Most Anticipated

It's time once again to comment a bit on the books we're most looking forward to in the next year. Here we go...

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Yeah, the more I think about the premise of this book, the more excited I get to read it. It's a back-from-the-dead fake engagement fake amnesia type of thing, and if anyone can make that work it's Karina Bliss.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: Pushing the Limits was a well loved book, and not just by me but in general. It was on the Dabwaha bracket (though it dropped off in round one), and I believe it's also a RITA nominee. So I can't be the only one looking forward to the second book like it's my birthday and Christmas and National Free Chocolate Day.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: This book needs to be in my hands like now. This is probably my favorite ongoing UF series and I am too impatient to wait.

Saga, Vol.2, by Brian K. Vaughan: Saga is weird and wonderful, bizarre sci-fi goodness. I know it's not for everyone, and certainly not for my usual fan base, but I can't wait for it.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: What I'm most hoping for with this one is a more epic scale and more progression in the overall plot. Of course, I'm also just looking forward to more Gwen and hopefully more Logan.

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: This one seems promising to me, not only because Kresley Cole has amused me more often than she's disappointed me (though she did disappoint me in style), but also because I find that I generally like her Lykaes. Historically, those have been the heroes that I found the sexiest and most appealing, so I really don't see how this one could go badly.

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand: I liked the second book--and I'll admit, that kind of surprised me. It'll be nice to revisit Paris and gourmet chocolate.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: You know, I don't really know whether I liked or disliked Josh when he was introduced in Anna...I know I like his name! But yeah, let's hope he makes a good hero.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverly Jenkins: So we continue the theme set by the first one with a fairly old-school looking romance cover. I kind of like that, I'm not going to lie. Although, I'm collecting these in ebook format, so in the grand scheme I guess it doesn't matter anyway.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The first thing I though when I saw this cover art was BOOBS. She has boobs. But, yeah, I guess she does look tough as well as sexy, so that's a plus. I like that she's so close to how I picture Elena when I'm reading (though I envision less cleavage). I also don't mind the monochromatic city scene behind her, and the overall tone leans to UF over PNR.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Well, as time goes on my enthusiasm for this book's release steadily wanes as I forget more details, particularly positive details. But, I don't know, I'll still probably read it. After all, it might improve on the first one.

January

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: So, we don't know anything about this book yet, except that it's taking an excessively long time to come out, and I'm concerned all my interest will have drains out by January. I'll try to keep the excitement alive.

February

Drachomachia by Rachel Hartman: Now this one, I do think is worth waiting for. I loved Seraphina, and it's the sort of book I may buy and revisit before the sequel comes out.

Cress by Melissa Meyer: Oh my goodness, will I survive until February? I freaking love this series. Cinder was my #1 in 2012, I loved Scarlet, and Cress is just to far away.

March

The King by J.R. Ward: Ward is returning to Wrath and Beth, the couple that started it all. Beth made a big freaking deal about wanting to have a baby in Lover At Last, so that will obviously be among the conflicts. I confess, I am intrigued.

Misc. Monday: Top Ten Authors Reviewed on RtP

I promised to show you guys what my top ten authors list would look like if I nixed all genre restrictions, and here it is! To be fair, though, I did limit my list to authors of novels, leaving out graphic novel/comic writers, because I don't feel up to scoring those fairly. I'm a lot happier with this list, and I think it will be interesting to come back in six months or a year and see how things have changed. Or not.

