Jenn - St. John's, NL, Canada (205 books)

Jenn is now friends with Harshit Chauhan

Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Sharp (Mindspace Investigations, #2)
by Alex Hughes (Goodreads Author)

read in April, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

If you follow my other blog, you'll know that I've really enjoyed the first couple stories in Alex Hughes' Mindspace Investigations. Her debut novel, CLEAN, was great and the follow-up e-novella, which bridges the gap between CLEAN and her newest nov...more

Jenn said "yes" to attending Para-RT13

date: April 01, 2013 12:30PM
location: Canada
description: [image]

Amber I. from Awesomesauce Book Club and I have been stalking paranormal authors that will be attending the RT Booklovers Convention in Kansas City on May 1-5. We’ll both be there in all of our book nerd glory so we decided to do a bloggy event to get psyched up even more for the convention!

WELCOME TO #PARA-RT13!

I hope you’ll join us all April long as we ask authors questions about their RT experiences! Ooh, and if you happen to be going please feel free to give me a shout! I’d love to m...more
Jenn said: Such a fun idea!

Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Clean (Mindspace Investigations, #1)
by Alex Hughes (Goodreads Author)

read in March, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

This is actually my second time reading Clean but the first time writing it up. I tried this book for the first time shortly after it came out but I wasn’t able to blog about it. But I really liked Clean so I figured it was time to re-read it and act...more This is actually my second time reading Clean but the first time writing it up. I tried this book for the first time shortly after it came out but I wasn’t able to blog about it. But I really liked Clean so I figured it was time to re-read it and actually remember to post about it! So here goes…

Clean is set in a dark, not-terribly-distant future in Atlanta. In the aftermath of the Tech Wars, people don’t trust technology anymore so almost everything is back to the trusted pen-and-paper methodology. The only reason the world survived the Tech Wars? The Telepaths’ Guild stepped up and saved everyone, by being super scary. (Clean doesn’t have a lot of details but I think my imagination did a pretty good job of figuring it out.) As a result, the Guild has the right to self-government but no one trusts them that much. The main character ofClean was a shining star in the Guild until he got hooked on Satin, a fancy drug, and lost his job and was kicked out of the Guild. Now, he works for the local police department with his partner Detective Isabella Cherbino, solving crimes and working the interrogation room, trying to resist the urge to fall back into his addiction. He doesn’t have any friends from his previous life but he’s working hard to make the most of the opportunity he has, even when that means going up against the Guild.

In some ways, the worldbuilding reminded me of the Atlanta we see in the Kate Daniels from Ilona Andrews, but I think that’s mostly because both series are set in Atlanta and have some interesting implications for use of technology. In any case, it’s meant to be a complimentary statement, not a negative one.

Hughes populates her world with some great characters, aside from the leading man. I really loved Cherbino. She’s tough, smart, and awesome, and her backstory is really poignant. I loved how we got peeks into her mind thanks to the main character’s telepathy. The other cops are also quite interesting, and I hope we get to know them more in future novels. I was also really intrigued by Kara, a Guild member who we meet partway through the novel. I won’t say too much about her since I don’t want to give away the game but I do hope to learn more about her, and her relationship with our intrepid main character, if that’s possible.

You may have noticed that I keep saying “he” instead of using the main character’s name. Well, that’s because he goes through nearly the entire book without anyone using it and I don’t want to spoil it for you. It’s an interesting way to write and it works because Clean is told from a first-person point of view. But if you’re like me, you’re going to spend a great deal of time wondering just what the heck his name is while you’re going through.

Clean is a fantastic debut novel and and I’m really interested in spending more time in this world. Thankfully, Sharp, the next novel, is right around the corner, and there’s an e-novella called Payoff that’s available now. You can be sure I’ll be on the lookout for how many times the main character’s name is used in this one.

http://ireadgood.wordpress.com (less)

Jenn rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Grave Intentions
by Lori Sjoberg (Goodreads Author)

read in February, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

GRAVE INTENTIONS is a the beginnings of a paranormal romance series featuring grim reapers. It's a cute book with likeable characters. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but it didn't work its way onto my love list because it's a fairly standar...more

Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
by Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author)

read in March, 2013

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I’ve heard great things about Sarah J. Maas‘ YA fantasy debut, Throne of Glass, so I thought it was high time I gave it a shot. And I loved it! I read it in a single sitting, which unfortunately started pretty late last night.

Celaena is an 18-year-ol...more I’ve heard great things about Sarah J. Maas‘ YA fantasy debut, Throne of Glass, so I thought it was high time I gave it a shot. And I loved it! I read it in a single sitting, which unfortunately started pretty late last night.

Celaena is an 18-year-old world-famous assassin. She’s spent the past year labouring as a slave in the mines of Endovier after being betrayed and captured. She gets a shot at freedom when the Crown Prince of Adarlan offers her the opportunity to compete to become the King’s Champion. The catch? She hates the king. The catch, part the second? If she loses, she’s back in the mines. The result, a highly motivated, comparatively out-of-shape competitor. It’s not the first time this type of girl-versus-incredible-odds scenario has been used in recent years (ahem, Hunger Games) but Sarah J. Maas has built a fantastic world that stands well on its own.

