T. Hammond's Blog - Posts Tagged "alannah-lynne"
T's Top 10 - 1st Qtr 2013
Since my last blog was all about me, I decided, for a change of pace, this one would be about my opinion of others… their books, specifically. I have read some absolutely terrific books over the past 4 months of 2013- so I figured I would share my favorites with you!
T’s TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2013
10. Lord’s Fall, Thea Harrison (Elder Races #5)
PARTIAL BLURB: Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves.
MY FULL REVIEW: Whenever I read a Thea Harrison I am always re-impressed with what a great story-teller she is. The characters are great and the plot hold my attention. This is a great read, and I enjoyed the follow-up on Dragos and Pia… not to mention the Sentinel Games to find the new Seven. As always, this one's another winner
9. That Voodoo You Do, Jodi Redmond
PARTIAL BLURB: For ten long years Griffin Trudeau has managed to keep his paws off Jemma Finnegan, best friend and leading star of his kinkiest fantasies. As her appointed cat familiar, indulging those fantasies with the delectable witch is strictly forbidden.
MY FULL REVIEW: Zombie Apocalypse- need I say more? This book was hilarious, I kept stopping to read excerpts to my sister and chuckling like a crazy woman. The story line was over the top (sexy three-some needed to come into your magical powers? Riiiiiight- buy hey, it was great fun!). I absolutely loved this book and although the writing isn't as complex as I usually like before giving a book 5-stars, I rated the book for the sheer enjoyment of reading it, and fun characters that made the spoof so great. Not an intellectual book, but great escapism.
8. Poison Kissed, Erica Hayes ….
PARTIAL BLURB: Mina is a banshee whose greatest power lies in her siren song. She’s beholden to her boss Joey, a snake-shifter who once saved her life and now employs her as a gang enforcer. She refuses to upset the fragile balance between them by admitting that she longs for him…
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I loved this book. I picked it up at a local bookstore and I was very impressed. I am a huge Andrew Vachss fan, and the writing style had the same sharp brutality, using spare words and description to tell the story. The writing style and violence may not be to everyone's taste, but I found the writing to be above average and the story fresh. Definitely want to read more from this author.
7. The Warded Man, Peter V Brett
PARTIAL BLURB: Three young survivors of vicious demon attacks dare the impossible. Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer step beyond the crumbling safety of the few remembered wards in remote rural villages, and risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: This is one of the best books I've read in a while in regards to character and story development, especially for the first 3/4 of the book (approx) where the backgrounds of the three focal people grow into their adulthood/special skills. The only thing that ruined the book is that After all the remarkable build up, the story ending seemed too rushed by comparison, and the characters suffered (literally as well as metaphorically) for the author's impatience to end the book… don't let a disappointing review of the last chapters prevent you from picking up and reading this book though, it's worth the read, The sequel The Desert Spear was almost as good with a 4-star rating..
6. Ever After, Kim Harrison
PARTIAL BLURB: While saving the world is important, it isn't Rachel's only motivation. There's also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, setting off a chain reaction of unfortunate events. That little mistake has made her life forfeit unless she can fix it.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: OMG, Best Rachel Morgan ever. This was a wonderful continuation of the series with a huge bonus: a less annoying, stronger spined Rachel... or was I the only one getting tired of the yelling and whining? The storyline was strong and complex, and continued to hold that budding, teasing romance angle with Trent. Great job Kim Harrison, and thank you so much for giving Rachel a much needed backbone.
6. Ever After, Kim Harrison
PARTIAL BLURB: While saving the world is important, it isn't Rachel's only motivation. There's also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, setting off a chain reaction of unfortunate events. That little mistake has made her life forfeit unless she can fix it.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: OMG, Best Rachel Morgan ever. This was a wonderful continuation of the series with a huge bonus: a less annoying, stronger spined Rachel... or was I the only one getting tired of the yelling and whining? The storyline was strong and complex, and continued to hold that budding, teasing romance angle with Trent. Great job Kim Harrison, and thank you so much for giving Rachel a much needed backbone.
