Book 171: Blood Song

Blood Song, by Cat Adams

“Blood Song,” featuring tough bodyguard Celia Graves, is the first in a new urban fantasy/paranormal series. Celia is at first a “vanilla” human – no magical abilities – but quickly becomes an abomination when a bodyguard gig goes horribly wrong.

Celia has to quickly learn to deal with her new existence as a cross between a vampire (bat) and a human; she has supernatural abilities such as quicker healing, but also weaknesses such as craving blood. If that wasn’t enough, she’s in danger from her sire, the vampire who turned her into an abom, and also under fire from a deadly demon. While Celia’s willing to accept some help from her friends, she’s also immensely stubborn and determined to do all she can on her own, especially when one of her friends supposedly commits suicide. Add in a world full of magic, vampires, werewolves, clairvoyants, militant priests, and an ex boyfriend, and you’ve got quite a mix.

I didn’t quite like “Blood Song.” The story was good enough, but I never fully identified with or liked Celia. She reminded me of plenty of other urban fantasy female main characters, with the same sort of wit and attitude. Maybe it was the first person narration that bothered me – I’m not sure. Or it could’ve been the large cast of characters; by the end of the book I’d forgotten a few names, and had to look them up to remember who everyone was. Or it could’ve been the plot itself – I thought “Blood Song” dragged on a little too long. I don’t regret reading the book, I just think it could’ve been a little better.

3/5.

Book 154: Wings

Wings, by Aprilynne Pike

“Wings” starts quite slowly, and for a good while I was wondering if it was worth my time to continue reading. But Laurel slowly caught my attention, with all the ways she is different, from her model-type looks to strict vegan diet. A sophomore, Laurel is attending public school for the first time; previously she had been homeschooled. While she at first hates it, when Laurel meets David, she likes school a little more, and is soon spending a lot of time with him.

And it’s lucky Laurel has David when she starts sprouting flowers from a bump on her back. He’s a calming presence in her life, and an almost-but-not-quite boyfriend. When Laurel meets Tamini, a guy who claims to be a faery – and tells Laurel she’s one too – David helps Laurel come to terms with her new wings and life, even performing several science experiments. Soon the plot moves into high-gear, as Laurel and David are thrown into a fight to protect her family’s ancestral land from a gang of trolls.

Laurel, David, and Tamini form the classic love triangle that’s in so many young adult books; I’m personally not a fan, but the romance isn’t super blunt. David’s more of a comforting presence for a lot of “Wings,” but I couldn’t believe how readily he accepted Laurel’s flower blossom. I found Tamini much more interesting; you know there’s a lot he didn’t tell Laurel, and I was rather curious. Laurel herself was so-so until about the middle for me. I did eventually get pretty into the book, and liked Pike’s mix of faerie and real-life.

I don’t want to spoil the book, but I liked the author’s twists, and would read the sequel, “Spells.” The ending of “Wings” isn’t a cliff-hanger, but there is a lot of room to expand the story and I’m curious to see where Pike will take Laurel, David, and Tamini.

4/5.

Book 153: Alex Van Helsing 1: Vampire Rising

Alex Van Helsing #1: Vampire Rising, by Jason Henderson

Readers first meet Alex when he’s running through the woods, having heard a scream in the night air. Seconds later he’s fighting a vampire, guided by both the instincts of his heritage (yes, his name does mean what you think it does!) and his survival/rescue training. In “Vampire Rising,” the action is fast from the start, and never lets up.

Fourteen year old Alex is a newcomer at Glenarvon Academy; he was sent there after an incident at his last boarding school. There are a few interesting people at Glenarvon, my favorite being Mr. Sangster – a no nonsense literature teacher who loves Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” But before he has a chance to settle in at his new school, Alex is embroiled in a deadly mess of secret organizations, vampires, demons, and life-or-death situations.

There’s a lot to like about “Vampire Rising.” It’s a book aimed at teenage boys, and one I think is good for fans of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” or “Harry Potter.” And while intended for boys, girls will like this too, especially the strong female character Minhi. As I said before, the author keeps the action very thick and fast, with Alex rushing from one perilous situation to the next. There are a few things I found unrealistic, but then I’m above the intended age for the book.

However, there were enough things I really liked that kept me glued to the pages, from the vampire school Scholomance, to Mr. Sangster, to the inclusion of “Frankenstein.” I enjoyed how Henderson used history and literature as an integral part of the story; hopefully this will encourage readers to try some classics. I personally plan on doing some research into the Haunted Summer that led to the writing of “Frankenstein.” The Polidorium (vampire hunting organization) was well thought out, and I’m eager to learn more about it and the Van Helsing Foundation. I laughed when I thought of vampires looking for non-smoking roommates; I would have liked to see more of Scholomance – hopefully it will show up in later books?

