Elegantly beautiful and decadently smutty at the same time. Definitely one of my favorite books this year.
I generally don't like the meta story-within...moreElegantly beautiful and decadently smutty at the same time. Definitely one of my favorite books this year.
I generally don't like the meta story-within-story writer books, not at all. They always strike me as a writer being entirely too caught up in the process of writing. He/she is so caught up with writing a book that they can't write about anything but writing a book. Ugh. Spare me. Anyway, this story doesn't suffer from that. Honestly, this book is about more things than I can to get into right now. It's about love and loss and how they fit together, and about how sometimes giving up is the only thing you can do. I loved this book--deeply, wonderfully, passionately. (And the second book is actually better, if you can believe that! I loved this one so much I bought the follow-up and gobbled it up before even coming back here to write this review.)
Reisz's characters are evocative and memorable. It could be argued that they are all too physically perfect, perhaps, there is not an plain person among the main characters. I only noticed that in retrospect though, as I was too busy being swept up in their lives while I was reading.
Let me be clear. These books aren't for the faint of heart. They are deeply disturbing on a lot of levels. There's a lot of real pain here, especially when the histories of some of the characters starts to be revealed.
If you are at all squeamish about sexual kink, you probably want to give this one a pass, but you're missing out. ;)(less)
I picked The Emperor's Edge up free a few months ago and have been bouncing it back and forth on my to be read list since then. I'm so glad I decided...moreI picked The Emperor's Edge up free a few months ago and have been bouncing it back and forth on my to be read list since then. I'm so glad I decided to finally move it up to spot number one, because I enjoyed this story heaps. More than heaps, oodles even!
Amaranthe is a great main character. Strong without any baggage and willing to admit where she needs help, which is a quality most real women have, but most fictional do not. Her gang of misanthropes was a great source of laughs. Sicarius was a bit more distant and flat than I'd like, but I'd expect the story will get to some of the reasons for that in the later books.
The action level was just right for me and the plot was intriguing enough to keep me interested. I admire the ease of the world building, just enough explanation to keep me wanting more, but not so much detail to bog down the story.
If there's one aspect I wasn't fond of, it was the tendency for nagging problems to go away too easily. I won't give specifics because I don't want to spoil anything, but it happened a few times. Since it was the only issue I had with the story I can overlook it.
Overall a great read and highly recommended to fantasy and stempunk fans, and an easy introduction to steampunk for those new to the genre.(less)
Sci-fi? Romance? M-M? Yes, please! I'm always on the lookout for romantic science fiction and this is a good one.
The futuristic prison planet that is...moreSci-fi? Romance? M-M? Yes, please! I'm always on the lookout for romantic science fiction and this is a good one.
The futuristic prison planet that is the backdrop of this story is gritty and wonderful. I enjoyed the political machinations that were going on behind the scenes and they depth that created. The Athaki have a vampiric feeling to them that made them familiar even in their alienness.
Jasak is noble to a fault and I love that in a hero. Aleron starts out cynical and self-serving, but transforms as he is won over by Jasak. Their love story is steamy and heart-warming in equal measure.
Highly recommended for those craving some sci-fi in their romance or some romance in their sci-fi.(less)
This one has been kicking around on my Kindle for months now and once I picked it up I was irritated that I hadn't read it sooner.
Eternal rider is the...moreThis one has been kicking around on my Kindle for months now and once I picked it up I was irritated that I hadn't read it sooner.
Eternal rider is the start of a paranormal series that is a reimagining of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. The Horsemen are immortals that could bring about the end of the world if their seals are broken and they become evil. The book follows one rider, Ares, as he tries to stop the bearer of his seal from dying. I'm a sucker for smart-mouthed tough guys and Ares is just my speed.
I enjoyed the over-arching plot here, the sense that a lot more was going on that we didn't get to see yet. I found out after I finished this one that there's another related series called Demonica that focuses on some of the side characters here and I think that might be a better place to start from a world-building point of view.
It was a fun read with a fast-moving pace that I inhaled in a couple of sittings.