 

#10: Julie Anne Long

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 18

Reviewed Works: The Perils of Pleasure, Like No Other Lover, Since the Surrender, I Kissed an Earl, What I Did for a Duke, How the Marquess Was One

What Make Her Awesome: Julie Anne Long writes the Pennyroyal Green series, a which centers around a small English town with two feuding families. I didn't really care for the first book of the series, finding it mediocre and boring. But then, magically, as I tried more of her work, I discovered that she has a talent for writing a different, unique, and engaging story for each character. You never know exactly what you're going to get, but you know it's likely to be good. Visit Her Website: http://www.julieannelong.com/index.shtml

#9: Nora Roberts

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 18

Reviewed Works: Sea Swept, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor, Chesapeake Blue

What Makes Her Awesome: Nora Roberts writes amazing contemporary romance with some of the best male characters around.  Visit Her Website: http://www.noraroberts.com/

#8: Gena Showalter

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 18.5

Reviewed Works: The Darkest Night, The Darkest Kiss, The Darkest Pleasure, The Darkest Whisper, The Darkest Passion, The Darkest Lie, The Darkest Secret

What Makes Her Awesome: Until compiling this list, I had actually forgotten how very awesome I found these books. I was so fed up and disappointed by two or three of her books, that I actually stopped reading her altogether. Her place on this list, though, makes me think that I really ought to give her another shot. Her books are dark and sexy and worth at least a try.   http://members.genashowalter.com/

#7: Jennifer Estep

 Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 19.5

Reviewed Works: Spider's Bite, Touch of Frost, Kiss of Frost, Dark Frost, Crimson Frost

What Makes Her Awesome: I discovered this author via SBTB book club, when we read Touch of Frost. Since then, I've been following the Mythos Academy series pretty closely, and I've also started her Elemental Assassin series. She's very imaginative, writes wonderfully strong heroines, and ties everything together with a pleasantly simple style. Visit her website: http://www.jenniferestep.com/

#6: Karen Marie Moning

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 20.5

Reviewed Works: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, Dreamfever, Shadowfever

What Makes Her Awesome: A long while back, before I started this blog, I read a fair number of the Highlander books. I've never reviewed them, but I enjoyed them well enough. Then the fever series came out, and I was extremely skeptical. Back then I didn't read urban fantasy in general, and I specifically didn't care for first person narratives. She totally converted me. Visit he website: http://www.karenmoning.com/kmm/

#5: Courtney Milan

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 22

Reviewed Works: Unlocked, Unveiled, Unclaimed, Unraveled, The Duchess War

What Makes Her Awesome: Courtney Milan writes historical romance in a completely unique way. She writes heroines that you can like and respect, and deliciously unusual heroes that you fall in love with. No cookie cutter characters for her. Visit Her Website: http://www.courtneymilan.com/

#4: Larissa Ione

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 28.5

Reviewed Works: Pleasure Unbound, Passion Unleashed, Desire Unchained, Ecstasy Unveiled, Sin Undone, Eternal Rider, Immortal Rider, Lethal Rider

What Makes Her Awesome: Larissa Ione writes dark, sexy paranormal books that I always enjoy in a purely guilty sort of way. I love the demons and the visits to hell and all of the characters with their possibly evil dark sides. All around good, creepy fun. Visit Her Website: http://larissaione.com/blog/

#3: Kresley Cole

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 34

Reviewed Works:  A Hunger Like No Other, No Rest For the Wicked, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, Dark Desires After Dusk, Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Kiss of a Demon King, Deep Kiss of Winter, Pleasure of a Dark Prince, Demon From the Dark, Dreams of a Dark Warrior, The Poison Princess, Shadow's Claim

What Makes Her Awesome: Kresley Cole's writing has a brilliant, light funniness that somehow does not detract from the sexiness of her stories. He heroines are strong and independent and her heroes are fierce, scary monsters. I can't help but look forward to her books, even after a few let me down. Visit Her Website: http://kresleycole.com/paranormal-romance.html

#2: Ilona Andrews

Cumulative RtP Star Rating 34.5

Reviewed Works: Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, Magic Slays, Gunmetal Magic, On the Edge, Bayou Moon, Fate's Edge