I’m between 3 and 4 stars for “Vampire Rising,” but I’ll go with 4 since I have thought about it a few times since reading. I’ll be looking for more adventures of Alex Van Helsing.

4/5.

Book 127: Frost Moon

Dakota Frost #1: Frost Moon, by Anthony Francis

WOW! “Frost Moon” is THE urban fantasy novel I’ve been waiting for. I hesitate on writing this review, because I just can’t put into words my love for this book. But I’ll try.

Dakota is a skindancer, a tattooist who can imbue magic powers into her ink. She lives in an edgeworld Atlanta that welcomes werewolves, vampires, witches and more; Dakota herself is a magician thanks to her tattoos. The “Edgeworld” is the world the author has created, a sort of border or barrier where normal and magic meet.

Bluntly put, Dakota is one kick-ass chick. She’s sarcastic and tough, yet compassionate and loyal, and sometimes even vulnerable. I was honestly a little surprised to find out the author was male – Dakota is a such believable female main character. I loved her instantly. In fact the beginning of “Frost Moon” reminds me a bit of Jacqueline Carey’s novels, in that Dakota introduces herself to the reader, in a “this is me, here I am, love me or hate me” approach. Throughout the course of “Frost Moon,” she befriends a were-cat orphan, feels sorry for a were-wolf, falls for an FBI/DEI agent, deals with her ex-girlfriend, and more. But Dakota’s characterization doesn’t falter in any of those situations, and the reader’s image of her stays constant from the start of the book.

The plot of “Frost Moon” is best left a secret – you’ll want to discover all the twists and turns of the plot yourself as you navigate through Dakota’s world. But to tantalize you: the Department of Extraordinary Investigations is hunting a serial killer who takes the tattooed skin of his victims. The DEI originally calls Dakota in as a consultant, due to her expertise in magical tattooing. But she’s quickly in the thick of things as events move at warp-speed around her. The ending shocked me, because I’d never been able to guess just who the killer was – I liked the unpredictability.

Dakota is an amazing character. But so is literally every other single supporting character Francis created. I wanted to know more about every single person introduced, from Spleen the Rat to Cinnamon, to Lady Saffron, and on and on. Each character has some hook that grabs at the reader; the cast of “Frost Moon” will stick with me for quite a while.

I enjoy the author’s style; sometimes he is a little heavy-handed with descriptions, but personally I like that. I like having lots of information about a new world, and Dakota’s world is one of the fresher urban fantasy ones I’ve read in a while. Some of his prose is beautiful, especially when painting images of tattoos; I *wish* it were possible to get something like what he’s invented! Glittering, moving, magical tattoos? Pretttty.

I do have a complaint or two with “Frost Moon,” but they’re such minor issues that they didn’t detract at all from my enjoyment of the book. One is that the timing is very condensed, very fast, but then that also fits into the plot. The other is the deluge of pop culture references, which could make references to the Matrix and X-Files outdated in a few years, but the references slow down after the first part of the novel. But like I said, just a few minor issues. Nothing big or super distracting.

Overall, as I think is obvious by how much I’ve written, I was blown away by this book. There was just the perfect mix of mystery, urban fantasy, wit, sarcasm, technology talk, stick-in-your-mind characters, interesting plot, and the slightest hint of romance.

Disclaimer: I did receive an ebook copy of “Frost Moon” to review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program. But on my next Amazon order I’ll be picking up a physical copy of “Frost Moon” as an early birthday present; I can’t wait to get the book in my hands and read it again, so I can revisit Dakota’s world.

Book two, “Blood Rock,” is due later this year I believe. I can’t wait!

5/5.

Book 95: Mercy Thompson: Homecoming

Mercy Thompson: Homecoming, by Patricia Briggs

I’m not normally a fan of graphic novels, but I had to check this one out because I love the Mercy Thompson series.

“Homecoming” is a type of origin-story, in that it explains how Mercy came to live in the Tri-Cities, and how she began working for Zee as a mechanic. There’s also a tangle with some rogue werewolves, her first meeting with Stefan, and a trip to Uncle Mike’s.

Overall I enjoyed “Homecoming,” and I did like getting a chance to see some of my favorite characters sketched out. I did feel that the characters were all very close to their descriptions in the novels, and often had the thought, “Oh so *that’s* what Zee looks like,” and the picture usually matched my mental image – a testament to the collaboration of Briggs and the artists. I absolutely loved one panel – Mercy as a baby coyote…it was just adorable.

