Elitist Book Reviews

The latest in Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series has her heroine face her most terrifying adversary yet. This opponent is tougher than the river devil that almost killed her; more cunning than the local vampire queen; and a better baker than Mercy herself: Adam's ex-wife Christy.

Christy comes running to the Tri-Cities werewolf pack for a reason. She's being stalked by a dangerous playboy she met in Vegas who won't take "No" for an answer, who's knocked Christy around, and who may have been the one to kill her boyfriend. Unfortunately he turns out to be more than your run-of-the-mill psycho guy, and it's Mercy and the pack who must deal with the fallout.

Seriously, this series only gets better and better. In NIGHT BROKEN Briggs isn't afraid to shake things up for Mercy, who despite being a confident woman experiences some self-doubt when faced with the near-perfection that is Christy. Many of the pack feel protective over their alpha's ex-wife, her skills of manipulation and victimhood even messes with Mercy's head. It's been no mystery that some of the pack don't like Mercy and feel that a coyote shifter doesn't belong in the hierarchy. Will Christy successfully worm her way back into Adam's good graces and cause havoc with Mercy's standing in the pack?

Then, of course there's the mystery surrounding Christy's stalker. Where did he come from? Who is he really? And why is is so focused on Christy? Is he somehow related to the killings the local police want to pin on the werewolves? The clues begin to stack up and when Christy's stalker visits Mercy at her garage she discovers that he's more than he seems...a lot more, and it's scary enough that she wonders if they will ever be able to solve Christy's problem.

We get to see old friends and meet a few new ones. Other than the pack regulars, we get to see Stephan back in form, Tad returns as cool as ever, and even Coyote has to be called for help when a Grey Lord comes asking for the fae walking stick that used to follow Mercy around.

I enjoyed watching Mercy as she moved through the story, reacted to events, interacted with friends and enemies, and then proceeded to do what she does best: doing whatever it takes to keep her family safe. If you're a fan of the series then NIGHT BROKEN is a must read.

Recommended Age: 14+
Language: None
Violence: A couple of scenes, one kind of gruesome
Sex: Referenced

Find this awesome series here:

MOON CALLED

BLOOD BOUND

IRON KISSED

BONE CROSSED

SILVER BORNE

RIVER MARKED

FROST BURNED

NIGHT BROKEN 

Celia has been asked to be a bridesmaid at the wedding of the century: her siren cousin the princess Adrianna is marrying the king of Rusland. Celia has been chosen not simply because she's Adrianna's cousin, but also because the bride-to-be has already survived one attempt on her life and Celia's bodyguard experience may just save the day.

You see, not everyone in Rusland is pleased about the upcoming nuptials, and are convinced that Adrianna has bewitched their king using dark siren magic. And they'll do anything to stop the wedding.

But that isn't the extent of Celia's problems: she's on the outs with former co-worker John Creede, her boyfriend Bruno's ex-girlfriend is determined to get him back, and her own gran is hiding an unpleasant secret from her. Celia does what she can to get by, but it seems that life is ganging up on her.

THE ELDRITCH CONSPIRACY is book 5 of the Blood Singer novel series by Cat Adams, and continues the story of Celia Graves, who does bodyguard work for a living, but as of book 1 being attacked by a vampire changed her life: she's not only part-vampire, but her siren abilities were  awakened.

The opening chapter is confusing, and I had to re-check the series order to make sure I didn't miss a book. Her relationship with John Creede has become strained and we find that her relationship with former flame Bruno is back on. I felt like I was dumped into the middle of the story, and the love triangle isn't ever really addressed in this book--here's hoping it will be in the next, because it's the development of such things that lady readers want mapped out in a series like this.

I also had a hard time keeping track of characters, it's been over a year since I read the last book (EBR review for ISIS COLLAR here) and I got lost easily with not only the characters, but also events from past books. A little refresher here and there would have helped, but maybe it's just me.

The good thing about this particular book is that plot itself is handled better than even previous books, the progression of events felt more natural and less arbitrary. Also, Adams' characterization across the series is well done, with Celia's progression and even the progression of secondary characters: they grow and change, for better or worse.

The series is only now growing on me, and here we are on book 5. It's taken a while to get to this point, when I'm usually the kind of person to drop a series if the first book doesn't pique my interest--but that's the concession we EBR reviews make for our readers. I will be reading TO DANCE WITH THE DEVIL soon and hope that ELDRITCH is a sign of things to come.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: A handful of instances
Violence: A few fights, nothing gruesome
Sex: Referenced

The books in the Blood Singer series:

BLOOD SONG

SIREN SONG

DEMON SONG

THE ISIS COLLAR

THE ELDRITCH CONSPIRACY

I've often wondered how long Jim Butcher can keep it up. After all, how often have we all seen just how difficult it is for an author to be good for two books in a row. I'm not saying Butcher is perfect--I personally feel that he has two pretty weak novels in the Dresden Files--but that's two weak novels out of FIFTEEN. Good heavens.

And let me be clear. SKIN GAME is not a weak novel. In my opinion, it is among the best of the series. It has a lot of what made books five, six and seven incredible.

First off, there are gonna be some light spoilers here for the previous novel, COLD DAYS. There's no helping it. So if you haven't read COLD DAYS, stop here, read that novel, then read SKIN GAME. You'll be all set, and will had a ton of fun.

SKIN GAME is a heist novel. With Harry in the service of Queen Mab as the Winter Knight, he often has to do the dirty work. This time that dirty work involves working for Nicodemus Archleone and the Order of the Blackened Denarius. If you recall, the last time Harry dealt with Nicodemus, well, things didn't go well for our heroes. Especially Michael Carpenter.

Mab lends Harry out to Nicodemus in order to fulfill a bargain she made. What follows is quite simply your typical heist novel. Except for the item being stolen is the Holy Grail. And they are stealing it from Hades. So yeah, other than that, totally what you'd expect.

SKIN GAME is easily my favorite Dresden Files novel since PROVEN GUILTY. I think it has to do with Butcher finally getting back around to some of the best stuff in the world he has created. The Order of the Blackened Denarius. The Knights of the Cross. Michael freaking Carpenter. Butters. Karrin.

Think about it. Most of these parts? We haven't sen them since book ten, SMALL FAVOR. I know there are reasons, but geez. I was going into withdrawals. Michael and Harry have always had the best kind of rapport, and to see it in full swing again, was completely awesome. I was also happy to see how Karrin reacted to Harry. Look, the "will they, won't they" thing has toed the line for a LONG time. It's addressed directly in SKIN GAME (not gonna say which way).

Say it with me, folks. Character growth. All the messing up that TURN COAT did has been more than made up for (I'll just pretend that novel never happened). Michael, Karrin, Butters (holy crap, Butters!), and most importantly, Harry. There is significant growth in this novel. Significant.

Humor is back and in full form. Nearly every joke is timed perfectly. Only one felt forced (and unfortunately it was used over and over). The action is fast and hard-hitting. One of my new favorite characters makes his debut--Goodman Grey. The pacing in flawless. Yeah. This novel is completely awesome.

SKIN GAME is Jim Butcher at his best. I loved it. I loved what it accomplished, and I loved what it set into motion. With the fifteenth novel in his series, Butcher manages to keep the fire alive. More than that, he stokes it to a white-hot blaze. There is no settling here, and never once did I feel Butcher was taking the easy way out. It all felt completely natural. I haven't been this excited for the next novel in the Dresden Files in years.