What Makes Her Awesome:  Ilona Andrews is actually a husband and wife writing team, and they are awesome in general. Not only are they very talented, they're also fairly generous with their work, always offering little goodies and alternate points of view on their blog. I'm not that impressed with The Edge series, but the Kate Daniels series is easily one of my favorite ongoing series to date, and I'm not really sure what I'll do with myself when it ends. I've got a couple years to go, fortunately. Visit their website: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/

#1: Lisa Kleypas

  Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 38

Reviewed Works: Secrets of a Summer Night, It Happened One Autumn, The Devil In Winter, Scandal in Spring, Mine Til Midnight, Seduce Me at Sunrise, Tempt Me at Twilight, Married by Morning, Love in the Afternoon

What Makes Her Awesome: At first, her position in the number one spot on this list probably seems surprising. I haven't talked about Lisa Kleypas as loudly or as often as some of the authors lower on the list. But, in fact, Kleypas is responsible for sparking my interest in historical romance, when before I stuck almost entirely to PNR with the occasional contemporary thrown in. She can make a dull setting and situation funny, and her characters are as charming as you could ask for. Visit Her Website: http://www.lisakleypas.com/

Most Anticipated

Most Anticipated is the monthly post where I talk about book news, covers, synopses--from all of the books I'm looking forward to in the coming months. 

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: When I try to describe The Selection to the uninitiated, I know it sounds awful. The premise is entirely awful. I did find it memorable though, with enough positive attributes that I'm looking forward to the sequel. Perhaps it will be an improvement.

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: This Harlequin Superromance promises to be yet more proof of the wisdom gained from comic books and soap operas--no body, no death. Karina Bliss has a talent for making any trope work, so I can't wait for this one.

Dare You Too by Katie McGarry: I don't know that there's any way this could possibly be as good as the first book was. The bar is set high here, to say the least.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews:  According to Ilona Andrew's blog, there are now going to be ten books total in the Kate Daniels series (this will be the sixth). I was beyond excited about that, since this is one of my favorite ongoing series and I will definitely appreciate several more years of looking forward to these books.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I like something that comic book nerds like. I learned that recently, when I was in our local book store and the subject came up, and all of the comic nerds geeked out big time. So, yeah, I'm excited to add this too my shelf, and I bet I'm not the only one.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: More Gwen, and hopefully more Logan. What's not to look forward to?

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: After Shadow's Claim, my faith in Kresley Cole is actually somewhat restored, and I'll be curious to see what she does with this book. The cover is unfortunately more creepy than sexy, in my humble opinion, but I'll conform to the wisdom that tells me not to judge by it.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: *Sigh* Okay, this is probably the contemporary that I'm most looking forward to this year. The mid-series change in cover styles, though, kind of ticked me off. The author stated on her blog that she and the powers that be in publishing hope that the new, more minimalist covers would broaden readership. I can see that, since these covers do not scream Young Adult! the way that the other ones do. But, damn it all, I liked the old covers. I liked the cheerfulness and the happy people, and above all I like physical books to match on my shelves. It's very important. I'm a cranky penguin.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverley Jenkins: This will be the second book in Jenkins California ranch set historical series. I look forward to another joyful, passionate romantic story from her. 

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: Still not much information on this one yet, other than the fact that it will return to Elena and Raphael. Stay tuned for this one.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: I'm not waiting on pins and needles for this one, but I am waiting on it. Owlet was overly exposition-y for my taste, so I have to hope this one will be better.

 

January 

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: I'm a little disappointed that we won't be seeing this book until 2014, since I'd like to see this trilogy come to a satisfactory conclusion. 

February

Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman: Either the original dates were wrong, or this book has been delayed (heavily delayed) since my last anticipation post. In any case, we've got at least 11 months to wait for this book now, and it's going to be a long haul.

And that's all that I have for now. We have some very busy months coming up here! I hope you'll join us!

Anticiapation List!

It's time once again to update the list of books I'm impatiently waiting for in 2013!