The tournament is actually sort of secondary in the face of Celaena’s adjustment from slave to potential champion, and her burgeoning relationships with members of the court. And while I enjoyed the character development, I thought the action sequences in Throne of Glass were very well written. The tournament events were all quite interesting and Maas does a great job of writing the scenes in a way that makes it so easy to picture each moment, just like a movie.

There is something of a love triangle in Throne of Glass, with both the Crown Prince and his friend/commander being drawn to Celaena. Celaena is drawn to each of them in turn, for different reasons, and it’s easy to see why. They’re both really interesting guys, with lots going for them despite being only a few years older than her.

There are also some great moments exploring the history and future of the kingdom and the seeds that are placed in Throne of Glass leave me quite excited for future stories. In the meanwhile, I’ve recently purchased the four e-prequel novellas so I’m going to use them to tide me over until the next Throne of Glass book appears on shelves.

http://ireadgood.wordpress.com/(less)

Jenn has challenged herself to read 100 books in the 2013 Reading Challenge

She has read 17 books toward her goal of 100 books.

17 of 100 (17%)

Create your own 2013 Reading Challenge »

Jenn rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Moonlight & Mechanicals by Cindy Spencer Pape

Moonlight & Mechanicals (Gaslight Chronicles, #4)
by Cindy Spencer Pape

read in October, 2012

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I've been hooked on Cindy Spencer Pape for quite some time. I first discovered her through her paranormal romance series, Urban Arcana, which is set primarily in Detroit, but I'm over the moon about the Gaslight Chronicles, her steampunk romance set...more I've been hooked on Cindy Spencer Pape for quite some time. I first discovered her through her paranormal romance series, Urban Arcana, which is set primarily in Detroit, but I'm over the moon about the Gaslight Chronicles, her steampunk romance set in mid-1800's England. In fact, the Gaslight Chronicles just might be my favourite steampunk romance series right now! Needless to say, I'm excited to be writing about the fourth story in this series, MOONLIGHT & MECHANICALS.

A quick primer on the Gaslight Chronicles: King Arthur's Order of the Round Table never actually disbanded. Instead, the descendants of these knights remain active, fighting the paranormal in a steampunked 1850s London. Some of the stories in the series are novels, some novellas, but they all feature characters who are involved with the Order in some fashion. The first book, STEAM & SORCERY, introduces us to the world and also to the Hadrian clan and Liam McCullough, who are once again featured in MOONLIGHT & MECHANICALS, much to my delight. In STEAM & SORCERY, the focus is on Caroline and Merrick Hadrian; now, we're focussed on one of their adopted children, Wink, a former street kid with an eerie gift for the mechanical, and the object of her affection, Liam McCullough, an inspector with the London Constabulary who also happens to be a werewolf.

Wink won me over from the moment she set foot ont the page in STEAM & SORCERY so I was delighted when I heard that she'd be the star of MOONLIGHT & MECHANICALS. She's a very modern woman -- she's an engineer, she defies convention, and she knows her heart belongs to Liam, even though he's doing his best to push her into the arms of a mutual friend. Liam, for his part, thinks he's not good enough for Wink and wants to get her married off so he'll stop wanting her. It's a classic trope for a romance but it feels fresh and fun in Cindy Spencer Pape's hands. Watching Wink and Liam realizes that their feelings are requited was exciting and lovely and I whizzed through the novel thanks to smart writing, a fast-paced plot, and wonderful characters.

If you haven't tried Cindy's Gaslight Chronicles, now's the time to start! You could pick up MOONLIGHT & MECHANICALS and be okay since the author's done a wonderful job of laying out the necessary backstory but I think you'd enjoy the book even more if you go back to the beginning and give STEAM & SORCERY a try. The books are available only in electronic format since they're from Carina Press, Harlequin's e-only imprint, so go and download your copy now!

http://www.tyngasreviews.com
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com (less)

Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Nights of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, #4)
by Nico Rosso (Goodreads Author)

read in October, 2012

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

This is the first time I've read something by Nico Rosso and also the first time I've encountered the Ether Chronicles, a series he writes with his wife Zoe Archer. It's a really neat concept. They're a writing team but they write separate books in t...more This is the first time I've read something by Nico Rosso and also the first time I've encountered the Ether Chronicles, a series he writes with his wife Zoe Archer. It's a really neat concept. They're a writing team but they write separate books in the same world. They're four books in with NIGHTS OF STEEL so it seems like it's a successful formula.

The worldbuilding in this book is pretty standard. It's a steampunk set in America's West, with most of the action taking place in California. There's not a lot of time spent telling the reader about the world, I guess because it's the fourth book in the series, but I still had a good sense of some of the interesting technologies and some of the settings. I generally prefer mythologies that feel more fully fleshed out but I didn't actually mind the sparser descriptions of the universe since the immediate settings were quite vivid.