I wouldn’t say that “Homecoming” is worth $22.95 though, I think it should been published in paperback. It’s short, but a good diversion for fans waiting for the next installment of the Mercy series. If you’re iffy on graphic novels, I suggest getting it from the library.

4/5.

Book 52: Meredith Gentry 8: Divine Misdemeanors

Meredith Gentry #8: Divine Misdemeanors, by Laurell K. Hamilton

I had high hopes at the start of this Merry book – she’s back in Los Angeles, back at the Grey Detective Agency, even back on a crime scene. Someone in the city is murdering the demi-fey and posing their bodies after pictures in children’s books, and the police want her help before any more fey die.

But that promise quickly degenerates with too much recap of previous events, multiple sex scenes, and a weak ending. Hamilton goes against sidhe customs introduced in previous novels – now that Merry is pregnant, she shouldn’t be sleeping with anyone but the fathers of her babies, but she’s still on her back for anyone who wants it. And of course, many of the men do, and we’re treated to more magic by sex, including the construction of a new sithen in L.A. It felt like the men were waiting in the wings for their turn, as it was almost methodical in how most got laid.

Barinthus, one of my favorite characters, goes off the deep end. He fights with Merry, threatens Galen, and becomes a general pain in the ass, without a valid explanation. Nor is this really resolved, just glossed over as other events take prominence.

With Merry back at her job from book one, I thought the detective work would be more prominent. Instead it’s overpowered by paparazzi issues, sex scenes, and a lackluster ending. The crime is solved too neatly, and with a very blah resolution. I was disappointed.

There were some good funny moments, such as when Hamilton describes some of newer sidhe exiles cooking dinner, but there just weren’t enough of them to overcome the rest of the faults. I will say that I enjoyed mostly enjoyed the book on the surface, but the more I thought about it, and the more I read, the less I liked it.

2/5.

Book 51: Devil’s Kiss

Devil’s Kiss, by Sarwat Chadda

When I read the book jacket, I feared “Devil’s Kiss” would be another yet young adult book full of romance and low on plot, but I was pleasantly surprised and went on to gobble up the entire book in one night.

Fifteen-year-old Billi, the protagonist, is the only female in the order of the Templar Knights. Once the medieval protectors of Christianity, the modern Templars are now engaged in a never-ending battle against the dark forces: vampires, werewolves, devils, etc, in London, England. There are precious few of them left – only a handful of men and one girl. And so rather than spending her teen years going on dates and daydreaming in school, Billi’s life is a constant whirl of fighting, training, fighting, and training, with a father who doesn’t care about her, and an annoying school-life surrounded by rumors and jeers. And to top it off, Billi never wanted to be a Templar, but didn’t have a choice.

Her desire for a life outside of her duty leads her to Michael, a gorgeous guy who seems to understand her right away, and isn’t frightened off by her unsocial father. Billi’s Templar friend Kay comes back into her life as well, having spent the past year in Jerusalem learning to control his mental powers. When her father finally pushes her too hard, Michael is there for Billi…but she quickly finds out that he’s not what he seems. Michael is the Angel of Death, and the epitome of everything the Templars battle against.

“Devil’s Kiss” is an interesting mix of Templar lore, history and modern day life. Swords cross with text messages. Ancient relics are kept in a junk loaded pawnshop. A time or two the plot got predictable, but Chadda had plenty of twists to keep things unique. Also a few things were a little Harry Potter-esqe, but I don’t want to say exactly what to avoid giving too many spoilers.

I was very pleased with this book. The love triangle mentioned on the book jacket is barely there, and is instead part of the plot rather than the entire plot. The action is very fast, and at times I think the author could have slowed down a little and given more detail on the characters, or more history on the Templars. Something I like a lot is the way the author writes some action scenes, focusing on a word such as warmth or agony and expanding on those sensations, each word leading to the next.

Overall, a good debut novel, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter in Billi’s adventures. Billi herself is an endearing character, as she develops from an angry girl fighting against everyone and herself, to a girl who learns the importance of doing the right thing, and learning just what is the right thing to do. Sometimes Billi got a little too full of angst, but then she’s fifteen, so it did fit, but thankfully it wasn’t overpowering. If you’re looking for a paranormal tale without a heavy helping of romance, or just enjoy a good story, “Devil’s Kiss” is likely for you.

4/5.