March

Requiem by Lauren Oliver: I both look forward to and dread this one. After the way book two ended, I can only hope the author does something to impress me here.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs: The time is coming up soon for me to pre-order this! I'm so excited for more Mercy!

Lover At Last by J.R. Ward: The BDB books are a drug for me, and I need my fix. Besides, I'm actually starting to get excited for Quinn and Blay's story.

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: I can't explain why I look forward to this book...I just do. The Selection was a book that I liked against my better judgement, and I guess I just want more.

 

 

 

May

Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Who's ready for a back-the-dead story from the queen of Superromance? I am!

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: When I finished Pushing the Limits (the review of which is set to post soon), was desperate for more. May seems like way too far away.

 

 

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: I was excited to see that this has a cover now. I love the model they use for Kate: almost exactly how I picture her.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I almost bought the individual comics. Almost. I talked myself out of it because, in the end, I would really rather have the trade paperback--it sits on the shelf better.

Dracomachi by Rachel Hartman: Seraphina was probably the best dragon book I've ever read, so I'm really excited for it's sequel.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: After that last book, I can't wait to find out if Logan and Gwen can pull it together already.

MacRieve by Kresley Cole: Yay, a new Immortals After Dark book!

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: First we had Anna, then there was Lola, and finally we'll have Isla. I'm beyond ready for more from Stephanie Perkins.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The Guild Hunter series is quickly becoming one of my favorite ongoing PNR series. I have to say, also, that I'm actually excited to revisit Elena and Raphael again.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Owlet was definitely an exposition book, and I'm hopeful that this, the second book, will give us the full and satisfying story that it promised.

On Grifters: A Review of Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

Ever feel like you're just reading something in order to finish the series, but you're no longer that deeply invested? I felt that way with this book. That's not to say that there aren't good things about this book, but oh gods, I had to fight myself a bit to see them.

If you aren't aware, this is actually book 3 in The Edge series. It's hero and heroine are Kaldar and Audrey, respectively. We've met Kaldar in the previous book--he's a cousin to Cerise. Audrey is a former lock pick/thief from a family of con-artists, who now desperately wants to turn straight. But she agrees to do just one last job, steals something huge, and Kaldar ends up charged to get the item back. He enlists her help, and of course, romantic things ensue. He also ends up taking George and Jack, Rose's little brother's from book one, along for the ride. And Gaston, who I honestly still can't picture. But whatever.

So, what works in this book are the elements that always work in Ilona Andrew's books. The action is tense and fun. The fantasy elements are used creatively. The characters are clever, feisty folks that have walked in a lot of morally grey areas and come out mostly good.

The dialogue and chemistry between Kaldar and Audrey is...well, it's there. It's dropped into the book like the authors thought it had to be, "We have to have a hero and a heroine, and they have to make each other's naughty bits tingle. But we can't focus on that too much because, obviously, big world threatening primary plot..." It's probably unfair for me to complain that the romance didn't work for me in a book that is obviously not a romance, and no one promised it would be (accept for Mr. Cover-Art, there's something inexplicably romance-ish about that. But honestly, that's kind of my point. Why have that subplot if you can't or won't take the time to do it justice?

At the same time, I mentioned that I did like the characters, and I did. A lot. I like Kaldar especially. He's a scoundrel in the best possible way. He loves to steal, and get the better of people, but there's no malice in it. He's the best of both worlds in that way.

I liked the decision to include Jack and George in the story. They make interesting side-kicks. For me, they are two of the most natural and interesting characters included in the series. I sort of find myself wishing they'd just skip ahead and give them a book or two. I'd get excited for that.

As for the plot itself...I don't know, it's not poorly written, but I just don't feel that invested. The stakes weren't high enough for me. As I stated in my review of Bayou Moon, the world building is adequate, but it's never been my favorite universe to visit. I almost wanted to see something huge and terrible happen, just so that the overarching world would develop a bit.