Recommended Age: 17+
Profanity: About normal for a Dresden novel. Can get really strong, but mostly sticks to mild profanities.
Violence: Very much so. Poor Harry gets his butt kicked a lot in this one. And that's the mild stuff.
Sex: One fairly explicit scene. Lots of references.

Go grab it folks:

SKIN GAME

Silver and her mate Andrew are the alphas of the Roanoke werewolf pack, the largest in North America. But they're more than just that, they've been sworn fealty by the alphas in all the other packs in North America, as well. There's a benefit to having two alphas--they can  divide and conquer, which comes in handy when there's an entire continent to manage.

When Andrew leaves for Alaska to intervene in a case for the human mother of an infant Were, Silver must manage everything else that comes up: the pregnant alpha of a sub-pack with a recalcitrant beta, a roamer from South America coming through her territory, and a step-daughter who doesn't know what to do with herself that doesn't involve causing trouble.

Her fragile mind handles Were issues fine, but when she deals with humans she risks looking insane--and that doesn't even include exposing the reality of Weres to the outside world. This makes her an obvious target of the vengeful European pack from Madrid whose balance of power was diminished in book two, TARNISHED (EBR review), as a result of her and Andrew.

The different thing about Held's book in the Urban Fantasy genre is her deep exploration of Were culture and behavior. I enjoy reading her take on it and the problems caused by the culture that have to be dealt with. It's something she handles with finesse across all three books. Silver is the star of the series, I find her fascinating as a broken Were who despite everything still has the dominance and confidence to be an alpha in her own right. She is insightful to others' problems and understands her own limitations.

But while I enjoyed SILVER (EBR review) and TARNISHED, REFLECTED felt flat for me.

It's pretty simple, really. Andrew spends 95% of the book off-stage (he's pretty cool and I wish we could see more of him). And while REFLECTED is told much from Silver's PoV, here Andrew's daughter Felicia becomes the central figure. It's been three years since the events in TARNISHED, so now Felicia is eighteen and must decide about the next stage of her life, whether she becomes a roamer, get a job, or go to college.

I don't dislike Felicia, but I also don't particularly enjoy her character. I'm coming to the realization that I haven't found many teenage girl characters I've truly liked (a hold-over from high school drama? dunno), and Felicia is more of the same wishy-washy, secretive behavior that makes this mom of a teenager go batty. I haven't been a teenage girl for...a while...and even when I was a teen I was more rational that most. So take that for what it's worth.

Even then, I think I have some grounds for being annoyed at Felicia's behavior with the roamer and the raw deal she gives Silver. The solution wasn't hard, she eventually finds it in the end after some colossally dumb behavior. Is the plot contrived? I think so. Did Felicia carry this story? She doesn't have Silver's charisma, that's for sure. These issues might have been glossed over by a YA audience, but the graphic sex scene at the start ruins that notion or else I might have let my teen read it. Perhaps the drama would have made more sense to her.

Recommended Age: 17+
Language: Minimal
Violence: Some fighting and blood
Sex: A detailed scene opens the novel; other references (more than in the previous novels)

Find this series here:

SILVER

TARNISHED

REFLECTED

Teenage Rain Cacique lives in the Prospero Keys (known to locals as The Ghosts), a series of islands between Florida and the Bermuda Triangle. To her dismay, she's pretty sure she's going to spend the rest of her life there, catering to the tourists who come to enjoy the tropical weather and scenery. Her and her friend Charlie spend their last free days before school begins having as much fun as they can.

But while returning from a water skiing trip with friends, Rain learns of the death of a beloved grandfather, Sebastian, and she's convinced her life will never be the same.

Early on Greg Weisman gives us a great sense of the setting in RAIN OF THE GHOSTS, his clean prose leaving the storytelling unencumbered. It's easy to imagine the scenery as Rain moves through her world. Her parents run a bed and breakfast on the island, but she's resentful of the strangers who come and go in her life. The newest client is Callahan, a fellow from Australia whose odd behavior makes Rain suspicious. Right before Grandfather Sebastian's death, he gave her a bracelet given to him by his grandmother: not only is it unique-looking, but it seems that it makes Rain able to see ghosts. Even though she has no proof, she thinks Callahan wants to steal it.

Weisman's portrayal of young teenage angst (Rain is 13) and perspective was well done, without being overboard or annoying. Rain and Charlie's feelings will seem real to tween readers; their interactions with each other and with the other teens on the island feel realistic. Unfortunately the brevity of the novel meant that much of what was introduced didn't go anywhere, leaving the resolution too open-ended to feel complete.

While RAIN OF THE GHOSTS has many strengths, where it was weakest was in the narrative style: we don't really learn "who" (other than his name) the narrator is until halfway through the book, but even after learning who it was I was confused, less about as to why than how it was done. As a result, the PoV character felt gimmicky, even if I get why Weisman did it--the limitations of a focused third-person narrative (say, Rain only) would have kept readers uninformed about what else was happening. It appears that there's a bigger picture than what Rain understands about her grandfather and the bracelet he gave her.

There are other people who are aware of her bracelet's magical properties and will do what they can to get it. Fortunately, Rain has unknown allies with special abilities of their own: the local bum Maq whose ability to see the future makes him less aware of the present, which makes him seem a little crazy; and Opie (our narrator) whose awareness of present events isn't limited to what he can physically see, which is why he knows everything Rain, Charlie, and others are feeling and what they're doing at any given moment. Even knowing this, the narrative style was confusing--awkward switches between the heads of several characters was difficult to follow. I almost gave the book a "mediocre" rating because of the narrative style, but I think younger readers will be more flexible and will enjoy the novel despite this issue.

RAIN OF THE GHOSTS is a quick, fun read, with realism and fantastical elements woven together in satisfying ways.  Even if the wrap-up left a lot of open questions, the ending was still exciting.

Recommended Age: Most likely 10+ interest level; 8+ for content
Language: None
Violence: Mild
Sex: None

Find this start to a new series here:

RAIN OF THE GHOSTS

Atticus and Granuille are in trouble. Of course. But the stakes are higher than usual. The Norse god of mischief, Loki, is on the loose and needs to kill Atticus before he can start the Apocalypse. At the same time our favorite Druids are being tracked by the goddesses of the hunt themselves--Artemis and Diana--in retaliation for giving Dionysus grief in TRAPPED. The only safe place for them is in the world of the Tuatha De Danann, but the only way they can get there is to find a gateway on English soil, and they must run fast across Europe if they want to live.

Hearne's prose is a delight to read. His metaphors are clever and hilarious, and he tells the story with enough detail to help readers understand what's going on, all without cluttering the narrative. The previous books are told from Atticus' PoV, but in HUNTED we get some of Granuille's PoV--also in first person. Atticus' narration continues as entertaining and insightful as in previous books; and surprises even himself that after living 2100+ years he still has a few things to learn. Granuille's prose style threw me off, it felt too old-fashioned for a 21st Century chick, but having her viewpoint was important to the story.