I liked this book, a lot. There were a ton of interesting and novel things going on. I loved that angels were a bit feral, even to the point of being...moreI liked this book, a lot. There were a ton of interesting and novel things going on. I loved that angels were a bit feral, even to the point of being fur covered. An entirely telepathic race was interesting.
Most importantly, I thought the cross-cultural and cross-racial themes were really nicely done. It's difficult, I think, to write a cross-cultural love story. There will always be misunderstandings that lead to bad feelings, and it's tough to come away from those thinking someone didn't compromise their principles, and that's not something I like much. Somerville did a beautiful job in this regard. Dinun is often confused, and sometimes hurt by the more feral world of the angels, but rather than making a compromise, he comes to understand what's happened later. I really liked that.
Why not 5 stars? Well, the beginning was a bit slow. In fact I almost stopped reading a few times. The early part of the book is very dense with fantastical words for everything and not much actually happens. I'm glad I stuck with it, because it's a good read.
I definitely suggest this one as a good first foray into M/M romance. The sex is very light and the love story is cute.(less)
I didn't love this one quite as much as the first one, mostly because this book was, by design, much more angsty. There's a lot of Danny running aroun...moreI didn't love this one quite as much as the first one, mostly because this book was, by design, much more angsty. There's a lot of Danny running around wishing Jaf wasn't dead and wishing she could love Jace. It was fine for a while, and certainly understandable, but I think it went on too long. Because there is so much 'woe is me,' there's not a lot of the trademark Danny that I loved from the first book.
I enjoyed that we got a lot more of the magical system in this book, and the structure of their world was fleshed out more.
I'll keep reading these, mostly because I have hopes, for reasons I can't go into without being horribly spoilery, that the next book will be much less angst-ridden.(less)
Loved this book, with a capital L. In fact, I wish I had more stars today. I found this gem via the Dark Urban Fantasy Blog: http://www.darkurbanfanta...moreLoved this book, with a capital L. In fact, I wish I had more stars today. I found this gem via the Dark Urban Fantasy Blog: http://www.darkurbanfantasy.com/
So much good here, I barely know where to begin. Dante Valentine is a great heroine, maybe one of my favorites of all time. She's foul-mouthed, sassy, and doesn't take crap from anyone. That occasionally makes her a little hard-nosed, but the way her character is built up makes that fitting. Her relationships are frequently hostile and always amusing. Japhrimel is another great character. His growth throughout the book made me smile.
Dante is "persuaded" to take on a job by none other than Lucifer himself--find a demon and return an item he stole to hell. Danny is reluctant until Lucifer explains that the demon is a serial killer she's been after for some time.
Plenty of action and some cool bits of magic make this an exciting and interesting read. Probably not the best choice for die-hard paranormal romance fans, but a must read for lovers of urban fantasy.(less)
Ill Wind is the kind of book I love to read: sassy main character, interesting fantasy aspects, a sprinkling of romance. Unsurprisingly, I inhaled the...moreIll Wind is the kind of book I love to read: sassy main character, interesting fantasy aspects, a sprinkling of romance. Unsurprisingly, I inhaled the book, and really enjoyed it.
In general I thought Caine's characterizations were brilliant. Jo is fun and independent, just enough girl power but not over the line into ridiculous. I adored David. There are a bunch of great side characters, Lewis, Star, Paul, and Bad Bob.
The world building was just right for me. Enough detail to make things clear, but not so much that I feel like I'm wading through info-dumps through the first half of the book. There's a lot I really like about this world and I can't wait to read more.
I was a little irritated about why all the Djinn were so circumspect when they didn't have to be. The cop out answer, of course, was that's just how they are, but I didn't really buy that. Why not just tell her what she needs to know? Arg!(less)
For me, this is a tough review. At first, I was pretty sure I'd been steered wrong with this one. The scenes through the first section of the book are...moreFor me, this is a tough review. At first, I was pretty sure I'd been steered wrong with this one. The scenes through the first section of the book are very choppy, and I had a hard time switching between characters so quickly, especially since I didn't know them quite yet. I also found the magic of this world a little bit confusing, although I did appreciate that it was unique.