For me, these books, this series, has just been okay. I wouldn't say that they're the worst reads you could pick out of the urban fantasy pile, but they aren't the best either. 3 stars.

Happy January!

Oh my goodness, is it really January? Okay, well, I've got multiple wounds from cat claws and lots of chores that have been piling up since Christmas, but nevertheless, we have 10 books to read this month. Let's jump to it.

I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long

Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander

What the Librarian Did by Karina Bliss

Queene of Light by Jennifer Armintrout

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard

Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

Sandman Volume 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman

Ravenous by Sharon Ashwood

Water Harvest by Eric Diehl

No Humans Involved by Kelly Armstrong

On Eels: A Reveiw of Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews

This was an important book. It's book number 112 in 2012 for me, the last book I needed to finish to complete my year long goal. It's less impressive in that, by the end, I had to declare it a 3 star book.

William is a shapeshifter and a loner, but he's reluctantly talked into a quest to track down Spider, a ruthlessly villainous villain. This puts him in league with Cerise, who's parents have been taken by the Spider. Before Cerise can track down her parents, she must end a family feud that's stood for three generations, and take back a house that belonged to her grandparents.

So, yeah, 3 stars. It's a bit odd, because I sing the praises of Ilona Andrews often and loudly when it comes to the Kate Daniels books, and even Andrea's book, but I think it's now safe to say that I don't care for The Edge series nearly as much. What's missing here? Well, I think it's partly to do with world build and partly to do with plot. But, let's start with what I did like.

I liked William and Cerise. William has a social awkwardness and vulnerability about him that I found charming. It really fit his status as a shapeshifter who has been shunned more often than not. I also really liked Cerise--I liked her toughness and her loyalty and her way of viewing the world. The tow have excellent chemistry. I think it's safe to say that Andrews writes characters you want to embrace. Even the secondary characters are appealing.

The world building, while better than a lot of the sludge we see on the UF market now, is still not as strong as the Kate Daniels books. Perhaps it's unfair to compare the two, but that's reality. With Kate's Atlanta, I have a really clear idea about the rules and how things work, and what the organizations are and where loyalties lie. And the way magic works in that universe is so freaking clever. The Edge, on the other hand, feels a lot more vague and less inspired. I'm not that clear on who belongs where and why, and I can't say I'm motivated to figure it out. I'm not really sure, for example, if William's shapeshifting is based on magic or nature or some hybrid of the two, and I don't know why he's able to work in magic free Broken if he is indeed magical.

The plot has it's merits, and it's passably interesting on the surface, but as the story proceeds I found that many stretches were decidedly meh. Things I felt were really interesting--Cerise's grandfather and his life restoring formula, for one--got very little page time. Things I don't care about, like the family feud, went on and on. As a result, for much of the book my enjoyment level was at or just above neutral, with a few periods of outright frustration.

All told, while it's still an above average book, I must honestly admit that there are better books out there. I cautiously recommend this one, but I highly recommend the Kate Daniels books. 3 stars. 

On Beastkin: A Review of Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

Oh, Ilona Andrews. You write the very best and most entertaining urban fantasy on the market. Now, this latest book happens to be a spin-off of the most beloved Kate Daniels series. Was I cranky that we wouldn't be getting another Kate book for well over a year? Yes, a bit. But in the end, if I couldn't have a Kate book, this was a damn good substitute.

This book follows Kate's best friend, Andrea, as she investigates several untimely deaths related to a vault of mysterious ancient artifacts. The case brings her into close contact with her ex, Raphael, whom she is not over yet. As she fights for her life against the latest threat to Atlanta, Andrea must confront her own identity issues and old insecurities. Will she join the Pack of shapeshifters and get Raphael back, or flee and be alone forever?

Positive Comments

I can certainly understand how this book came to be. The Kate Daniels world lends itself to a lot of stories outside what might be going on with Kate herself. Andrea was introduced in book 2 (I think), and has progressively grown on me like a fungus. The side stories of her relationship with Raphael have always been intriguing, so its nice to see some resolution to that as well.

