Emma lives a low-key, straitened life in modern-day New York. She works the night shift, periodically hangs out with her bff or makes plans with her b...moreEmma lives a low-key, straitened life in modern-day New York. She works the night shift, periodically hangs out with her bff or makes plans with her boyfriend Stuart, and takes care of her cat. But then she's hit by a car, and everything changes. She wakes up dead.
Now a vampire, Emma must figure out how to feed and survive the day-light hours. Luckily, her maker Alex is there to help her through the logistical issues--while providing her and Tammy with delightful eye-candy. Emma has a logical mind and quickly comes to grips with her new existence, but she has a harder time learning the constant vigilance and distrust that vampires require to survive.
I liked Emma, who seemed really reasonable to me. The main draw to this story, for me, wasn't the twisty plot or potential romance, but that Emma read like someone I recognized. Realistic heroines are all too rare in the urban fantasy genre.(less)
Emma is still adjusting to becoming a vampire when a whole new mess begins. Her new roommate turns out to be a werewolf, and through him she finds out...moreEmma is still adjusting to becoming a vampire when a whole new mess begins. Her new roommate turns out to be a werewolf, and through him she finds out that not only do werewolves exist, but they're deadly serious about killing any and all vampires. Emma agrees with them that all the vampires of her experience slaughter humans by the score, but she draws the line at all-out war between the species. But neither the vampires nor the werewolves will agree to a truce--and in trying to create one, Emma makes herself the number one target of each side.
Plus, her love life has gotten exceedingly confusing.
I really liked the sense of humor throughout this book, and the natural style of dialog. And, of all vampire books I've read thus far, Wild Blood seems the most honest presentation of the trials and tribulations of biting people regularly. (less)
Elena, the only female werewolf, is kidnapped by a shadowy organization. While being held, she meets Paige (main character for several subsequent Arms...moreElena, the only female werewolf, is kidnapped by a shadowy organization. While being held, she meets Paige (main character for several subsequent Armstrong novels) and various other supernatural characters.(less)
I've read most, if not all (it's hard to distinguish them from each other, after the first few) of Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series. The s...moreI've read most, if not all (it's hard to distinguish them from each other, after the first few) of Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series. The series began by following Elena, a tough, conflicted woman who is also the only female to ever survive being made into a werewolf. Since then, Armstrong has written numerous witches, werewolves, vampires, half-demons, warlocks, necromancers, etc. All of her many characters get at least a chapter in this book, which is supposedly about Jaime Vegas, who can see and control the dead, and her boyfriend, the Alpha of the werewolves. Periodically Armstrong remembers that Jaime is supposed to be the main character, but mostly she's just a tool to get Paige, Eve, Elena, Hope, et al into the story. The plot (a group of humans are killing children and using their ashes for magic) could have been interesting, but so much time is spent rehashing all the other books and telling us the other Women of the Otherworld's tales that there's little time left for the actual story. Jaime's a pretty good character, but her romance with Jeremy left me completely cold, and all the scenes were she was oh so sexy read as very forced. I think this might be the end of me and Armstrong.(less)
Hope Adams's demon heritage has given her the ability to sense the supernatural--and a disturbing taste for chaos and darkness. Being a kind and compa...moreHope Adams's demon heritage has given her the ability to sense the supernatural--and a disturbing taste for chaos and darkness. Being a kind and compassionate person is particularly hard for her, when the greater the cruelty, the greater the high she gets from it. To pay off a debt to the Cortez Cabal, she agrees to infiltrate a supernatural gang in Miami. But she begins to find being on the wrong side of the law a little too exhilarating...Will she be able to pull back from the lure of chaos-highs, or will she give in to her demonic heritage?
This book would have been a hundred times better without the interference of Karl, Hope's former partner and lover. He is snarly, domineering, thirty years older than her, and completely emotionally unavailable. So of course, he's her love interest. I disliked him and I really disliked that she put up with him. In the short story that introduced these two characters, they had banter and sexual tension. In the novel, there's no banter and no sexual tension--just intermittent hook ups and constant power plays from Karl. Ugh!