5. Sleight of Hand (1) & Hidden Trump (2), Mark Henwick
PARTIAL BLURB: Amber Farrell, Denver PI, is coming to terms with being part of the paranormal community, but she’s about to find that includes very dangerous responsibilities for her. Nothing is quite what it seems, least of all, Amber herself, and to survive, she must form alliances with powerful groups whose interests are in conflict. But she knows she’s expendable and betrayal is inevitable.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: (I know, I threw two books in here, but both were excellent) This series has probably got the best strong woman lead of any series I've read. Unlike many of the main female characters, Amber is tough (ex covert operations), able to back down without being passive or pissy, thinks on her feet, has integrity and honor, and, her most attractive feature? She's a team player... she has no illusions that she has to do everything herself. The story line is a fresh look at a military woman attacked while on assignment and becomes a tool for her country when she displays vampiric abilities (the book contains it own terminologies for vampires) added to good writing and solid character development
4. Cold Days, Jim Butcher (#14 of Dresden Files)
PARTIAL BLURB: After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I have been a huge fan of the Harry Dresden series for years. If you haven’t read him, you are missing out on a fantastic series! After my disappointment with Ghost Story, I was so happy with this return to a more corporeal character. Jim Butcher is a fantastic writer and he has an ability to layer multiple plots over a complex story line. Cold Days gave us a stronger Dresden with newer powers and harder temptations; the story is not so much about how power corrupts, but how Dresden fights to keep his integrity and his humanity while finding a balance between absolute power and willpower.
3. Falling Into You, Jasinda Wilder
PARTIAL BLURB: I wasn't always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way. Then, one stormy August night, he died, and the person I was died with him.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I am so freaking impressed by the writing, the story, and the character development. I am amazed at the depth of emotion the writer was able to draw out of the characters. With vivid, almost poetic, description, and impassioned dialog; I found myself lost in the story from page one. The author's writing was so complex and layered. (I liked this one so much that when I finished my Kindle read, I also bought it in paperback).
2. Bridge of Deaths, MCV Egan
PARTIAL BLURB: On August 15th 1939, at the brink of World War II, an English plane crashed and sunk in Danish waters. Five deaths were reported: two Standard Oil of New Jersey employees, a German Corporate Lawyer, an English member of Parliament, and a crew member for the airline. Here is a conceivable version of the events.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I almost passed it by because I'm not a big history buff, BUT I started going thru the reviews and decided I had to go for it! This is one of the most interesting books I've read in awhile. From the first few chapters, I was invested in seeing where the story would take me. I was interested in the characters and completely captivated by the plot. Bridge of Deaths revolves around a 1939 plane crash in Denmark (history), has past life regression (paranormal), a beautifully blended drama mixing archive/historical data with the writer's interpretation of events Fiction mixed with non-fiction), a sweet romance (G rating, pretty much- PG if you've got a good imagination, but that's between you and your brain), falsified/badly translated (?? You, decide) documents (mystery/cover-up), and an excellent over all plot with great story development
1. Desert Rice, By Angela Scott
PARTIAL BLURB: Samantha Jean Haggert is a beautiful twelve-year-old girl, but no one knows it. All they see is an awkward boy in a baseball cap and baggy pants. Sam's not thrilled with the idea of hiding her identity, but it's all part of her brother's plan to keep Sam safe from male attention and hidden from the law. 15-year-old Jacob will stop at nothing to protect his sister, including concealing the death of the one person who should have protected them in the first place--their mother.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: From the opening chapter to the very last word, the book was a masterpiece of storytelling, presenting me with a barrage of twists and turns that kept me riveted to the book. The author presented a story of two orphans determined to stay together after the death of their mother. I was so caught up in the dialog (told from the perspective of the 12 year old sister) that I wasn't trying to spend my time figuring out plots or deeper meanings to the story, each time a new layer of the story was revealed, it was like an unexpected gift.