Andrea is an intensely interesting character, in that she has survived some serious shit. Child abuse, rejection, leading to mild self loathing and identity issues, leading to a tenure as a knight in the very prestigious Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid. When The Order kicks her out for being a shapeshifter, her life is shattered. In this book, she has to put the pieces back together and find a new purpose for herself, all while trying to solve this heinous crime. The emotional story is fascinating.

The emotional journey is fascinating, but it never gets in the way of the action (and the violence) of which there is a great deal. Ultimately, Andrea and Raphael go head to head with the Egyptian god Anubis,  taking huge risks to end his existence as best they can. How does one kill a god?

Negative Comments

I did feel that a bit more raw mythology would not have gone amiss in this story. Since we have an Egyptian god as our "villain", why not delve into his back story thoroughly? We are given the bare minimum to serve the purpose of the story, and I'm sure some readers like it that way, but I would have liked a bit more.

Recommendation

Probably the first question you might ask is: Does it stand alone? Umm, hmm, uhh....No. I don't really think it does. I think to understand the world and it's characters and everything Andrea is struggling with, you really need to have read the five Kate Daniels books already available. But trust me, that's no hardship.

If you are already a fan of the Kate series, you'll enjoy this one. The shift in point of view is temporarily refreshing. We do see enough of Kate that you won't miss her too much. And as with all of Andrews' books, there's mythology, violence, horror, and romance in a very nice package. 4 stars.

Best Book of July/August Preview

Oh, wow, is July over already? Well, time to crown the book of the month! The winner is...

A Review of On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniel's series is perhaps my favorite ongoing series right now--it's at least in the top five. That sort of standard was a lot for this book to live up to and...well...

On the Edge is set in a very different universe. In this world, there is a dimension known as "The Broken", which is essentially our world--no magic, just ordinary people. Then there's "The Weird", where everything runs on magic. Between the two, there's the Edge, land of outcast who don't quite fit anywhere. Here, we meet Rose, an Edger with unusually strong magic. She's been pursued all of her adult life, by men who would sell her or use her to breed magic babies. Rose has two younger brothers to protect, in addition to keeping herself safe. So when Declan shows up on her doorstep, claiming he wants to protect her, Rose is naturally suspicious and hostile...despite her attraction to him.

Positive Comments:

I wasn't that engaged by the large, overarching plot of this novel. Instead, I became fascinated with the minutia of the story. I was interested in the magic Rose possesses and how it works. I wanted to visit more of the Edge and the Weird. I was engaged with what was going on with the kids. Jack and Georgie, Rose's brothers, are a far cry from the useless plot moppets I expected. I was especially impressed with the subplot involving Georgie's ability to bring things back to life, at the expense of his own health.

Declan and Rose...Rose and Declan....They had their moments. The dialogue was great. These two had enough chemistry to justify calling this book a novel with strong romantic elements--though not necessarily a romance novel.

Critical Comment:

So here's the thing...remember that overarching plot I mentioned? My attempt to explain to you, and to myself, why I didn't like it are probably going to be laughable, but here goes:

--Declan shows up on Rose's doorstep and seems to want to marry her or make her his mistress for a thousand wrong reasons. At this point, I'm mad at the book and worried that the two might form a marriage of convenience or some ridiculous thing.
--Rose agrees to  give Declan three challenges, and if he succeeds at them, she'll cooperate with him. At this point, I'm intrigued. I figure, okay, he can do these challenges, they can fall in love for real over the course of them, and I'll be happy.
--But guess what? There's a much bigger problem going on, and that problem is monster dogs eating people, and that kind of takes over the book.

I don't think the big monster plot was necessary. I just...I didn't care. I wanted more relationship building, and more character development, and more of the boys and their antics, and more of just about everything else. Especially relationship development. I wanted to see more of Rose and Declan together, working out their differences, figuring out where they fit in each others' lives.