I like Atticus and Granuille. And I also found the various gods and mythological creatures as entertaining as the main characters. Hearne portrays the gods with all their unique quirks and specific abilities, and how that would affect behavior. I find particularly fascinating the way he portrays the Morrigan and her relationship with Atticus, how her powers are limited to who and what she is. Oberon, Atticus' wolfhound pet, continues to play the role as the comic relief, even if it often feels repetitive.

HUNTED is mostly a transitional story as clues to the big picture are discovered and loose ends are tied up before the Big Event coming in following books. However, that doesn't mean this book needlessly suffers from middle book syndrome. The hunt is exciting, the roadblocks interesting and grounded in events that happened in previous books. The ending is important and big and messy and awesome.

Here we see what Atticus can really do, and the difference between druid-newb Granuille and her arch-druid is staggering--there's a long way for Granuille to go before she has Atticus' skill with magic, knowledge of his surroundings, and even understanding his own limitations. But she's smart enough to know that there's still lots to learn, and has the determination to do it--she only has to live through all the problems Atticus seems to attract.

A while back I read and reviewed Hearne's debut novelHOUNDED (EBR review). His Iron Druid Chronicles (of which there are 6 books so far) has gotten mixed reviews--more favorable than not, but still some people are bothered by Hearne's style and the way he tells the story. Because it's not perfect. Or the way they would write it. Or whatever.

I say take this series at face value: as entertaining and imaginative. Sure it could be more serious or more strict with the mythology. And maybe you have trouble with the main character's age yet relative immaturity. If so then maybe this series would be a waste of your time. That's ok, there are plenty of other people who will enjoy Hearne's storytelling.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: A handful or two
Violence: A fair amount, and sometimes detailed and unpleasant
Sex: Referenced fairly frequently, sometimes crass (and deserving of an eye-roll)

Find these books here:

HOUNDED
HEXED
HAMMERED
TRICKED (I particularly enjoyed this one where the Native American god Coyote recruits Atticus for a job on the reservation.)
TRAPPED
HUNTED

Note: At the end of book six HUNTED the publishers include Hearne's novella "Two Ravens and One Crow" which should be read before reading book five TRAPPED. It's not mandatory, but it helps with plot issues that would otherwise annoy.

It's Risa Jones' fault that the first key to the portal of hell was found and used, and why dark energies are beginning to leach into the world. OK, maybe it's not all her fault, but she's convinced that none of it would have happened without her interference. Or her existence.

Guilt, however, doesn't stop her from continuing her search for the second key with the hopes of keeping it out of the wrong hands. But it seems everyone has their eye on her and are always trying to pull her strings. Such as the vampire council leader Madeline Hunter who makes her investigate the gruesome death of a vampire whose insides were sucked out completely, leaving only a dried-out shell.

At her side is her Aedh protector Azriel, a dark angel and reaper of spirits, who has lately become more to her than merely a bodyguard. Together they sprint around Melbourne, trying to find the husk-leaving demon and the key at the same time. But Risa is young and relatively uneducated in a world filled with old priests, angels, vampires, and demons--how is she going to stay one step ahead of everyone who wants the key?

DARKNESS UNMASKED is the fifth book in Keri Arthur's Dark Angels series, which is a spin-off from her popular Riley Jensen Guardian series. She's written plenty of novels and you can tell that she hammered this one out pretty fast (and that in their haste the editor missed a few errors)--but that doesn't mean it wasn't a fun novel. Imperfect, but still popcorn-type fun, nonetheless. Arthur has built up a storyline that's been woven clear from book one and is reaching a feverish pitch with the most recent installment.

Risa is our first-person PoV narrator. She's got a little bit of a potty mouth but she has a big attitude. For her benefit there's her demon-sword Amaya, a few magical skills of her own, and plenty of friends who can help out with things she can't do. Plus there's the handsome Azriel to keep her alive so she can finish her quest without having to become a martyr. Without all this to back her up, Risa wouldn't have made it as far as she has. But unfortunately, being who he is can cause trouble for her friends, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. She's a fun character to read, not overly emo, or unrealistically kick-butt. The side-characters are interesting in their own right if light on the characterization because the story is so lop-sidedly Risa's.

Arthur tells the story at a breakneck pace--sometimes moving so fast from scene to scene that I barely had time to get my bearings then, wham, the action and Risa and Azriel have whisked off to the next scene of mayhem. While the sequence of events mostly made sense, this breakneck movement and tossing around of seemingly random information was hard for me to track, clear up to the exciting ending. I wonder if maybe this is what ADD feels like.

The setting in Australia is fun for me because most Urban Fantasy I read is set in the U.S. Arthur is obviously familiar with the location and it shows with Risa's movements around the city, its architecture, and the people who live there. The world of magic, shape-shifters, demons, spirits, witches, sorcerers, and other magical creatures all move around Arthur's imaginative world with a unique style. It's rather exciting to explore and experience. Sometimes I'm not clear on what everyone can do magically, which can be frustrating, because I need to understand the limitations Risa is trying to work around. Still, it's creative.

We get a few revelations (some seemed kinda 'duh' moments for me, but whatever) and things change for Risa as she grows more confident in her own abilities. DARKNESS UNMASKED is a great setup for what promises to be the following and final two novels in the series.

Recommended Age: 18+
Language: Yes, quite a bit actually
Violence: Scattered and moderately gory
Sex: Frequent scenes with detail, and otherwise plenty of innuendo

Find this book here:

DARKNESS UNMASKED

DJ Jaco, the sentinel for New Orleans, has proven her mettle. In ROYAL STREET (EBR review), Hurricane Katrina changed boundaries with the Beyond, flooding the area with preternaturals, her mentor disappearing in the chaos. In RIVER ROAD (EBR review) she solves a wizard's murder and settles a mer feud. Now in ELYSIAN FIELDS it appears that one of the historic undead has emerged from the Beyond to continue what he started in 1918...as a serial killer.

But an undead serial killer isn't the extent of her problems. Her friendship with newly turned loup-garou Jake is on the rocks and now her best friend Eugenie's boyfriend Rand is making googly-eyes at DJ. Nothing seems to be going right...well, except that her relationship with Alex is heating up.

I enjoy DJ's narration as she flails around, attempting to give the impression that she knows what she's doing. She gets herself into all sorts of trouble--sometimes it's her fault, but most of the time it isn't. Her elven blood means that she has the attention of the Elf lords, which isn't necessarily a good thing. The Elders send a wizard to give DJ elven magic lessons, but he's a jerk. And no matter what she does, her problems only seem to get worse.

ELYSIAN FIELDS has a larger cast than previous books, but fortunately we're familiar with enough of the regulars that we don't get too overwhelmed. The good news is that the added variables notch up the excitement; the bad news is that someone trying to jump into the series starting with this book will get lost as a result of all the people involved. Fortunately, readers will be carried along in Johnson's exciting pace up until the end, so if they just go with the flow, things work themselves out.

We learned more about DJ's magic and how the world around her works in previous books; we do get to learn a little about Elves, but not a whole lot. Here it's the politics of preternatural relations that drive the story more than the setting or DJ herself. And since it's politics, the story felt a little convoluted as DJ discovered motives and those involved. I liked the previous books better because they were about the different preternaturals and DJ's magic. But I get the feeling this is a set up for something bigger, and I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens next.