The non-romantic plot in the novel is much better. It focuses on Lucas Cortez, who works with Paige Winterbourne to create a grass-roots, community-driven alternative to the Cabals. Most paranormal romance books have some sort of ancient organization that secretly rules the world: vampire councils, Hunters, that sort of thing. The Cabals fill that same role, of an organization both keeping supernaturals safe and secret and using their powers for their own less-than-innocent ends. But unlike most authors, Armstrong doesn't use the Cabals as short-hand for a shadowy villain. As self-serving and controlling as they are, the Cabals have shaped the supernatural world for centuries, and simply destroying them would lead to an even worse situation. Each novel in this series has explored the power structures of the supernatural world a little further, and it seems like matters are coming to a crisis point. I'm very interested to see what happens next. (less)
Elena is still the only female werewolf, but years have past and she's become other things too: a wife, a mother, and the next Alpha of the Pack. In t...moreElena is still the only female werewolf, but years have past and she's become other things too: a wife, a mother, and the next Alpha of the Pack. In this latest book of Armstrong's "Women of the Underworld" series (book 10, I believe), Elena and her husband Clay travel to Anchorage, Alaska, to track down a young new werewolf. But there's far more trouble in Alaska than just Reese: women keep disappearing, and an old werewolf friend of Clay's turns up tortured to death. Elena and Clay investigate, and find a band of rapists, murderers, and criminals--all werewolves, and all panting to destroy the Pack.
The plot is simple and predictable, and the writing itself is easy to follow. There's a huge amount of rape, or attempted rape, in this book--far more time is spent getting Elena into and out of rape attempts than in exploring Alaska, or the new supernatural race discovered there. I'd have appreciated a bit more plot in place of cutesey telephone conversations with Elena's children or never-ending rape attempts. (less)
Hope's old friend Robyn recently lost her husband and is lost to grief. Hope is a half-chaos demon who works for the tabloids and the supernatural Cou...moreHope's old friend Robyn recently lost her husband and is lost to grief. Hope is a half-chaos demon who works for the tabloids and the supernatural Council, but she drops everything to go stay with Robyn for a while. It turns out Robyn needs her help more than she ever expected--because Robyn's starlet client has just been murdered, and Robyn is the number one suspect. It's up to Hope, her werewolf boyfriend Karl, and a cop who can see ghosts to find the truth.
One annoying thing about listening to this book instead of reading it is that I couldn't skim, which is how I usually read Armstrong's novels. She restates practically everything, particularly in regards to characters' relationships with each other. Hope and Karl talk about their feelings in every single chapter; Robyn constantly thinks about how much she misses her dead husband; the book goes over how Robyn and Hope met and became bffs at least twice (though Robyn has never been mentioned before this book)...Even the action is talked over; every time someone does something, they ruminate on it and then talk about it with at least one other character. And then the *other* characters talk about it. It feels endless.
The plot itself is pretty light-weight, and I'm sick to death of Armstrong's need to make an opposite-gender True Love hottie for every character she introduces. But there's a certain fun to novels with a mix of adventure and interpersonal relations, so I'm sure I'll read more in this series.
One note: the voices the audiobook reader did were *awful*. All the women got breathy little girl voices, and all the men but Karl and Finn (the two male love interests, natch) had serious lisps. It was distracting. (less)
So silly! These are a fun read, and the world is an interesting one, but the gender situation is even more troubling than the author seems to realize....moreSo silly! These are a fun read, and the world is an interesting one, but the gender situation is even more troubling than the author seems to realize. I admit to having a tiny crush on Daemon in this book.(less)
Set in the same world as The Black Jewels Trilogy, this book sinks even deeper into the cliches the BJT began. The sexism in these books is rather try...moreSet in the same world as The Black Jewels Trilogy, this book sinks even deeper into the cliches the BJT began. The sexism in these books is rather trying, and the plot itself lacked much of the oomph of the BJT, merely because the ending is telegraphed from page 1. Still, an enjoyable read.(less)
Short stories from the Black Jewels universe. Bishop excels at writing wacky gender issues, one-note characters, and really terrible sex scenes. I lik...moreShort stories from the Black Jewels universe. Bishop excels at writing wacky gender issues, one-note characters, and really terrible sex scenes. I liked "The Prince of Ebon Rih," which tells the tale of how Lucivar met and fell in love with his wife. "Kaeleer's Heart" is the story of how Daemon and Jaenelle finally have sex (which is much harder for an ex-sex-slave and an abused girl than simply finding love). I didn't find the other two stories interesting.(less)