Recommendation:

If you like urban fantasy, especially if you enjoy a good monster hunt, you'll enjoy this book. I would recommend it, to a lesser extent, to casual fans of paranormal romance. This book was good, but it didn't have the magic of the Kate Daniels books. 3.5 stars.
Buy from Amazon: On the Edge

Stacking The Shelves (3)

Welcome again to Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews!

Bayou Moon (The Edge, Book 2)(Bought New)

And for Zippy the Kindle, I got:



Stravaganza - City of Masks

 Still trying to moderate my book acquisitions while I work on this monstrous TBR pile!

What did you add to your stacks this week? 

Follow Friday 5/4/12

Q: What is one thing you wish you could tell your favorite author?

Oh no! WHY would you make me choose favorites? Okay...

To the awesome writing team known as Ilona Andrews:

I read all of your books and they are fantastic. Whenever I have to do something difficult, I always think of Kate Daniels, and it makes me feel a little more bad ass. You guys are in serious danger of acquiring me as a creepy stalker fangirl. I'll try to stalk quietly.

Sincerely,

Reading Penguin 

Follow Friday 4/20/12

Q: Fight! Fight! If you could have two fictional characters battle it out (preferably from books), who would they be and who do you think would win?

What a lovely opportunity to bring out my blood thirsty side! Let's see...

 I stand by my desire to have Sam and Dean from Supernatural hunt down and murder Edward and company from Twilight. I don't think Edward would stand a chance, though, so it isn't exactly a fair fight...

If we're talking a fight involving weaponry, I think Kate Daniel's from Ilona Andrew's Magic series, pitted against Elena from Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter's books, would give us the most interesting battle. I think Kate would win...but Elena does have wings, so it would be a challenge. 

 If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go HERE and HERE to check them out. You'll thank me later.

Best Book of December/January Preview

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews was easily the best book I read in December--with a score of 4.5 stars. I'm a little bummed to be caught up on this series and have to wait so long for the next book!

I'm setting a goal for myself to read 112 books in 2012--wish me luck! Here are the books I plan to read in January.


Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick


Unraveled by Courtney Milan

Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn

Prey by Rachel Vincent

The Daughter of Smoke by Laini Taylor

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

On Blood: A Review of Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

I've been promising this discussion for awhile. I love Ilona Andrews, so I really wanted to read this one thoroughly and give it the attention it deserves. For those who don't know, the Kate Daniels books are a must read urban fantasy series featuring a monster killing heroine who wields some dark and interesting magic. This is the fifth book in the series For more information you can see my past reviews HERE, HERE, and HERE.

In this book, Kate is just getting settled into her role as the owner of Cutting Edge Investigations, when a monumental case is brought to her door. It seems that a secret society has been developing a device that has the potential to harm every magic user in the entire city. Kate must uncover their secrets and stop the threat. Meanwhile, Kate is dealing with the pressures of being mated to the Pack alpha, and struggling to keep her ward, Julie, safe and out of trouble.

Positive Comments:

This book is smart. You don't usually find a lot of social or philosophical commentary in urban fantasy books. And that's fine, because urban fantasy books are action driven by nature and they don't need to be thought provoking to be entertaining. The great thing about this book is that it has these themes about class, social structure, and morality, presented so subtly that you barely notice them. But they're in there, making the story seem richer. The conflict is about a group of people who want to destroy magic, because they believe that magic creates an unfair class system. Those born with magic get better jobs and have an easier time in the world than those without it. This group is willing to basically commit genocide to get what they want. The later part of the book has magic users, many of whom are normally rivals, banding together to stop the threat. Additionally, the creation of the device itself is a lot like the creation of the atomic bomb or dynamite (the book references the atomic bomb directly); The creator thinks he's doing a good thing, and is so caught up in the invention process that he isn't really thinking about long term consequences. And all of this is weaved into the story so that it doesn't slow down the action or over tax the reader's brain.

