Patricia Hamill's Blog: I read too much! - Posts Tagged "modern-fantasy"

Dissever by Colee Firman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Romantic and mystical...

Addy loves texting, shopping, and hanging out with her best friends, but she's not your average teenager. Growing up on the Tremain estate, she has been groomed from a young age to take over the family job of Overseer for a magical race of beings called the Akori. The only problem is that this job has never fallen to a female in the hundreds of years the Sanders family has served the Akori.

As her grandfather ails, he shifts the estate one last time to a pristine beach in Florida. Considering that the usual locales are frigid and harsh, Addy is thrilled with the move, but there's a problem. The estate has landed here before, and Addy learns that the move had little to do with chance or her grandfather's desire for a little sun.

Besides growing concerns over her grandfather's health and her looming obligations should he pass away, Addy finds herself drawn to a mysterious stranger who is in turn drawn to the estate against his will. But as their friendship grows, so does the interest of her childhood friend, Gage.

Overall, the story is well-written, the dialog flows naturally, and the plot is fresh and easy to follow. The history of the Akori and Addy's family involvement are woven into the story without lingering too long on back story in any one place. I also love how Addy and her friends are, for the most part normal teenagers, even those who are not human. There are no vampires or werewolves in this story, but the immortal and powerful Akori provide a unique stand-in for those who enjoy that genre, while providing enough of a change for those who weary of it.

I highly recommend Dissever to anyone who likes ya fantasy set in the modern day.



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Sanctify by Colee Firman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What can I say but wow! An easy one to rate at five stars...

Sanctify picks up right where Dissever left off. Addie has just saved Gage from being scattered only to find herself stranded in Greystone, the home of the Akori, with Tanner, Jax, and Juliette. Soon, she discovers Tanner is in a magical coma as his new powers fill him, one that Addie herself awoke from too soon, and Jax has been shipped off to Ravensbog, yet another dimension the Akori inhabit. The only companion left to her from before is Juliette, who is more interested in "freeing" Jax from Ravensbog than pursuing a friendship with Addie.

As Addie's powers grow, so do her mysterious and clingy affections for Tanner. She has to be near him at all costs, like an addiction, but she knows it's weird because he's just her friend. Missing Gage but drawn to Tanner, Addie struggles to resolve her feelings for both. At the same time, she attempts to rescue Jax from Ravensbog but finds he's not exactly interested in being rescued. Besides that, he's still got an attitude.

I love how the relationship between Tanner and Addie is brought to the forefront. It's one of those stories where you aren't exactly sure who the main character should end up with, and figuring it out is quite the roller-coaster ride. The emotions, confusion, and attraction are well-done and drew me in. I also enjoyed the lesser characters, Leeli and Momo. Very cute, innocent and childlike, even though they are ancient. And let us not forget the overarching plot. Akori are still stranded on Earth, and it's up to Addie and Tanner to bring them home.

I loved this book and will definitely read the next in the series. I'm still rooting for Gage, but we'll see.

I'd recommend this to those who enjoy YA, romance, and stories that provide a convincing mix of contemporary life and magic, but definitely read Dissever, first!





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Wander Dust by Michelle Warren

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Exciting and magical YA, can't wait to read the next...

The story opens at Sera's birthday dinner. Her father, engrossed in his flirty girlfriend, barely acknowledges his daughter's presence, which is probably why he doesn't notice when a mysterious, and obviously evil, woman in black takes an interest in her. It isn't until Sera collapses to the ground under the fiery weight of the woman's attack on her mind, that he realizes something's wrong. Of course, Sera can't tell him what really happened. She's not even sure of it herself.

Reality crushing events continue to haunt Sera to the point she begins to doubt her sanity even as she discovers clues to the mysteries of her past, present, and future. When her father sends her to live with her aunt in Chicago, she soon realizes that insanity is the least of her worries.

I love how the author weaves together a bit of steampunk and magic into the story. I'm a steampunk newbie, at least in books, but I know enough to recognize elements of it in this book. The gadgets, the animated metal guardians, and the larger than life technology with an old world flair are hard to miss. I also dig how they use some of the gadgets in conjunction with their powers.

As for the magical aspects, I was happy to realize this is a story where a young girl discovers she has powers, and that she discovers them on her own and thinks she's losing her mind makes it all the more interesting. There are some similarities to Harry Potter in that there is a magical school, and like the wizards in that other series, those that share Sera's gifts have formed a secret society and keep themselves separate from the "normals." The magical system is solid and consistently applied, which is important to keeping the fantasy believable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy YA, with a touch of magic and romance on the side. YA steampunk fans may also find this book to their liking, though I'm uncertain how closely this story conforms to the genre.



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The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fantastic book.

The Golden Compass presents a world where humans are accompanied by an external manifestation of their souls. They call them daemons, which might bring to mind something sinister, but in this case they are not. They take on the form of animals, linked to the nature of their human companions, shifting between forms with the speed of thought until their humans reach puberty.

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The Order of the Four Sons Book I by Lauren Scharhag

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A paranormal mission impossible...

The Order of the Four Sons, or O4S as the modern organization call itself, is under attack. Teams are disappearing on missions, yet events that demand their attention are on the rise in frequency and intensity. After sending out every spare group of people, even the main office's administrative staff, they bring in a misfit crew to investigate a mysterious phone call received just that day from an agent who disappeared 20 years ago from a small town called Excelsior Springs.

Set in the modern day, this story is not focused on Egyptian mythology, despite the description and the intro chapter. I found this to be action-packed and interesting. The banter between the teammates is natural and often humorous. The setting in Excelsior Springs, including the history involved, is also impressive. I was surprised and pleased with the historical fiction aspects of the story, many of which involved this little town. It was clever to link a famous historical figure with O4S, though I don't want to say who the figure is due to spoilers. The old hotel and the alternate old hotel are both extremely creepy, especially due to the creatures and ghosts that inhabit them.

Murphy, Bill and Kate are my favorites from the team. Murphy, the detective, is a sceptic; even after he finds himself transported to another dimension, he still refuses to believe, though he deals with what he's experiencing. Bill monitors, records and coordinates the efforts of the team as they investigate. He pops in with humorous remarks and seems to be their tether to the real world. Finally, Kate, the apprentice mage who thought she was simply coming for her first training mission, instead finds herself on a desperate mission, facing terrifying enemies.

And those terrifying enemies are numerous and varied. Counted among them are ghosts, demons, immortal serial killers, and the particularly nasty spirit that spawned The Order of the Four Sons in the first place.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, particularly the historical fiction and the ongoing battle between good and evil. This is the first in a series, so the book ends off with a set up for the next one. I'd recommend this book for those who like books with interesting characters, historical tie ins, and cameos by famous (and infamous) historical figures. Others may enjoy the paranormal spin on a story set in the modern world.



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I'm excited to announce that I've landed a spot on an awesome blog called Pure Textuality, which features book news and reviews, among other things.

So, what does that mean for my blog here?

First off, not all that much. I'll still post book reviews, news, and, of course, stuff about my writing and publishing efforts. What will change is that some of my reviews will be featured on Pure Textuality, instead of here.  I'll post links as they are available.

Today's is the first one of these. So, check out my review of The Slayer and the Sphinx by Adam Bolander on Pure Textuality and hang out a while longer and check out the rest of the blog.