Recommended Age: 15+
Language: Less than a handful
Violence: A couple of scenes
Sex: Innuendo and one on-screen scene

Find this awesome series here:

ROYAL STREET

RIVER ROAD

ELYSIAN FIELDS

Luna Masterson can see demons. Unfortunately most other folks can't, so she's concerned that everyone thinks she's crazy. Like her brother, Seth, who is patiently skeptical. She lives with him and her one-year-old niece so she can help out after his wife abandons them. Luna does her best to not shake things up so she can be there for her family.

Until she meets Reed Taylor, who talks to something that people can't see...only it's not a demon (yep, it turns out that angels do exist!). Luna and Reed's mutual interest is apparent from the start, and he asks her out. But in true Luna style she messes up their first date; of course, she can blame the demons for that one.

The fight with the demon turns out to be game changing because it "marks" her, which is like sticking a homing beacon on her, only she can't get rid of it. Now every demon she happens across has it out for her, and she begins to realize that there's a reason the stakes have changed, and she knows she needs to find out why or else her very soul is at risk.

NAMELESS is the first book in a new Urban Fantasy series called The Bone Angel Trilogy by Mercedes M. Yardley. The story is told from Luna's funny (seriously, I lol'd) and witty first-person PoV. It's her narrative that carries the story as she tries to figure out not only what's going on, but also her place in a world where demons influence people, but 99.9% of the population doesn't see any of it or even believe it's happening. She hasn't quite figured out her role in all of this--it doesn't help that she's inherited this ability from a father who never really understood his purpose, either.

And therein lies the rub. She doesn't know why she sees demons. She can do some sort of thing that protects a house from them, but we never learn how. Does this mean she has magic? Or is it as simple as pouring salt around the foundation? She can beat up the demons, but I'm not sure how she can (she uses her fists, knives, and general cat-like fury), or even what happens to them when she's successful. Demons talk to her, and most want to possess her, while others sort of float around, and yet others want to "help"--which pretty much only involves warning her that bad things are going to happen. She doesn't seem much interested in solving her lack of education in all things demon. There are the beginnings of world-building--demon hierarchy, demons can only come in a house when invited, etc--but it falls flat because so much is left unexplained. The concept for the book is there, but the story still felt full of holes, like it's a glorified outline without the detail to give it depth and interest.

The plot is a simple one that moves forward in a straightforward and predictable fashion clear up to the end. The pacing and flow suffers from the occasional hiccup in scene movement and jumps in time--the short, choppy chapters don't help this problem. The novel reads more like an introduction to Luna and her relationship with Reed than a set-up to a trilogy. I'm not clear what Yardley was trying to accomplish with this first book, but since the book read fast and I enjoyed Luna's voice, I'm willing to try book two and see where the story goes.

Recommended Age: 14+
Language: A handful
Violence: A fair amount of blood and other unpleasant imagery
Sex: A reference to an affair but without detail

Find this book here:

NAMELESS

I found A SHADE OF VAMPIRE thanks to Amazon recommendations, it had over 600 five-star ratings, and it was a mere $.99 for Kindle. I was kinda excited to find something new.

It was a trap.

Our main POV first-person narrators are Sofia and Derek. Sofia is our red-haired, green-eyed young woman vacationing with a friend's family when she's abducted on the night of her 17th birthday. Derek is the 500 year old vampire prince just woken from a four century slumber and given his own harem of beautiful human women, of whom Sofia is included.

If I could go deeper into plot and character, I would. If I could. A SHADE OF VAMPIRE is exactly what it sounds like: an unimaginative wish fulfillment fantasy with amateur prose and trite dialogue. The story is predictable simply because there isn't anything more to it than what I mentioned above.

So Derek and Sofia are thrown together and for some unknown reason they intrigue each other. No reason, really. Even though we do get a lot of sappy contrived interactions between them. Sofia doesn't seem afraid for her life, even if she does make a token escape attempt. She adjusts to her new role as slave pretty easily.

Derek doesn't seem like a vampire other than he craves blood and is strong, which makes the vampire culture really bland. Why is Derek a vampire prince? Because of some vaguely explained thing he did five hundred years ago. So who's been in charge for the 400 years he's been asleep? Why does Derek not seem to have an occupation although they talk about getting rid of those pesky hunters? And why are vampires holding so much stock in a prophecy? (Why do fantasy writers still use such contrived methods to create tension?) I don't know.

They spend the book at this vampire sanctuary Derek's family built while he was sleeping. It's some island (no idea where) with beautiful forests, and because of a witch it exists in perpetual night. How do the trees stay living after 400 years of perpetual night? Why would vampires feel the need to build penthouse apartments in redwood and sequoia trees? Why mention that there are no ladders/stairs to the penthouses but Sofia can get to the ground somehow? Why end it with a confusing cliffhanger? I don't know.

Why are there no answers to these questions? Because I don't think the author knows the answers to them, either. The prose is amateurish, the dialogue is expositional yet tells me nothing, the descriptions are ham-handed and lack originality. If anything, A SHADE OF VAMPIRE is a warning lesson to all you wannabe authors out there: please, no more novels like this to waste my time.

Recommended Age: Um, I suppose it's aimed at a teenage audience who are fans of TWILIGHT, but you don't want your kids rotting their brains by reading this drek
Language: None
Violence: So lame it's a comedy
Sex: Referenced

Find it here to provide warning material for members of your writing group:

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE

Six hours. Six. That'd be how long it took me to devour this book once I finally got my hands on it. Started at 10:30pm, and by the time I finished my wife was considerably less than pleased with me, but DANG was it worth the ride. Now what to do with myself though, with no obtainable news about when the next one is coming out? Eek! No, no. Double eek!

GRAVEYARD CHILD is the fifth of a planned ten-book urban fantasy series by M.L.N. Hanover, pseudonym for the very prolific author Daniel Abraham. With the end of this book being the halfway-point of the series, I was expecting some awesome goodness. I mean, I'm used to Mr. Abraham delivering, but it was time for some big guns. And yes, they were there.

At this stage of the series, it's very difficult to write a good review of the entry without including spoilers for previous books (read EBR's review of book four KILLING RITES here). So, if you haven't read anything in this series yet, stop reading now, visit the bottom of this page for links, buy several copies for you and your friends, and by that point you'll probably know exactly what to do next. If not, here's a very cryptic clue: buy the next in the series, read, buy, read, etc. until you get...here!

As for the rest of you...

At the end of the last book, Jayne Heller has finally come to the conclusion that she has to turn back to the place where she never wanted to go again. She has to go home. It takes very little time at all for Hanover to get things moving. From head butting with her VERY religious father, to the return of the Invisible College, to the introduction of the Graveyard Child itself, this story runs from one surprise to the next and takes a couple loops besides.  Honestly, I didn't expect it to get so crazy so fast.  I expected lots of conflict with the dad, based on the building Hanover has done over the past four books. What I wasn't ready for was another complete upheaval of the story and how the characters, and thus we the readers, understand everything there is to know about their world. There were reveals in this book that had been set up in early scenes of the very first book, UNCLEAN SPIRITS. Great job of planning and execution in my mind. So good.

Hanover does two things really well in his writing, and they shine again in this book. The first is to create very real characters. They're flawed.  In many ways, they're failures, and he portrays them and their concerns and worries and heartache in a very direct and sympathetic way.  The second thing he does well is relay a large amount of information with as few words as possible. You won't find any mellifluous constructions of pontification in this book. No frilly frills. No lengthy filler. It's straight. It's lean. And yet it relays so much.