I love the characters. Kate has grown on me, and I like her more with each book I read. She's tough, smart, and funny. She's flawed in many ways, but she has a good heart. I love Curran, who in all his surliness really just wants to be with Kate, unconditionally. This book has their relationship taking some big strides toward maturity. It's not a romance novel happily ever after, but it does make me feel warm and fuzzy. I also really like Julie, even though she's a walking, talking plot device more than anything else. I love Andrea, who is a fitting best friend for Kate. I'm eager to see her grow and develop more in future books.

Critical Comments:

There is so much plot that it does, at times, feel a bit crowded. Especially in the middle, when new plot points were still being introduced, I kept thinking "Oh God, what now?!" But it doesn't get confusing, everything manages to connect and wrap up (miraculously) by the end. The end is not what I would call fully satisfying, but it only has the tiniest of cliffhangers. Cliffhanger may be the wrong word--it has a hint of more. Which is good, because I hate dramatic cliffhangers.

In the end, I'm caught up with a series for once! This never happens! It really is a fantastic series, and I highly recommend it to any fantasy fan. Magic Slays excellent addition to the Kate Daniels story. 4.5 stars.

Best Book of November/December Preview

Time for a brief recap of November and a preview of the reviews you can expect to see all December long!

November was a bit of a rocky month reading wise. I was insanely busy, so not much of it got done. A lot of the books seemed to come out as average rating wise. That being said, of course I still have to crown a best book and that is--Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep! It earned 4/5 stars, which is not at all bad in it's own right. More importantly, it stood out because I believe this series is going to build to something pretty spiffy, and I can't wait to see that happen. You can read my full review HERE.

We have quite the line up for December, because I got slightly off track of my November list. These are the books that you can expect to see reviewed here on Reading to Penguins!

Sebastian by Anne Bishop How I ended up reading this one at all is something of a story in itself. I'm about 1/4 of the way into it, so look forward to that review sometime early next week.

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews I promised to read this one in November, but got sidetracked by aliens and Anne Bishop!

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Envy by J.R. Ward

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

As always if your interested in reading along, doing a guest review, or have something that you'd like to see reviewed in January, email me at cmspencer8@yahoo.com. Happy Reading!

Start of Something Good Giveaway! (200 Followers)

 

I'm very excited to announce that we have reached 200 followers!  You guys rock! And to show my appreciation, I'm hosting a giveaway! The theme this time around is The Start of Something Good: One lucky winner will get to choose a book from the list bellow. All of the options are the the first books from series that I love, and I hope you will too!

Sea Swept by Nora Roberts

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

All you need to do to enter is fill out the form bellow, and be sure to follow the instructions! This giveaway is open to all followers, US and International! Giveaway ends Saturday November 26th, and a winner will be announced shortly thereafter! Good luck, and Happy Reading!

Best Book of October/November Preview

In an effort to keep my recommendations and reading plans a bit more organized, I've decided to try a recap/preview post every month, starting now!

First, the best book that I read in October was Sea Changed by Darlene Marshall! It was a funny, smart historical romance that kept me turning pages late into the night. It received 4.5/5 stars, and the full review can be viewed HERE.

Second, here is a list of the books I'm planning to review in November. As usual, my goal is to get through two books a week, but lately it's been slow going with some books, so it may be less.

Industrial Magic (Women of the Otherworld, Book 4) by Kelley Armstrong (I'm a little less than halfway through it)
The Perils of Pleasure (Pennyroyal Green Series) by Julie Ann Long (I'm about 1/3 of the way through this one)
Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy) by Jennifer Estep
At Grave's End (Night Huntress, Book 3) by Jeaniene Frost
Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4) by Patricia Briggs
Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, Book 5) by Ilona Andrews

Has anyone read any of these yet? What did you think?

Happy November, and Happy Reading!