Vanessa’s Comments (group member since Jun 15, 2017)

Vanessa’s comments from the Read, Reading, Planning to Read and More group.

Re: High Voltage Also due out this week, March 6th.
This was posted on the Girls, Guns, and Grimoires discussion---

First teaser released below!
She has the eyes of a killer.
Green with golden flecks, backlit by cold fire.
She lives in high alert. I've yet to see her relax and I've been watching her a long time.
I know the monsters, the horrors she endured to become what she is. I know the legend: kept in a cage for years, betrayed, unloved, unwanted, trained as an assassin, used as a weapon, lost for time uncounted in the Silvers, forgotten.
Loved once.
He died.
Scars inside and out; she wears them well.
Self-possessed. Inhumanly strong. Highly intelligent. Mission-driven, judge, jury and executioner. Still...champion of the helpless and downtrodden she understands -- and who will never understand her. Once you've killed, you're rarely understood except, perhaps, by others who've also taken that dark detour.
She watches over Dublin, protects its inhabitants, especially the children.
Ah, yes, the eyes of a killer but...
The heart of a saint gone vigilante.
Assuming one could get anywhere near it.
Men obsess over her. She has a healthy appetite but never stays the night.
She chooses, she burns up their sheets, she leaves.
She conceals her stone-cold behind an array of expressions yet her eyes remain remote, moving restlessly, seeing everything, assessing everyone: foe or irrelevant? On exceedingly rare occasion, if she deems one worth it: friend.
Then those killer eyes shine.
Earn an assassin's loyalty, you have a full pardon.
I'm going to need a full pardon.

Also-

From KMM's Facebook: "A novel set in the Fever World, a few years after the Song of Making was sung by the High Queen of the Fae, featuring Dani O'Malley and Ryodan."

So now we know that Dani does get around, and now, (I hope), that this will be about Dani and Ryodan.
How about Kat and Kasteo or Sean? I hope that there will not be a love triangle.

Did you know that the next Incryptid book will be out this week too? Tricks for Free
No good books out for months and suddenly there are tons of books out on the same day. I'm sure that there are more that haven't been mentioned previously.

Doug... Everything always seems worse when you see it in writing. LOL!!
I actually just realized that I needed a brighter flashlight for outdoors last night when the power went out because of the high winds. A regular flashlight does an adequate job, but I could have used a bit more light. I have a couple of flashlights that are handy but all of them have failed in the same way. (They are all the same manufacturer). The larger light works but the more focused light does not. One light blinks off and on and is so 70's disco ball that I can't use it. I have flashlights all over the house and even travel with a small one, so I guess that I have a flashlight fetish too. ;-)

Thanks Doug, I just had to buy that flashlight.

Re: Reluctant Concubine, who is the author?

Nothing is appealing, I might read the last Others book. Etched in Bone

I was just reviewing this discussion. I am still stumped as to who Silas is. Could he be one of Xcor's guys? Aren't they returning to the Old Country? Although they all lived like grubs, so I doubt it. Has anyone read anything about this novella?

I'm with Lulu, Burn Bright for me.

I finished my re-read of Cry Wolf.
I think that I like it more each time that I read it.

On audio, I finished a book that has languished on my TBR for a long time. A Beautiful Poison is a who dunnit that is set in New York City in 1918. A group of childhood friends are reunited for an engagement party, during which a particularly nasty guest is poisoned, but her death is ruled an accident because she fell down the stairs. High society doesn't have those particular things occur at their parties, and the police are quietly paid off. The friends realize the cause and pursue the killer on their own. Then people around them start to die of various causes, and every one is accompanied by a note reading "you're welcome". The characters are a rich young lady, Allene, who has an affinity for chemistry, (at whose party the first guest died), a former rich young man, Jasper, who is now barely paying the bills with his two jobs, and Birdie, a beautiful fae like young woman whose mother was turned out from Allene's house by a scandal. Together they all evolve into very different people than what they first appear. I thought that the world building develops quite well through the story and the side characters compliment the story. I don't usually read mysteries, but this one caught my eye. I would give it 3.5-4.0*'s.

On kindle I read a short story by Bec McMasters, The Many Lives Of Hadley Monroe
It was a nice short about a young woman who befriends "Death" in an attempt to prolong her Grandmothers' life. The name of the story is deceiving because there aren't many lives at all just one. It has a couple of twists and it was a quick read while I wait for all of the biggies that are coming next week.

Elizabeth wrote: "ok vanessa you seem to be my go to for ts joyce ( tried to find the author on here to ask her but couldnt figure it out.. i know i follow her but again cant figure out where to find the people i fo..."

Liz... To add more to your pile of questions, sometimes the type of clans have multiple mates, but not true mates. (You'll see if you read about some of the other "species"). Some of the shifters marry another shifter and/or human and that isn't their true mate just a mate. I don't think that a true mate is able to quite shake off the mating bond, but because of circumstances some true mates have been separated and they generally suffer quite badly. You will get more information as the different series go on.

Holly... And on the left side of the bed we have... LOL!! :-) No, not working for me.

I finished Cry Wolf
It was just as enjoyable as it was the very first time. I hope that the next Alpha and Omega book out on Tuesday is as good to read as the beginning of the series was. I like them home in Montana.

Holly... That's what I don't like about Veiled, it is present tense. I always feel like I'm reading Valley Girl speech. You nailed it. It is the present tense that I can't stand.

In Cry Wolf Cry Wolf I I had a reminder of just how rotten Leah can be. Throughout the books I had forgotten that at the very first opportunity, Leah came over to Charle's house and berated Anna, but at the same time the Omega got her to confess that she was jealous of Bran's relationship with his sons.

Vinity... Yes! The new Briggs book is about Charles and Anna.