All of the books in this series have felt to me like they contain some of the highest story-density of any books I've ever read. They're short.  Did I mention how little time it took me to burn through it? And yet when I was done, it felt like I had read a much larger book. Like I got more story than I should have, given the size of the book. Just used to authors that meander a little more, I guess.

The one that thing that this book didn't have, that most of the other has had, is a definite direction for where it was going next. There are a few doors that have opened with regard to the Daughter of the Black Sun and the source of Jayne's fortune, but the characters aren't being driven in any single direction like they have before. Maybe that's a kind of a little breath of relief after the craziness of the events they just went through, but it almost feels like that sensation of reaching the top of an arc, right before the descent begins and your stomach drops down into your toes.

Can't wait for the next installment. No word about it yet that I've been able to find, but I'll definitely be ready when it gets here. Black Sun's daughter is a great spin on urban fantasy, with strong characters, and a roller-coaster story line that'll keep you guessing and wanting for more.

Recommended Age: 15+
Language: Fairly tame, but gets strong in a couple places
Violence: Doesn't get very gory but there is quite a bit of intense violence and threat of violence here
Sex: Mentioned a few times, unmarried girl is pregnant, not much besides that

Here's links to 'em all:

UNCLEAN SPIRITS
DARKER ANGELS
VICIOUS GRACE
KILLING RITES
GRAVEYARD CHILD

In SILVER (EBR review), we were introduced to the werewolves Andrew and Silver. Now that they've recovered from their injuries, they're beginning to think about the future. Unfortunately, the future doesn't always go according to plan.

Coming up is the werewolf Convocation in the neutral territory of Arizona. Weres from other packs think Andrew should return to the East Coast and challenge the Roanoke alpha. It's something Andrew wouldn't have considered before meeting Silver, but the current alpha is weak and leadership needs to change. His biggest concern, however, is Silver, who may be dominant, but as a result from events in book one has lost her ability to shift. Should her condition change Andrew's decision?

As in the first book, SILVER, Rhiannon Held's story revolves around the culture of werewolves, their hierarchies, and behaviors. It's about werewolves and how they interact with each other and the world around them. Sometimes I didn't quite follow the logic of it, but that's more my opinion on how werewolf culture should work and not an inadequacy in Held's writing.

TARNISHED's story flows from events caused by the characters and the natural consequences of the choices they make. I like how the set-up was straightforward, but Held unfolds the action in an unpredictable way. The story moves forward at a steady pace and is never boring, the succinct prose easy to read.

Told from Silver and Andrew's PoV, Held adds a third PoV character, Susan, the human lover of the Seattle pack's alpha. Susan struggles to understand the alien culture of the man she loves as well as their young child. Silver is dominant, but having lost her ability to shift makes her question her ability to be alpha alongside her mate. And Andrew wants to do the right thing, but is still figuring out what that is. Susan's PoV is a nice addiction and Andrew is likable, but as in SILVER the real star of the show is Silver herself. She can still see and interact with Death, and while she is sometimes lost in her own little world, she has a keen ability to observe and understand the people around her. I also like the chemistry between Andrew and Silver.

So far it's a very readable series that feels different from other werewolf fiction out there. It would be a great series for older teens to start out their Urban Fantasy journey.

Recommended Age: 15+
Language: A few dozen instances
Violence: Some
Sex: Referenced, implied

Find this series here:

SILVER

TARNISHED

After the exciting events of KITTY STEALS THE SHOW (EBR review), Kitty returns home to Denver to get down to the serious business of building a strong base of allies in the war against the vampire Roman and his plan to change the status of vampires among humans.

But even the best-laid plans seem to go awry. The local vampire master Rick--her #1 ally--is approached by a secret sect of Catholic vampire crusaders and contemplates leaving Denver. A new pack member is causing trouble in the ranks. Cormac/Amelia seem determined to be a thorn in Kitty's side in the name of "helping." And even Kitty's own dysfunctional family demand her time and attention. How is she supposed to defeat Roman if she can't even keep her own life under control?

The eleventh book in Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series, KITTY ROCKS THE HOUSE is a continuation of the buildup from the revelation of Kitty's plan to bring down Roman in KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE (EBR review). As a result of it being buildup this particular episode feels like filler, and even though its multiple plot threads resolve, the book felt too short. I want to get to the meat of the overarching conflict with Roman and didn't see the point of these seeming side-stories. I guess we'll have to see if they're relevant in book twelve.

At this point in the series I'd also have liked to see Kitty be more assertive in her role as pack alpha. In some ways she does show this, but it's inconsistent and she seems whiny. There also isn't enough fallout from Cormac's brash and destructive actions, and Rick seemed more wishy-washy than usual. All these issues made the plot feel forced, which was too bad because the pacing was great. Fortunately Kitty and Ben's relationship is as good as usual and we got to see more of pack dynamics.

A mediocre addition to the series, KITTY ROCKS THE HOUSE really just paves the way for what's coming. It doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the series, but I'm getting impatient for what's coming.

Recommended Age: 14+
Language: Less than five instances
Violence: Some blood and fighting, but minor
Sex: Implied

Find this book here:

KITTY ROCKS THE HOUSE

Bryn is addicted to a drug that keeps her alive. Being tested for military purposes, Returné contains nanites that keep a body from decomposing even after it's been killed. Bryn is, in essence, a drug-induced zombie. Now, in TERMINATED Bryn will do anything to stop the Fountain Group from seeing its nefarious goals come to fruition: eliminating the addicted test subjects and selling the upgraded drug to the highest bidders.

There are good and bad things about being indestructible. For one, when you're being hunted down by assassins (lead by the also upgraded Jane, Bryn's boyfriend Patrick's ex-wife) you have a better chance of survival, even if you get blown up or shot you still come back in as good of shape as before. The bad thing is that being blown up or shot is traumatic in itself and when you return you remember every detail in all its excruciating pain. That changes a person and even though Bryn tries not to change, she sees parts of herself in the monstrous Jane.

Fortunately Bryn has Patrick, and her friends Joe, Riley, Pansy, and her sister Annie. Together they may be just enough to stop the Fountain Group. The pitfall of only having read this book and not the previous ones is that while these characters were interesting, I didn't get the depth necessary to feel connected to them. The only person I really got to know was Bryn, the PoV character. She feels the urgency to survive and stop the Fountain Group, but it means doing what's needed to anyone who gets in her way, and sometimes it's violent and innocent people get hurt. Caine does a good job portraying Bryn's struggle with what needs to be done and trying to keep from becoming Jane.

The story moves very quickly. Bryn and her friends have to cover a lot of ground in order to find the key players of the Fountain Group. They trek across the country, cover thousands of miles, dodge assassins, hide out from missile-carrying drones...it all gets pretty exhausting, there isn't much downtime. I think perhaps that while the breakneck pace is a reality of the situation, it also hides a bigger problem: key plot events are contrived. It felt like a typical 'running from the bad guys' thriller without seeing the bad guys face to face or what they're really capable of, with the necessary back story thrown in to explain away twists in the plot. It was frustrating.

Still, Caine's prose is clean and straightforward and she provides an exciting and satisfying resolution. The series might be fun on a weekend when you need some mindless popcorn entertainment.