Book 42: Meredith Gentry 7: Swallowing Darkness

Meredith Gentry #7: Swallowing Darkness, by Laurell K. Hamilton

There is a lot going on in “Swallowing Darkness” and not all of it is good. While some plot lines from previous novels are finally resolved, they are usually done so in a “telling” rather than showing manner. It is a relief though to finally see something brought to a finish, as some of the books in the series meandered and didn’t really accomplish a whole lot other than stretching out the story.

Merry is much harsher then ever before – now that she is finally pregnant, Hamilton uses that as an excuse for her new attitude – protecting herself, her unborn children, and their fathers at all costs, and hell with everybody else. Merry even goes so far as to draw the Illinois National Guard into sidhe conflicts, threatening the lives of dozens of humans so she can stay alive. This seems like a far cry from the Merry of previous novels, a character was merciful and gentle, and who generally tried to avoid bloodshed.

Without trying to spoil too much, Merry’s goal also changes in this novel, and she ponders giving up the throne for the men she loves. Again, different character from the one in the previous books – many many times Merry told readers how she would take the Unseelie throne because she was the best choice, between her sadistic aunt and insane cousin.

I will say that I enjoyed “Swallowing Darkness” on the surface, but if I dug too deeply I didn’t like it as much. It seems as if Hamilton spent 6 books building a plot, world, and characters, and then in 1 book changed way too many things to sum things up and move on to something else.

3/5.

Book 40: Meredith Gentry 6: A Lick of Frost

Meredith Gentry #6: A Lick of Frost, by Laurell K. Hamilton

FINALLY! “A Lick of Frost” returns the Meredith Gentry series to the promise of the first two books – the action is back with a very fast paced plot, and for once, there isn’t a deluge of sexual action.

The novel opens with Merry and some of her guards in a lawyer’s office, defending accusations of rape on a Seelie sidhe woman. King Taranis, the ruler of the Seelie court, the court of light and goodness, went to human police and pressed charges against Galen, Rhys, and Abeloec – breaking an unwritten rule of faerie law. You don’t go outside of faerie for justice. So obviously Taranis has some trick up his sleeve, but will Merry figure it out in time?

It quickly becomes clear that Taranis has gone insane – the thin veneer of sanity lifts when Merry denies him, and he attacks her guards in front of humans, nearly killing Doyle. Another spin comes when one of the king’s nobles offers her the Seelie throne, which quickly puts Merry’s sadistic aunt, Queen Andais of the Unseelie, into a very bad mood. The action continues after that, continuing several plot threads that haven’t been seen for a few books; but notably, many of the guards that Merry acquired have no lines at all, and aren’t even mentioned. Why introduce a ton of new characters, and then leave them out?

I’m so-so on this book. On one hand I enjoyed it quite a bit, as there was finally more action and plot then sex scenes. As I’ve said in other reviews of books in this series, I don’t read for the sex – I read because I like the world Hamilton has created. Finally, in “A Lick of Frost,” there’s some development, there’s something happening. And also, there’s finally some tragedy – with all the assassination attempts in the series and danger, no one has been seriously hurt, which is somewhat unrealistic. But, on the other hand, some things left me confused. Apparently a month has passed since “Mistral’s Kiss,” but I don’t know what happened in that month; I think it’s implied that Merry’s been busy in the bedroom trying to get pregnant so she can take the throne, but come on. The ending also feels rushed, and jumps from A to B a little too quickly.

3/5.

Book 39: Meredith Gentry 5: Mistral’s Kiss

Meredith Gentry #5: Mistral’s Kiss, by Laurell K. Hamilton

“Mistral’s Kiss” is a slim volume in the Meredith Gentry series, and feels like a novella instead of a novel. More a collection of scenes than a flowing story, the book finally gets Merry and her men out of the sithen, where they have spent the last two books. But that move comes at the very end of the book, and before then we are given quite a few sex scenes, the first starting a mere 25 pages in.

Yet again I’m having trouble figuring out what to say about “Mistral’s Kiss.” I finished it two days ago, and that to me is the best indicator that it’s pretty mediocre. There just isn’t a lot of plot; instead it’s as if the author got tired of mucking around inside of faerie, so she put some scenes together, had some more magic happen, and gets set up for the next book in the series. The time mechanic introduced in the last book, where time passes slower or faster in the sithen as Merry wishes comes into effect again here, as when the gang leaves the Unseelie sithen, they have missed the visit to the Seelie and goblin courts that have been mentioned in the last two books. I’m just left feeling disappointed after finishing “Mistral’s Kiss.”

1/5.