That said, there's something engaging about the characters that still had my mind going back to them after I'd put down the book. That's when I know a character has grabbed me.
Might be a tough read for some, all the sex is coerced and there are multiple instances of child abuse. Though it's handled in the best way possible, some of it is difficult to get through.
The world of the Black Jewels is a dark one, and that's a big plus for me. Interesting characters battling oppression is the way to my heart, so even though I wasn't particularly a fan of the style of writing, I am going back for more. Especially because I didn't get enough Lucivar in the first one!(less)
I'm having a real hard time rating this one. There were things I liked a lot: the futuristic aspects, the political intrigue, and the monks that weren...moreI'm having a real hard time rating this one. There were things I liked a lot: the futuristic aspects, the political intrigue, and the monks that weren't afraid to go up against the establishment. There were also things I didn't like so much: Sully's refusal to be honest even after Chaz put her trust in him, the repetition of phrases (if I read one more angel or rainbow this week I might puke), and the pacing through the middle.
I'm also torn about the two main characters. There were places where I liked and disliked them both. Sully was charming and thick-headed by turns. He was too closed off and even though his distance might have been character appropriate it was annoying. Chaz was smart and indecisive seemingly at random. She couldn't make up her damn mind about anything even slightly personal when it mattered. I liked Sully as a character quite a bit, but I'm not sure I like him as a romantic interest. I know there are a lot of ultra-possessive alpha males in the romance scene, but for me some of the stuff he does just goes over the line.
After rambling about all of that, I think my rating has to be a three. I enjoyed the book quite a lot and I'm glad I read it, but not one of my favorites this year.(less)
I'm not sure why I find these books so addictive, but I think it's to do with Tyler and Thomas. I just don't like Nevvie as a character and spent most...moreI'm not sure why I find these books so addictive, but I think it's to do with Tyler and Thomas. I just don't like Nevvie as a character and spent most of this book wanting to smack some sense into her. There's no real sense of danger, and not very much conflict in this one beyond Nevvie whining for the entire book. The dialog is entirely too saccharine and way over the top.
Overall, I liked it the least of the books in the series and don't plan on reading more if there are any. My advice is to go read the novella featuring only Ty and Tom instead of picking this one up.(less)
This was my favorite of the Adrien English books, but I'm not sure I could articulate why. The combination of a mystery that was engaging and difficul...moreThis was my favorite of the Adrien English books, but I'm not sure I could articulate why. The combination of a mystery that was engaging and difficult to pin down, emotional turmoil in Adrien's life, and tension with the reintroduction of Jake all combined to make a great story that I didn't want to end. Speaking of the ending, I thought this book did a great job of keeping the tension going. Even though I was more sure of the outcome than Adrien himself was, I definitely believed that he thought it was all going to end horribly.
I'm so glad that the hero of this series runs against archetypal detective norms. Adrien is so wonderful to read, and I can't wait for more of his stories!(less)
Another great read in this series. Adrien is my favorite protagonist that I've read recently. He's got a wonderful combination of attitude and humilit...moreAnother great read in this series. Adrien is my favorite protagonist that I've read recently. He's got a wonderful combination of attitude and humility that makes him endlessly appealing to read about.
For me, the mystery in this book didn't quite live up to the previous two, if only because it seemed like a lot of coincidence in Adrien's solving of the crime. Yes, he mostly relies on his intuition in every book, but in this one in particular he seemed to have stumbled his way to the conclusions. Still, it was a good story and I enjoyed reading it.(less)
The setting of Slave to Sensation a not too distant future, with a slightly altered history. Human evolution has branched out into two distinct specie...moreThe setting of Slave to Sensation a not too distant future, with a slightly altered history. Human evolution has branched out into two distinct species, the Changeling and the Psy. This might sound like the set up to a Sci-Fi story, but really it's much more firmly placed in the Fantasy realm than anything remotely scientific. Overall, I quite liked the book. I enjoy Singh's writing style. She has quick pace with not an undue amount of description. There were a few places where the navel-gazing got a bit much, but that's not unusual in this genre.