Recommended Age: 17+
Language: A few dozen instances scattered throughout
Violence: Lots of fighting, death, and blood
Sex: One scene with detail, rape referenced

Find this series here:

WORKING STIFF

TWO WEEKS' NOTICE

TERMINATED

Charley Davidson is the grim reaper--but it's not like you think. She's more a portal to heaven than someone who actively reaps souls. But she's still mortal, and a girl's gotta have a day job. Hers is as a private detective in New Mexico, with her dad as a business partner and her best friend Cookie as the receptionist.

The third book of the series, THIRD GRAVE DEAD AHEAD, Charley works to solve the mystery of a doctor's missing wife, a man who faked his own murder, and even a few other side jobs. Charley is not above using her otherworldly abilities to give her advantages a regular detective wouldn't have. It doesn't hurt that she can see and communicate with ghosts, or that her Uncle Bob is still a detective with the local police, or that she's made friends with a FBI agent on the missing woman's case.

The real mystery here, however, is how to solve the problem of Reyes--the handsome son of Satan (yes, that Satan) in mortal form. He resents Charley's binding him to his corporeal form, which has the unfortunate result of forcing him to come when she calls, even if it's subconsciously. Right now it always seems to be when she's asleep, so Charley has decided to not sleep again. Ever. Of course.

Charley is a smart-aleck, fast-talking, coffee-chugging woman who doesn't understand why the men in her life can't seem to trust her to take care of herself when she's perfectly capable of doing just that. It can't be all those horrible situations she seems to get into, the ones that almost kill her. They happen to be the natural consequence of her job as a PI, that's all. The secondary characters are a quirky and memorable lot, easy to like, with the villains just as easy to loathe. I liked Charley from the start; but while Reyes is an important character I had a hard time really getting to know him. Alas the pitfalls of first person PoV.

Darynda Jones cannot only tell a great mystery (well...multiple mysteries as Charley goes mad dash through New Mexico towns looking for clues), but she does it through the hilarious narrative of a wise-cracking woman who uses humor to keep herself from getting bogged down by all the horrible things she sees. Seriously, these dialogue sequences can't be for real, but they were so funny I had tears in my eyes from laughing by page 10. Either that or after 10+ hours of flying in one day (with 4 more to go) I had become slightly hysterical--it was exactly the kind of book I needed by that point.

During Charley's travels to talk to people and glean information I got a decent feel for where she lived and worked. Jones adds fun details about the people and places that really make Charley's surroundings come to life. There are other things that weren't so clear, like why is she the grim reaper and how does this 'portal to heaven' thing work? And the solution to unbinding Reyes...duh? But maybe Jones is saving those for the sequel, or else I missed them from the first two books, which I haven't read.

By the end I was fully invested in Charley's story and the people she was trying to help. And I had fun in the process.

Recommended Age: 18+ for sexual content
Language: Yes
Violence: Mostly peril with a bloody torture scene and references to sexual abuse
Sex: The first few chapters are pretty steamy with detailed scenes; the rest is mostly innuendo

Find out about this hilarious series here:

FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT
SECOND GRAVE ON THE LEFT
THIRD GRAVE DEAD AHEAD
FOURTH GRAVE BENEATH MY FEET

As the enforcer for the Roanoke werewolf packs, Andrew keeps the area safe from lone wolves invading their territory. But there's something wrong with the strange lone he's hunting at the opening of SILVER. She only runs in human form, she runs seemingly directionless, and she smells sick with silver. When he catches up with her, Andrew doesn't find what he's expecting: instead of a lone who needs expulsion from pack lands, he finds a woman who needs protection.

Suddenly Andrew finds himself on a mission to hunt the monster who hurt the woman who calls herself Silver. The monster killed her entire pack, and Andrew wants to keep that from happening again.

Despite being a debut novel, SILVER by Rhiannon Held, holds its own in the Urban Fantasy genre by twisting a usually standard plot into something that feels new. She starts the story at a sprint and maintains a great pace throughout, leaving enough time for us to get to know the people and the Were culture.

Andrew and Silver are the PoV characters. Andrew is your typical dominant werewolf with anger management issues and a dead wife (not his fault but he feels guilty). It's Silver who's interesting and Held tells her PoV with style. You see, she's been injected with silver, and it's made her a little crazy. She sees Death in wolf form and talks to him and he talks back; she can't find her 'wild self'; and is fleeing to escape a monster who's following her. She doesn't make sense to Andrew...at first.

The fun thing about SILVER is how Held explores Were pack hierarchy--well, in her own world, anyway. I've read enough werewolf books to see different takes on how it would work, but Held tries to show the nuances of dominance vs leadership. Sometimes I was confused at how she chose to show how pack structure works, but it's still a good study, nonetheless. There are some vague hints at the difference in the U.S. vs European were packs, as well as how packs operate in relation to each other and regarding new wolves. We don't see much of the magic of werewolves, if there is any (one of the things I like about Patricia Briggs' two werewolf series are her details of how the magic works).

There are a few blips in the plot and there are some contrivances, but Held carries you along so they aren't particularly distracting. And she doesn't disappoint, because by the end she brings together all the plot threads to a satisfying conclusion.

Recommended Age: 16+ for themes
Language: Maybe a dozen total instances
Violence: Not a lot, but it can get bloody; torture is referenced
Sex: Implied

Find this book here:

SILVER

The title of the book says it all: HOME IMPROVEMENT: UNDEAD EDITION is an anthology of stories with home improvement themes and the undead. All of them are smart, well-written, and unique. Enjoy!

"If I Had a Hammer" by Charlaine Harris is a Sookie Stackhouse story where Tara and JD have bought their first house. During demolition of a wall they find a hammer with old blood on it and discover they've released a malevolent spirit in the process. It's a fun short in the usual Sookie style.

"Wizard Home Security" by Victor Gischler is about a wizard named Broahm who was recently robbed of the expensive supplies of his trade. Convinced by the excellent salesman from Wizard Home Security that he needs an expensive security system, Broahm still finds himself unprepared for a burglary repeat. While clever, it wasn't my favorite of the bunch.

"Gray" by Patricia Briggs is about vampire Elyna, turned in the 1920s during prohibition Chicago, and has spent the last 90 year biding her time until she can leave her seethe and move back to the condo she once owned with her husband--who now seems to be haunting the place. I love Briggs' novel-length work, and this new character was complicated and interesting.

"Squatters' Rights" by Rochelle Krich is about newlywed Joe and Eve who bought a fixer-upper in expensive LA, unable to afford something better with their modest incomes. But the first night they're there Eve hears scratching in the walls, and the result is a deterioration of her sanity. It weaves in Jewish mythology with a woman's insecurities. Dark and disturbing.

"Blood on the Wall" by Heather Graham is about detective DeFeo Montville who is on the case of gruesome killings blamed on a local Satanic cult. This story goes in twisted directions and ends a little goofy, but is otherwise engaging.

"The Mansion of Imperatives" by James Grady is another dark one about a sentient house trying to find a new caretaker. I'm not really clear on the purpose of the sequence of events, but it was properly terrifying.

