertising for a magician's apprentice - only the ad has an email address. Curiosity gets the better of Sean and he applies for the position. This is a fun story and the magic is quite intriguing. I especially liked Geldman's pharmacy - so cool. This is a perfect story for kids in middle school and up, though younger readers may find parts a little scary.
The Review: Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth is the first book in her new series Redemption's Heir. In Summoned, Sean Wyndham answers an ad to become an apprentice in magic. He's given a fairly easy task - he is to summon an Aether Newt as a familiar. Sean loves the idea and decides to do the summoning as his summer project for school. Only - you guessed it - things don't go according to plan.
Summoned was an enjoyable read for me. The magic was interesting, especially Geldman's pharmacy which was a pharmacy like no other, and so unique that only Sean could see it. There were some amazing dream sequences as well.
Summoned should appeal to young adult readers looking for books about magic and witchcraft. I'm very excited to hear that there are other books planned for this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for a review copy of this book. ...more
Update 12/25/14Crushed was chosen as one of Badass Book Reviews favorite Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal books of 2014. Read all about it here.
Update 12/25/14Crushed was chosen as one of Badass Book Reviews favorite Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal books of 2014. Read all about it here.
Sad news from Strange ChemistryI was planning to read this closer to the release date which was supposed to be August 5, 2014. In the meantime, the publisher has closed down Strange Chemistry books so the release time is now unknown. If any of you have read Cracked, you know how wonderful this series is. I know a lot of readers have been anxiously waiting for this book so I'll post my review as soon as I finish reading the book. If I hear of any publishing info, I'll post it here as well.
Update 7/20/21 This was such a fun book to read. Meda is my hero! I love her badassery - in fact she is the Queen of Badass. Let me think about what I want to say other than Meda is the best!
Update 9/5/14 - There is a release date for Crushed - September 22!!! See Eliza Crewe's blog for more details! Yah!!!
The Review:
I do hope that another publisher has jumped at the chance to pick up Eliza Crewe's Soul Eater series. Crushed, the second book in the series was due to be published this August but Angry Robot closed Strange Chemistry, the young adult division of Angry Robot. Now this book is on hold. Too bad. This series is so full of awesome, including one of the most badass heroines in young adult literature.
Crushed was so much fun to read. Meda is a wonderful character. She's deliciously evil and a little bit good, but mostly she's badass and I love her. Meda's inner dialogue is entertaining, especially when she is dealing with her traitorous hormones. Meda's view of the world is practical and hilarious at the same time. She's self-assured and she knows what she wants. Meda is a force to be reckoned with and you probably want her on your side.
Meda is a soul eater, that is she gets to devour the souls of humans around her. Because of her unique diet, Meda is being kept alone on a restricted diet which kind of makes her grouchy. In this installment, Meda is at the Crusader school where she is being studied to see what her magical abilities are. It's hard for Meda to be "good," and one of my favorite parts was when she was punished and sent to attend Kindergarten. Meda finds the coloring quite relaxing.
The plot is action packed and full of edge of your seat entertainment. There's an epic battle of good vs evil and Meda must choose her side.
If you can get your hands on this book, read it now!
Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Strange Chemistry for a review copy of this book.
Initial Thoughts: So sad to see this series come to an end. The Hollows series was my first foray into the world of urban fantasy and because of that Initial Thoughts: So sad to see this series come to an end. The Hollows series was my first foray into the world of urban fantasy and because of that series, I've discovered so many other wonderful authors. So thank you Kim Harrison for writing such a wonderful series. It was so nice to revisit my favorite characters and to see how much Rachel has grown and matured throughout the series. I'll miss you Rachel Morgan. And...I'll miss Al, Newt, Jenks, Trent, Ivy, Bis, and the rest of the gang.
Joint Review:Christal and I do a joint review/series farewell on Badass Book Reviews.