This was really terrible. Anne Bishop is known for writing id-fulfillment in fantasy novels, complete with as many abused Mary Sues as possible. I exp...moreThis was really terrible. Anne Bishop is known for writing id-fulfillment in fantasy novels, complete with as many abused Mary Sues as possible. I expected lots of fluffy titilation with very little substance (no real plot or cohesive world building, I mean), but I was annoyed at how boring and dull the would-be-titilation was. Sebastion is an incubus living in a world created specifically to cater to "dark desires", and yet all he does is have bland sex with women. No kinks, no gender-play, certainly nothing homoerotic (dammit)--the most depraved thing he does is eat cheesy bread shaped like sexual organs. The Den of Iniquity is supposedly terribly shameless and lascivious, yet all that apparently happens there is lame het sex. A single murder sends all the residents into a tizzy. And no one worries about money! Everything is provided by Gloriana Belladonna, a beautiful, abused-as-a-child enchantress. (Note: In Anne Bishop stories, *everyone* is abused as a child.) There's no tension or grit to this book. Even the big terrible monster is A)not scary in the least and B)clearly going to lose, undoubtedly due to some deus ex machina. Ugh.(less)
The sequel to Moon Called once again follows shapeshifter and car mechanic Mercy Thompson. A demon-possessed vampire is causing tempers to flare and...moreThe sequel to Moon Called once again follows shapeshifter and car mechanic Mercy Thompson. A demon-possessed vampire is causing tempers to flare and people to die, and Mercy's friend Stefan is the first line of defense. When he goes missing (along with several of Mercy's favorite werewolves), Mercy decides to track down and kill the demon ridden vampire, who is faster, stronger, and has far more magic than she does. Unfortunately for him, she has a lot of friends.
The central plot is good, but what really makes this book worth reading is the well-developed world. Mercy has friends, a cat, work troubles...she's a well-rounded character living in a detailed society, and if it's not the most sophisticated thing I've ever read, it's not completely mind-candy.(less)
This is by far the darkest Mercy book yet. Fae are getting killed on the reservation, and Mercy's old mentor Zee is charged with the murders. Mercy tr...moreThis is by far the darkest Mercy book yet. Fae are getting killed on the reservation, and Mercy's old mentor Zee is charged with the murders. Mercy tries to prove his innocence, and gets caught up in a world where she is completely out-powered. Anti-paranormal prejudice is brought up again, but this time the reader is left to wonder whether it's not a very reasonable response.
Spoilers: Mercy finally chooses one werewolf over the other, in a non-dramatic and believable way. Hurrah!
Darker Spoiler:Also, she is raped in mind and body. The physical assult is not dwelt on, although the aftermath is. The mental assualt, however, is long and detailed and horrible. I finished reading this book and felt depressed and drained. This is not a fluffy monster-of-the-week type paranormal romance. (less)
Mercedes Thompson is a biracial mechanic who also happens to be a were-coyote raised by werewolves. She's in a complicated relationship with the local...moreMercedes Thompson is a biracial mechanic who also happens to be a were-coyote raised by werewolves. She's in a complicated relationship with the local Alpha, Adam, and bffs with several fey and a vampire. It's these tangled relations and alliances that create the problem she finds herself in: in the last book, Mercy killed a vampire, and now his Queen is out for revenge. Meanwhile, an old friend comes asking for Mercy's help to deal with a haunting.
This book is a little heavy on the pack dynamics and vampire politicking for my tastes, but at least it doesn't drag. Mercy's adventures are always a good, fast read, and Mercy herself is a great, well-rounded character. Paranormal books like these have a tendency to be mostly about who the main female character is sleeping with, and the Mercy Thompson series is a blessed relief from such considerations, while retaining the charm (tough main character, modern setting streaked with magic, realistic dialog) of the genre.(less)
Fifth in the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy's life is finally settling down: her PTSD is settling down, her relationship with Adam feels more solid than...moreFifth in the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy's life is finally settling down: her PTSD is settling down, her relationship with Adam feels more solid than ever, and no supernatural problems seem to be brewing. But then her oldest friend and first love, Samuel, tries to commit suicide. Mercy is running out of time to convince him to live, but simultaneously, powerful fae come looking for a book of legends she borrowed.