"The Strength Inside" by Melissa Marr is about Bori (feral shape-shifters) sisters Chastity and Alison are trying to create a sanctuary for others like them who need to learn to integrate into human society. But in order to make their home a haven, their remodeling plans require the approval of an uptight homeowner's association president. Despite trying to appear human, they aren't above using traditional problem-solving methods.

"Woolsley's Kitchen Nightmare" by E.E. Knight is one of the most original stories of the book, taking Urban Fantasy in an unlikely direction with PoV character the noted chef for the undead, Woolsley. After years of running restaurants, he takes his show on the road as a consultant, and the current job takes him to rural Wisconsin with, of all things, a human owner. Unfortunately said owner doesn't quite get what it means to feed the undead--with disastrous results. At the same time funny and macabre, this short was very entertaining.

"Through This House" by Seanen McGuire (aka Mira Grant) is about changeling (half human/half elf) October Daye's unexpected inheritance of an Elven knowe (aka faerie hill). First she has to figure out how to get inside, then she can deal with the mess left behind. Assuming the house will let her stay. This short is part of a longer series and it feels like it, jumping in with both feet with developed characters and relationships. The solution felt a little obvious, but it was still a decent story.

"The Path" by S.J. Rozan is a more sideways take on the anthology's topic, with the ghost of a hermit monk unable to reincarnate in order to protect the Buddha statue and guardians of the cave. The most sedate story of the bunch it was a nice departure from the others with a smooth narration. While interesting, the ending felt contrived.

"Rick the Brave" by Stacia Kane is about down on his luck Rick, who takes a construction job without knowing the details beforehand. Unfortunately it turns out to be dangerous, but somehow the Rick finds a courage he didn't know he had. It was a safely middle-of-the-road kind of story with a few quirks, but otherwise safe UF territory.

"Full-Scale Demolition" by Suzanne McLeod is about Genny, whose business rounds up stray pixies in the London area--they can be destructive when left to roam free. A recently married heiress needs Genny to solve a pixie problem at her house, but neglects to tell her the whole story. I liked the twists, as well as Genny's backup, the kelpie Tavish and their interaction.

"It's All in the Rendering" by Simon R. Green is told with Green's typical tongue-in-cheek style and campy humor. Peter and Jubilee are blissful newlyweds who are in charge of the House, a refuge for human and fae alike in need, for any reason, a haven to get away from what ails them. One day, unexpectedly, inspectors from the human and the elf sides appear to tell them that their caring for the house is substandard, which causes all sorts of panic. The solution is a little flat, but it's still funny enough.

"The Brightest Day" by Toni L.P. Kelner is about Dodie Kilburn. She's a houngan and she raises the dead for a living. Yes, she uses voudou magic to make zombies. When Gottfried dies without finishing his last architectural masterpiece, his associates pay for Dodie to raise him from the dead to finish the job. Things, of course, keep going wrong. I enjoyed this mystery that seems to baffle Dodie, as well as the side-issue of the houngan elders who question her business practices.

Recommended Age: I'd say adults would be most interested in this, although the intrepid teen might like it, but beware of "The Mansion of Imperatives" for sexual content.
Language: Hardly any throughout.
Violence: Some blood and gore, but mostly with "Woolsely's" and "Blood on the Wall."
Sex: "The Mansion of Imperatives" has a scene, while various others reference only.

Find this anthology here:

HOME IMPROVEMENT: UNDEAD EDITION

While I will admit that I am not a huge fan of Tad Williams' work, I have always respected his writing ability. It's just that his stories never really pulled me in (with the exception of THE WAR OF THE FLOWERS, which I quite liked). That said, a few years ago I read an Urban Fantasy/Horror short story of his in the anthology THE NEW DEAD (read the review here). I was completely blown away by the awesomeness of it and thought, "Geez...I really hope we get some Urban Fantasy novels from Tad Williams..."

My wish was granted.

THE DIRTY STREETS OF HEAVEN is the first in a series of novels from Tad Williams. It follows Bobby Dollar, an actual angel that serves as an advocate for the souls of the departed. He pleads for their admittance into Heaven while his demonic counterparts work towards a Hellbound journey. It's a very simple ideas executed wonderfully.

The story starts when Bobby shows up to advocate for the soul of an unimportant individual, and finds that the soul is missing. Suddenly the unimportant soul becomes the most important on everyone's list--both Heaven's and Hell's.

The story is told in First Person as is typical in Urban Fantasy, and it definitely has a distinct Jim Butcher/Harry Dresden vibe to it. Lots of snark and lost of attitude. While I could honestly do with a bit more seriousness in Urban Fantasy, I do appreciate when an author can make me laugh with his PoV character. There are the expected "It's a Wonderful Life" jokes, and all sorts of well-timed puns. Honestly, Bobby Dollar just ended up being a really fun character to experience the story with.

The side characters are a lot less fleshed out, but fine on the whole. Predictably we have the drop-dead-gorgeous minion of Hell, the Countess of Cold Hands. It took most of the novel, but I did come to like her. Bobby hangs out with a group of other angels which, in essence, kinda make up one giant side character--they just don't become individuals like they should, with three exceptions. Now, I'm leaving most of them vague because if I delve into them too much I'll end up spoiling some plot points.

The writing is great. The pacing and prose keep everything moving along rapidly from one misadventure to the next. The action is fun, and I loved the interaction that Bobby Dollar has with the hordes of Hell.

So let me circle back around to my Jim Butcher comparison. This novel is a lot like the first two (maybe three) Dresden Files novels. Good, fun novels, but lacking the impact--that "whoa...this is crazy awesome" vibe--that really makes me want to fist-pump in the air. Where Jim Butcher's novel really started becoming awesome was around books four and five, I think Williams' Bobby Dollar novels could easily take that step with book two simply because Williams is already a great writer. There is so much potential here for the fun Urban Fantasy series Williams' really is gunning for. Yeah...I definitely think that the next book is the one that makes the series completely awesome.

THE DIRTY STREETS OF HEAVEN is a terrific first book for an Urban Fantasy series. Tad Williams energizes the humor and adventure into life and death and Heaven and Hell in a way that has me extremely excited for the next installment. Williams has completely won me over.


Recommended Age: 17+
Profanity: Tons. I can see how it would overly offend some people because it is the angels being profane and sometimes sacrilegious.
Violence: Quite a bit, and very well done.
Sex: One extended, detailed scene followed by some less explicit ones.

Grab this book. It is worth it to anyone who likes Urban Fantasy. Here's your link:

THE DIRTY STREETS OF HEAVEN

I love this series. I will not apologize for the gushing. You male types are probably rolling your eyes. Well your loss then.

In the seventh installment of the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, FROST BURNED, we start out with Mercy and newly minted step-daughter Jesse out for some early morning Black Friday shopping. It should have been an ordinary day, the kind of normal day Mercy has been craving since she moved to the Tri-Cities and met the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, Adam Hauptman.

Instead, while Mercy and Jesse are out, the entire pack is kidnapped.

Then we're carried along as Mercy tries to make sure those who weren't kidnapped are safe, particularly the non-weres' loved ones. This includes Kyle, the divorce lawyer partner for the pack's third in command, and a close friend of Mercy's. With the pack in trouble, she has to call in outside help--everyone and every favor she can muster in order to save those she loves.