Oh, by the way - why only 4 stars and not 5? Well, I had the ARC copy provided by Edelweiss and Harper Voyager and my copy had the epilogue redacted, with a note from the author. That was diabolical of you, Ms. Harrison! Minus 1 star for messing with us. ...more
Initial Thoughts: The Source by JD Horn has some really good atmosphere. Hot and steamy Savannah, Georgia is the backdrop to this story about witches Initial Thoughts: The Source by JD Horn has some really good atmosphere. Hot and steamy Savannah, Georgia is the backdrop to this story about witches vying for power. At the center of the story is Mercy Taylor of the powerful Taylor witch family. Mercy is just coming into her powers under the watchful eye of Mother Jilo. I love how the author draws from different sources to create his story. There's a golem from Jewish lore, fae lore from Europe, and the hoodoo from the south. There's some fantastic revelations about Mercy and her family in this one. Make sure that you read The Line first.
The Review: Christal and I talk about this book on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!
Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for a review copy of this book....more
Update 3/3/15: Check out Badass Book Reviews where we discuss our thoughts about Dead Heat. There's also a chance to win some books!
Thoughts before reUpdate 3/3/15: Check out Badass Book Reviews where we discuss our thoughts about Dead Heat. There's also a chance to win some books!
Thoughts before reading:Want it...want it...want it....NOW!!!!
Can't wait to read this one.
The Review: Another fantastic addition to the Alpha & Omega series. When I read a series, I like to watch the character development over the course of the series. This book has one of my favorite UF couples - Anna and Charles and they have grown together nicely over the course of 4 books (and hopefully more). When we first met Anna in the first book, she was very skittish. Now she has come into her pack position as an Omega wolf, using her calming abilities on both human and wolf. She stands up for herself and the people she is protecting. Charles seems to have mellowed out. He seems genuinely happy and eager to please his mate and he's taken her horse shopping in Arizona. But this book doesn't really dwell on their relationship. In the last book, the fae went to ground. In this book, one of them is up to no good. Charles and Anna work with both Cantrip agents and their FBI contact to catch this fae before he kills again. I love how the author incorporates Native Indian (mostly Navajo) mythology into her narrative. A must read for Patricia Briggs fans.
Initial Thoughts: Definitely for fans of the Demonica and Lords of Deliverance series. The world is dark and full of demons and angels. The four horseInitial Thoughts: Definitely for fans of the Demonica and Lords of Deliverance series. The world is dark and full of demons and angels. The four horsemen are living with their mates, kids, and scary hellhounds. All that's left is some closure for Revenant, the "evil" twin with an attitude. Loved the author's sense of humor. I still chuckle when I see the acronym for Underworld General Hospital (UGH) and for some reason Eidolon kind of looks like one of the doctors on General Hospital. What I enjoy the most in this series is how these big bad alpha males are tamed by their women. (It also helps that the author can write amazing sex scenes).
The Review: It's hard to believe that the Demonica series has concluded. And what an ending! Absolutely epic!
Revenant focuses on - you guessed it - Revenant, Reaper's twin brother and his love interest Blaspheme. And in the tradition of this series, most of our past favorites from the Demonica and Lords of Deliverance series make an appearance. (Yay for sexy demon doctors!)
Rather than go into the story and possibly spoiling the series, I'd rather talk about the richly detailed world created by the author. The hierarchy of both the angel and demon worlds, the mythology of the end of days, and pure imagination prevails. The descriptions of these worlds are breathtaking (and a bit scary) and it is so easy to lose myself in this world.
The narration is action-packed, edge of your seat, worthy of loss of sleep. And once our hero and heroine get together, sparks fly.
A fantastic series. Epic. I'm sad that it has ended, but I know that there will be more awesomeness to come from Larissa Ione. ...more
Kara Gillian is a summoner and a detective. I loved her down to earThis is a review of the audio book.
Yay! I found yet another urban fantasy to love!
Kara Gillian is a summoner and a detective. I loved her down to earth, practical character. Kara is on the hunt for a serial killer The Symbol Man whose attacks have been escalating. She is convinced that he is trying to summon a demon lord to do his bidding, a very bloody and dangerous proposition. This is part urban fantasy, part suspense thriller and was I ever surprised to find out who the villain was!
And oh, what an interesting character Rhyzkhal was. He kind of reminded me of V'Lane (of the Fever series, only sexier!). Rhyzkhal took an interest in Kara and seduced her through some sort of thought control (she does catch on and calls him on it). Probably a good move on her part, especially when she realizes what Rhyzkhal really is.
The audio book was well done. The narrator brought the characters to life with the use of various voices and accents. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
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