This is possibly my favorite Mercy book yet. I like the way Briggs writes the fae, as beings that are older and more alien than they look. Because of her shapeshifting ability, Mercy can smell through glamors; the difference between what she sees and what she knows is real is disturbing and fascinating. I liked that someone actually distanced herself from Mercy because of Mercy's dangerous lifestyle, and the tone of the book made me think she was right to do so. So often I read about humans getting caught up in these supernatural games and becoming collateral damage, and I'm glad someone finally caught on. And impressively, this book actually made me care about pack politics. The scenes in the dojo with Mary Jo had my heart in my throat.
My only caveat about this book is that Samuel's suicidal depression is solved in a fairly ridiculous manner: (view spoiler)[he finds a fae woman he loved years ago, who he has never ever mentioned, and his lurve of her makes him want to live (hide spoiler)]. Sorry, but that's not how depression works. But despite this misstep, I look forward to the next book in the series.(less)
Years after first meeting her standoffish neighbor Adam, Mercy and Adam have fallen in love, negotiated with each other about the kind of life they ca...moreYears after first meeting her standoffish neighbor Adam, Mercy and Adam have fallen in love, negotiated with each other about the kind of life they can share, and are at last married. But a borrowed trailer to use on their honeymoon comes with a catch--the fae want Mercy to investigate a band of otterfae that recently escaped from the fae reservation. The plot is pretty straightfoward; what really wowed me about this book was the relationship between Mercy and Adam and the climactic battle near the end. Romances abound in the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genre, but theirs is easily my favorite. Neither is my type, nor is their relationship my favorite kind to be entertained by (that I reserve for witty banter-y types like Beatrice&Benedick), but their love for each other is so solid, and comes across in so many ways large and small, that I was completely charmed. I like that they each feel comfortable and safe with the other. And their love and trust is Mercy's last asset in her final battle: (view spoiler)[when all else fails, when all her allies are gone and her last obsidian blade has broken, she fights with no weapons and a broken leg rather than let Adam down. (hide spoiler)] That is some hardcore epic shit, and I ate it up with a spoon.(less)
My favorite Brite novel, and the one with the best characterization. A young man returns to the home where his father went homicidally insane years ag...moreMy favorite Brite novel, and the one with the best characterization. A young man returns to the home where his father went homicidally insane years ago. While there, he meets and falls in love with a hacker on the run. Is their love enough to combat the sinister madness of the house?(less)
If you're going through puberty and feeling weird, this is a great book to read. With enough vampires, gay sex, incest and goth clubbing to satisfy an...moreIf you're going through puberty and feeling weird, this is a great book to read. With enough vampires, gay sex, incest and goth clubbing to satisfy any young misunderstood oddball (and truthfully, I have never been in a single goth club that played "Bela Lugosi's Dead" even once, let alone every night), this is a fun piece of wish-fulfillment. Dark, twisted, unbelieavable and not particularly sophisticated, I'd recommend this to anyone wearing Crow makeup in a rural town in the midwest.(less)
Cabot writes frothy YA books that are weirdly good. She has a real skill for writing realistic, fully-realized young female protagonists. They never f...moreCabot writes frothy YA books that are weirdly good. She has a real skill for writing realistic, fully-realized young female protagonists. They never feel by-the-numbers, despite the cliched positions they find themselves in (this particular narrator can talk to the dead)--they're always very definitely *themselves*. Also, even her most otherworldly of books has an edge of common sense to them, which is a welcome change to the "vampires are just like humans, only sexier" route most "otherworldly romance" takes.(less)
They’re light reads, but Cabot has a light and breezy style and a very likeable heroine. Jessica, a band geek who beats up anyone who insults her ment...moreThey’re light reads, but Cabot has a light and breezy style and a very likeable heroine. Jessica, a band geek who beats up anyone who insults her mentally ill big brother and has a yen for motorcycles, has the ability to find anyone, anywhere, just by looking at their picture. Rather like a contemporary, crime-solving Meg (from the Wrinkle in Time series). (less)
The main character is sensible without being overly so, smart and bookworm-y, and is overall quite likeable. The books are short--less than 300 pages-...moreThe main character is sensible without being overly so, smart and bookworm-y, and is overall quite likeable. The books are short--less than 300 pages--but each one thus far has told a very enjoyable story. Fun mind-candy!(less)
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