The majority of the PoV is Mercy's first-person narrative. I love Mercy's voice and observations, she's smart and strong. But here Briggs also adds some PoV from Adam, whose side of the story is as important as Mercy's. As usual, Brigg's prose is easy-to-read and engaging. We do get to see more of half-Fae Tad, the son of Mercy's former boss, who is coming into his own powers (I hope we see more of him in the future). We also see more of Kyle, who before now has only gotten brief scenes. People come and go in the series, but Briggs doesn't let them stagnate, and makes sure readers become fully attached to even the secondary characters.

As we try to figure out the "Who" and the "Why" of the abduction, the story begins to get a little slippery. Some things are obvious, but there's more to it than at first glance, and Briggs gets a little convoluted (she does that sometimes) about who's really behind it and why. If you haven't read previous books, the revelations will mean nothing to you and will be confusing. This makes the climax feel random when it really isn't. But the story moves quickly and it's easy to gloss over the confusing bits and just enjoy the story clear to it exciting end.

Briggs has built an interesting magical world with its rules, but not a whole lot is added here to the setting itself. FROST BURNED is less about showing us something new than it is using what's gone before, everything Briggs has built, to solve a problem caused by making normal people aware of paranormals. The result is an excellent addition to an already fantastic series.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: Maybe three instances total?
Violence: Fairly frequent throughout, but without gore
Sex: Referenced

If you love Urban Fantasy and haven't been reading this series, seriously, what rock are you living under?

MOON CALLED

BLOOD BOUND

IRON KISSED

BONE CROSSED

SILVER BORNE

RIVER MARKED

FROST BURNED

WARBOUND is the third entry in New York Times Bestselling Author, Larry Correia's urban fantasy epic, Grimnoir Chronicles. Though Larry has suggested the possibility of future books set in the Grimnoirverse, WARBOUND wraps up the particular story arc began with HARD MAGIC (an all-time favorite of mine). This is the first time Larry has concluded a series, and so I greeted WARBOUND with much excitement and a degree of reservation. As Larry's fans are well aware, this man knows how to kick off a series with flair - but would he be able to end one in a similar fashion?

In short: well, duh! If you need continued convincing, read on. If not, you've probably had WARBOUND on pre-order for months now, and are just waiting for its release date in August to finally roll around.

Heavy Jake Sullivan is commanding a mission into Imperium territory, on the hunt for an alien from another dimension, aboard an experimental zeppelin, kept afloat with hydrogen, crewed by sky pirates, geared for war by John Moses Browning, and laden with Grimnoir Society knight wielding an array of abilities to rival the X-Men. Sally Faye Vierra, presumed dead, is searching Europe for a man capable of training her to be the Spellbound. With the threat of the Enemy looming ever nearer, Faye may be humanity's single hope for survival - or its ultimate demise. How's that for an elevator pitch?

Waiting a year for WARBOUND was almost unbearable (am I spoiled or what?) but it was sooo worth it. Having just come off a high from playing BIOSHOCK INFINITE, this served as the perfect chaser. Airships? Check. Magical powers? Check. Political problems? Check. Compelling characters? Check. Action? Check, checkity check check check.

WARBOUND has an incredibly diverse cast, populated with awesome characters (any one of which could carry a solo novel). We've got Jake Sullivan, reliable as gravity - the war hero turned convict, turned private investigator, turned knight of the Grimnoir Society. There's Sally Faye Vierra - the badass teleporting death machine with a cheery disposition. There's Iron Guard Toru, Pirate Bob the airship captain, wealthy industrialist Francis Stuyvesant, John Moses Browing, Pemberly Hammer - the Bureau of Investigation's human lie detector...the list goes on and on. Of the new characters Doctor Wells is easily a favorite. Jake recruits Wells, a sociopath inmate of Rockville Penitentiary, in order to outwit the Imperium and the Pathfinder. Wells channels his inner Hannibal Lecter, making a memorable supporting character.

What's great is that these aren't all typical action heroes. Many of them can slug it out all day, but there are scientists, doctors, diplomats, detectives, serial killers, and engineers present. The Enemy cannot be defeated solely by the force of arms - saving the world will take some finesse.

I will admit to being slightly disappointed that characters such as Francis, Dan, Pemberly, and Heinrich have smaller roles this go around. WARBOUND definitely belongs to Jake, Toru, and Faye. This isn't a major complaint as I love the relationship that develops between Jake and Toru, and Faye is...well, Faye. Honestly, it's impossible not to love Faye. The new characters do much to make up for the absence, but it's still noticeable. After all, I was redshirted by Heinrich in SPELLBOUND!

The Grimnoir Chronicles' alternate history has always been one of its greatest selling points. This is a world that would have carried on much like our own without the arrival of the Power. World War I was even more horrific with the addition of magical powers thrown into the mix, ending only with the firing of a Tesla super weapon. Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich never rose to power, but the Japanese Imperium did - guided by the dreaded Chairman. Despite the assassination of the Chairman in HARD MAGIC the Imperium is drawing closer to all out war with the West. In the United States the government moves to register the magical Actives in order to provide greater "security" for the nation. Semi-historical quotes set the opening of each chapter and historical figures like Raymond Chandler, Buckminster Fuller, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Moses Browning, and even Grigori Rasputin make appearances.

It's an extremely cool setting, featuring magically augmented technology that is vastly more impressive than anything you'll find in the Steampunk genre. The zeppelins of The Grimnoir Chronicles are remarkable (Jake's experimental airship has firepower just shy of a Great War heavy cruiser). There are robots and all manner of deadly cool toys. WARBOUND even features Power armor. Power armor!

"Magic was nice in a fight...but it never hurt to back it up with bullets."

With WARBOUND Correia takes urban fantasy into all out war. No other author I have ever encountered writes action quite like Larry. If you have ever wanted to read about a soldier and a samurai, each encased in Power enhanced armor, engaging legions of warrior-magicians with heavy firepower and explosive magic as an entire city devolves into chaos around them...well here you go! I love the magic system of The Grimnoir Chronicles. It's interesting and intricate, each ability has limitations and dangers. It's a system that evolves over the course of the series, almost as if it is given a character arc of its own.

Larry succeeds in bringing the series to a close while leaving room open for other novels set in the Grimnoirverse. The plot is full of victories and defeats, and I was personally impressed at the level of problem solving. This is a big action novel but it would be foolish to confuse it with a big dumb action novel. Becoming The One is much less about prophecy in the case of Faye, and much more about understanding the mechanics of the world surrounding her. Fighting the Enemy isn't about charging in guns blazing, so much as identifying the motivations and actions of its pawns. There's a really cool meta-moment involving the illustrations of Zachary Hill, peppered throughout the series. WARBOUND is a worthy sequel, a satisfying conclusion, and a reminder of Larry's storytelling prowess (not that one was even needed). I'm sad to see The Grimnoir Chronicles end (for now) but I'm excited, as always, to see what comes next for the King of Pulp, Larry Correia.

Recommended Age: 15+
Language: Some, not as much as, say, MONSTER HUNTER LEGION.
Violence: Erm, yeahhh. Faye is creatively violent, Jake can increase gravity to smoosh people, and Toru wields an 80 pound tetsubo.
Sex: Hinted at one point, but not in any sort of explicit manner.

Want it? Get it here.

Haven't read book one or two yet? Shame on you!
HARD MAGIC
SPELLBOUND