Special Mentions (all 5-star ratings by me) and in no special order…
Eagle’s Destiny, CJ Corbin
Heat Wave series, Alannah Lynne
Bachelor Battles - The Change (1), Angela White
T’s TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2013
10. Lord’s Fall, Thea Harrison (Elder Races #5)
PARTIAL BLURB: Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves.
MY FULL REVIEW: Whenever I read a Thea Harrison I am always re-impressed with what a great story-teller she is. The characters are great and the plot hold my attention. This is a great read, and I enjoyed the follow-up on Dragos and Pia… not to mention the Sentinel Games to find the new Seven. As always, this one's another winner
9. That Voodoo You Do, Jodi Redmond
PARTIAL BLURB: For ten long years Griffin Trudeau has managed to keep his paws off Jemma Finnegan, best friend and leading star of his kinkiest fantasies. As her appointed cat familiar, indulging those fantasies with the delectable witch is strictly forbidden.
MY FULL REVIEW: Zombie Apocalypse- need I say more? This book was hilarious, I kept stopping to read excerpts to my sister and chuckling like a crazy woman. The story line was over the top (sexy three-some needed to come into your magical powers? Riiiiiight- buy hey, it was great fun!). I absolutely loved this book and although the writing isn't as complex as I usually like before giving a book 5-stars, I rated the book for the sheer enjoyment of reading it, and fun characters that made the spoof so great. Not an intellectual book, but great escapism.
8. Poison Kissed, Erica Hayes ….
PARTIAL BLURB: Mina is a banshee whose greatest power lies in her siren song. She’s beholden to her boss Joey, a snake-shifter who once saved her life and now employs her as a gang enforcer. She refuses to upset the fragile balance between them by admitting that she longs for him…
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I loved this book. I picked it up at a local bookstore and I was very impressed. I am a huge Andrew Vachss fan, and the writing style had the same sharp brutality, using spare words and description to tell the story. The writing style and violence may not be to everyone's taste, but I found the writing to be above average and the story fresh. Definitely want to read more from this author.
7. The Warded Man, Peter V Brett
PARTIAL BLURB: Three young survivors of vicious demon attacks dare the impossible. Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer step beyond the crumbling safety of the few remembered wards in remote rural villages, and risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: This is one of the best books I've read in a while in regards to character and story development, especially for the first 3/4 of the book (approx) where the backgrounds of the three focal people grow into their adulthood/special skills. The only thing that ruined the book is that After all the remarkable build up, the story ending seemed too rushed by comparison, and the characters suffered (literally as well as metaphorically) for the author's impatience to end the book… don't let a disappointing review of the last chapters prevent you from picking up and reading this book though, it's worth the read, The sequel The Desert Spear was almost as good with a 4-star rating..
6. Ever After, Kim Harrison
PARTIAL BLURB: While saving the world is important, it isn't Rachel's only motivation. There's also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, setting off a chain reaction of unfortunate events. That little mistake has made her life forfeit unless she can fix it.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: OMG, Best Rachel Morgan ever. This was a wonderful continuation of the series with a huge bonus: a less annoying, stronger spined Rachel... or was I the only one getting tired of the yelling and whining? The storyline was strong and complex, and continued to hold that budding, teasing romance angle with Trent. Great job Kim Harrison, and thank you so much for giving Rachel a much needed backbone.
6. Ever After, Kim Harrison
PARTIAL BLURB: While saving the world is important, it isn't Rachel's only motivation. There's also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, setting off a chain reaction of unfortunate events. That little mistake has made her life forfeit unless she can fix it.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: OMG, Best Rachel Morgan ever. This was a wonderful continuation of the series with a huge bonus: a less annoying, stronger spined Rachel... or was I the only one getting tired of the yelling and whining? The storyline was strong and complex, and continued to hold that budding, teasing romance angle with Trent. Great job Kim Harrison, and thank you so much for giving Rachel a much needed backbone.