The formatting of the Kindle version is quite a mess, but not unreadable for me. There are multiple carriage returns between paragraphs and the indentation is inconsistent. If you're a format stickler, it might make you a little crazy.
There are abrupt PoV shifts within scenes, as is pretty prevalent in the paranormal romance genre. I found the head-hopping in this book much less annoying than most, but I don't know if that's because it was better handled or I'm just getting used to it.
I wasn't sold on Sascha at the start, but I found her more compelling as the book went on. She wasn't the usual plucky heroine, but she brought something interesting to the story as she learned how to deal with her emotions. In a way this was almost a coming of age story. Lucas is an alpha male with a haunted past. His character is pretty stereotypical, but since that's one of my favorite kinds, I liked him.
In summary, if you're a Paranormal Romance fan I think you'll like this one. I also think it's a nice introductory book to PNR because the sex isn't quite as overblown as some others in the genre.(less)
Another fun book in the Adrien English series. I actually preferred this one slightly over the first, if only because it had a bit more of a love stor...moreAnother fun book in the Adrien English series. I actually preferred this one slightly over the first, if only because it had a bit more of a love story involved. The interaction between Jake and Adrien is wonderful. I especially like the scenes where they exchange details about the case and Jake makes light of Adrien's theories. Their banter makes me smile.
Lanyon writes interesting mysteries. He doesn't give away the guilty party to the reader until the sleuth finds out himself, which I like. I know some people prefer to figure things out ahead of time, but that always leaves me feeling unfulfilled. I wish more mystery writers took this approach.
Great fun! I stayed up much too late last night finishing this book.
I love Adrien. He's a great character with foibles and flaws that make him all the...moreGreat fun! I stayed up much too late last night finishing this book.
I love Adrien. He's a great character with foibles and flaws that make him all the more endearing. He's a reluctant sleuth and I think that's a nice touch. I always wonder why these people who aren't detectives rush headlong into danger, but Adrien's entanglement progressed organically.
The mystery actually kept me baffled for a quite a while, and I appreciated that.
A terrific, enjoyable read that I highly recommended. Off to dive into book two!(less)
River Marked was different from the other Mercy books, and I'm undecided on which version I prefer.
I liked that we got a lot of Mercy's background th...moreRiver Marked was different from the other Mercy books, and I'm undecided on which version I prefer.
I liked that we got a lot of Mercy's background that we'd been missing. I also enjoyed the reduced angst because the relationship issues between her and Adam finally got resolved.
What I liked less was that beginning seemed slow, I think that's because a lot of the Native American backstory had to be fit in and that made for less action early on. We do get a good amount Mercy butt-kicking goodness, but it's left until relatively late. I also thought that Mercy and Adam as a couple deserved more screen time.
One big plus I will give in counterpoint is that I love how Adam is willing to let Mercy be herself. There's always the temptation with dominant characters to run over everyone in the course of getting their way, but it's nicely handled in this book. Though it's all in Mercy's PoV, we get to know a lot of what goes on in Adam's head.
Overall, I felt like this deviated too much from the previous books for me to be entirely thrilled with it, but at the same time I understand that Mercy has to evolve or else there's little point to continuing on with her story. Still, I love me some coyote-girl and that goes a long way.(less)
I read this book last year sometime and didn't even realize that I'd never reviewed it until now. Shame on me.
Just for fun, let me give you the bad st...moreI read this book last year sometime and didn't even realize that I'd never reviewed it until now. Shame on me.
Just for fun, let me give you the bad stuff first. The external conflict was way, way too easily remedied. Before you scream about it, I know it's supposed to be erotica and how dare I want some real conflict and struggle. I'm sorry though, I just do. Also, some of the interpersonal stuff, like Nevvie's complete naivety, strains credulity.
The good: I loved Thomas and Tyler. Genuinely loved. Their relationship was wonderful. I enjoyed how they were both manly and strong just in completely different ways and I really looked forward to reading their chapters.
If I were going to pick this up now, I'd probably start with Love Slave for Two: Beginnings which is a prequel novella that tells the story of how Thomas and Tyler meet.
It's a really cute story and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This was my first m/m/f book and because of this one I've become addicted, so there you go.(less)
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