The two main characters in this book are quite interesting. Jack Hawkins and Anna Blue are two of the best bounty hunters in the area but they've never really met until NIGHTS OF STEEL, when they're both recruited to track down an inventor by the name of Dr. Song. They're initially very wary of each other and view the other as competition but they eventually team up, leading to sparks flying. Jack and Anna have interesting histories and I enjoyed getting to know them and watching them learn to be emotionally intimate. (There's a lot of steamy sex, too, for those of you who might be curious.) I also thought their romance was nice, especially since it's an interracial romance, something we don't see all that frequently in the literature.

I have to say, though, I thought the action was more engaging than the romance. What looks like a simple bounty hunt to capture Dr. Song turns into something much more complicated and the action scenes are amazing. I was really hooked on Anna and Jack's mission and there were some nice twists and turns and reveals throughout, even though the book is short.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's a nice read with some great action and interesting characters. I'd never heard of the series until I got an email about the blog tour but I'm very happy I gave it a shot. I'm definitely going to look for the rest of the Ether Chronicles so that I can see where the series began!

http://www.tyngasreviews.com
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com (less)

Jenn’s Profile

Jenn’s favorite books

Jenn’s Bookshelves

rss
Jenn's Recent Updates

Quotes Jenn Likes

recent posts
Jenn’s Groups

Jenn’s Friends (32)

People Jenn is Following

Jenn’s Favorite Authors

Favorite Genres

Quizzes and Trivia

Jenn is now friends with Harshit Chauhan
May 21, 2013 08:11am · like
Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars Sharp (Mindspace Investigations, #2) by Alex Hughes (Goodreads Author) read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
If you follow my other blog, you'll know that I've really enjoyed the first couple stories in Alex Hughes' Mindspace Investigations. Her debut novel, CLEAN, was great and the follow-up e-novella, which bridges the gap between CLEAN and her newest nov...more
May 02, 2013 03:03pm · see review
Jenn said "yes" to attending Para-RT13 date: April 01, 2013 12:30PM location: Canada description: [image] Amber I. from Awesomesauce Book Club and I have been stalking paranormal authors that will be attending the RT Booklovers Convention in Kansas City on May 1-5. We’ll both be there in all of our book nerd glory so we decided to do a bloggy event to get psyched up even more for the convention! WELCOME TO #PARA-RT13! I hope you’ll join us all April long as we ask authors questions about their RT experiences! Ooh, and if you happen to be going please feel free to give me a shout! I’d love to m...more Jenn said: Such a fun idea!
Apr 01, 2013 09:34am · like
Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars Clean (Mindspace Investigations, #1) by Alex Hughes (Goodreads Author) read in March, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is actually my second time reading Clean but the first time writing it up. I tried this book for the first time shortly after it came out but I wasn’t able to blog about it. But I really liked Clean so I figured it was time to re-read it and act...more
Mar 24, 2013 10:26am · see review
Jenn rated a book 3 of 5 stars Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg (Goodreads Author) read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
GRAVE INTENTIONS is a the beginnings of a paranormal romance series featuring grim reapers. It's a cute book with likeable characters. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but it didn't work its way onto my love list because it's a fairly standar...more
Mar 24, 2013 10:25am · see review
Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author) read in March, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I’ve heard great things about Sarah J. Maas‘ YA fantasy debut, Throne of Glass, so I thought it was high time I gave it a shot. And I loved it! I read it in a single sitting, which unfortunately started pretty late last night. Celaena is an 18-year-ol...more
Mar 24, 2013 10:24am · see review
Jenn has challenged herself to read 100 books in the 2013 Reading Challenge She has read 17 books toward her goal of 100 books. 17 of 100 (17%) Create your own 2013 Reading Challenge »
Feb 20, 2013 04:37pm · like · view books
Jenn rated a book 5 of 5 stars Moonlight & Mechanicals (Gaslight Chronicles, #4) by Cindy Spencer Pape read in October, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I've been hooked on Cindy Spencer Pape for quite some time. I first discovered her through her paranormal romance series, Urban Arcana, which is set primarily in Detroit, but I'm over the moon about the Gaslight Chronicles, her steampunk romance set...more
Feb 20, 2013 04:35pm · see review
Jenn rated a book 4 of 5 stars Nights of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, #4) by Nico Rosso (Goodreads Author) read in October, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is the first time I've read something by Nico Rosso and also the first time I've encountered the Ether Chronicles, a series he writes with his wife Zoe Archer. It's a really neat concept. They're a writing team but they write separate books in t...more
Feb 20, 2013 04:33pm · see review

Jenn’s Profile

Jenn’s favorite books

Jenn’s Bookshelves

rssJenn's Recent Updates

Quotes Jenn Likes

recent postsJenn’s Groups

Jenn’s Friends (32)

People Jenn is Following

Jenn’s Favorite Authors

Favorite Genres

Quizzes and Trivia

rss
Jenn's Recent Updates

recent posts
Jenn’s Groups