5. Sleight of Hand (1) & Hidden Trump (2), Mark Henwick
PARTIAL BLURB: Amber Farrell, Denver PI, is coming to terms with being part of the paranormal community, but she’s about to find that includes very dangerous responsibilities for her. Nothing is quite what it seems, least of all, Amber herself, and to survive, she must form alliances with powerful groups whose interests are in conflict. But she knows she’s expendable and betrayal is inevitable.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: (I know, I threw two books in here, but both were excellent) This series has probably got the best strong woman lead of any series I've read. Unlike many of the main female characters, Amber is tough (ex covert operations), able to back down without being passive or pissy, thinks on her feet, has integrity and honor, and, her most attractive feature? She's a team player... she has no illusions that she has to do everything herself. The story line is a fresh look at a military woman attacked while on assignment and becomes a tool for her country when she displays vampiric abilities (the book contains it own terminologies for vampires) added to good writing and solid character development
4. Cold Days, Jim Butcher (#14 of Dresden Files)
PARTIAL BLURB: After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I have been a huge fan of the Harry Dresden series for years. If you haven’t read him, you are missing out on a fantastic series! After my disappointment with Ghost Story, I was so happy with this return to a more corporeal character. Jim Butcher is a fantastic writer and he has an ability to layer multiple plots over a complex story line. Cold Days gave us a stronger Dresden with newer powers and harder temptations; the story is not so much about how power corrupts, but how Dresden fights to keep his integrity and his humanity while finding a balance between absolute power and willpower.
3. Falling Into You, Jasinda Wilder
PARTIAL BLURB: I wasn't always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way. Then, one stormy August night, he died, and the person I was died with him.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I am so freaking impressed by the writing, the story, and the character development. I am amazed at the depth of emotion the writer was able to draw out of the characters. With vivid, almost poetic, description, and impassioned dialog; I found myself lost in the story from page one. The author's writing was so complex and layered. (I liked this one so much that when I finished my Kindle read, I also bought it in paperback).
2. Bridge of Deaths, MCV Egan
PARTIAL BLURB: On August 15th 1939, at the brink of World War II, an English plane crashed and sunk in Danish waters. Five deaths were reported: two Standard Oil of New Jersey employees, a German Corporate Lawyer, an English member of Parliament, and a crew member for the airline. Here is a conceivable version of the events.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: I almost passed it by because I'm not a big history buff, BUT I started going thru the reviews and decided I had to go for it! This is one of the most interesting books I've read in awhile. From the first few chapters, I was invested in seeing where the story would take me. I was interested in the characters and completely captivated by the plot. Bridge of Deaths revolves around a 1939 plane crash in Denmark (history), has past life regression (paranormal), a beautifully blended drama mixing archive/historical data with the writer's interpretation of events Fiction mixed with non-fiction), a sweet romance (G rating, pretty much- PG if you've got a good imagination, but that's between you and your brain), falsified/badly translated (?? You, decide) documents (mystery/cover-up), and an excellent over all plot with great story development
1. Desert Rice, By Angela Scott
PARTIAL BLURB: Samantha Jean Haggert is a beautiful twelve-year-old girl, but no one knows it. All they see is an awkward boy in a baseball cap and baggy pants. Sam's not thrilled with the idea of hiding her identity, but it's all part of her brother's plan to keep Sam safe from male attention and hidden from the law. 15-year-old Jacob will stop at nothing to protect his sister, including concealing the death of the one person who should have protected them in the first place--their mother.
MY PARTIAL REVIEW: From the opening chapter to the very last word, the book was a masterpiece of storytelling, presenting me with a barrage of twists and turns that kept me riveted to the book. The author presented a story of two orphans determined to stay together after the death of their mother. I was so caught up in the dialog (told from the perspective of the 12 year old sister) that I wasn't trying to spend my time figuring out plots or deeper meanings to the story, each time a new layer of the story was revealed, it was like an unexpected gift.
Special Mentions (all 5-star ratings by me) and in no special order…
Eagle’s Destiny, CJ Corbin
Heat Wave series, Alannah Lynne
Bachelor Battles - The Change (1), Angela White