Thanks Holly... I do like McHugh's writing and I didn't even look at the kindle first books this month. I very seldom get them because they aren't usually something that I am interested in. If I do get one, it lies on my TBR until it starts to reek, (figuratively speaking of course, LOL!!).

I blame Lulu, I couldn't pass up the beginning short story about Charles and Anna (Alpha and Omega), so now I am reading the first book, Cry Wolf. I am excited for the next book, Burn Bright.

LAB☺ wrote: "Regarding Feversong - reminder/question

[spoilers removed] I really should probably reread Feversong...."

LAB... He was OK (view spoiler)[ the songs' light filled arrows went into him and eventually exited. Only her sister was affected because she was a manifestation of the S.D. (book). The creepy thing that was the evil of the S.D. was swallowed by Barons, he vomited it out and the song arrows stabbed it until there was nothing left. (hide spoiler)]

Liz... Bear My Soul Bear My Soul is the first book in the Fire Bears series. Do you have 10 books in your KU list already? I would go out of Amazon and then back in to see if your KU comes up.

LAB... It's probably a definite that there will be a cliff hanger. You take comfort in the fact that there will be a couple of people sharing your pain.

With all of the anticipation over the new Patricia Briggs novel, Burn Bright I abandoned Veiled . I'm somewhere near the half way point and it isn't thrilling me, it's too YA or something, and it is written in first person. That doesn't always bother me, but I feel like I'm reading a more juvenile read than I want to.
So I decided to re-read Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson. I want to re-read Alpha and Omega, the short story that became the beginning of the series.

LAB... (view spoiler)[ Cruce is still alive, He knows that the Unseelie King gave up his power and that it is floating around somewhere and hasn't chosen a host for it yet. Also, he is in the Unseelie King's laboratory and he is making some kind of "children". I suspect that he is evil again? Because he is creating "children". The song did make the Unseelie vanish from this world, but the story also stated that they were replenishing their ranks. So I am just as confused as the next person as to what exactly is going on. I do think that the mural shows Baron's and Mac. For balance there must be a Seelie court and an Unseelie court. (hide spoiler)]

Thanks Lisa, I knew that you would help me out. I wanted to put Dancer in for one of my A-Z Name category letters. (view spoiler)[See, I never gave it a thought about the Dreamy Eyed Guy being Dancer, Mac knows Dancer and would never mistake him for the DEG. Also, wouldn't Dancers' actual initials be EDG? I did love how Moning portrayed Dani and Dancers' love. I would like a separate buddy read for High Voltage. I did like Iced, didn't care for Feverborn, (who was that Mac? or Dani for that matter), and I liked Feversong. But there are too many holes and lots of missing info, like who is the Sweeper and did Papa Roach survive? I hope that the hellcat can eat them, LOL. (hide spoiler)]

Lulu... Briggs has a short story about them in Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
This is about how they first met.

Oh no, and I was going to ask Lisa a question about Feversong
(view spoiler)[ What do you think that the "mural" and the silver really mean? The King's power is still floating around, and Mac is still the Seelie Queen. They, to me, represent the reincarnation of the King and the concubines' love. I think that the mirror leads to fairy, and Barons and Mac are to be them, but this time it is the King and Queen who love each other. Or not! LOL!! Your opinion? Remember when I asked if Barons was the Unseelie King? (hide spoiler)]
Also, what is Dancer's full name? Elias, "Dancer" McNaulty? I can't remember his last name. I listen to those and I was wondering if someone remembers.
I'm actually kind of excited about the next Dani book, High Voltage.
I know that a lot of people didn't like Iced, but I rather liked it. Dani has been a favorite of mine and I didn't mind her speech, and I listened to it on audio.

Liz... I know what you mean about T.S.Joyce's books. They just draw you in. You have to read about the Fire Bears to find out how the shifters came out into the world. Then there are all of the various clans, and then their children and their clans. I really liked those books and they were all free on KU.

I started a different book, it's set in the early 20th century and 3 friends set out to solve the mystery of who is poisoning people in society. The MC, Allene is the sole heir to her father's vast fortune, and at her engagement party a well connected and despised guest dies of poisoning but it looks like she fell and broke her neck. Re-united with her closest childhood friends, whom she was separated from by her parents, Allene who has an affinity for chemistry and science sets out to solve the murder. I have had this on my audio TBR for a long time. A Beautiful Poison

I'm still listening to Feversong.
I'm almost done with the book and I don't want to stop listening to it, but I have a yoga class. Such a dilemma!

On kindle I am reading a very different, (for me), book, Veiled.
This is a spin-off of another series, but can be read as a stand alone. It's mostly a NA read. The h sees both ghosts and demons, and has a guide who is a human who has been brought back from the dead to perform this service. All of the "guides" are named Jacob and they never retain the memories of their previous life. This ability to see ghosts is an inherited trait that comes from their Mother's side. It's an interesting premise to a story and I'm not quite sure that the author is pulling this off or not, but time will tell.

Douglas wrote: "For the ones of us that got into this series, this 3rd book was released today and it is FREE on KU

Ravening Hood"

Doug are you related to the author? I love her bio.

Carol wrote: "Vanessa - I read the first two books in the "Gentleman Bastard" series and they were excellent. However, with the long wait for the next book I've lost interest... Maybe HBO will take over! :-)"

I know what you mean. The third book was OK but as far as I am concerned, not as good as the first two.
It seems to me that some of these people take their own fame to heart and that we will wait forever for their next book. OK so I might do the for The Winds of Winter.
I might not be able to read by the time Martin finishes the series. He seems to think that he will live forever or something, LOL ;-)

For the fans of the Gentleman Bastard Series this is from a Scott Lynch fan site and is supposed to be what Lynch said in an interview at the WorldCon 75, and is about the Thorn of Emberlain, (Gentleman Bastard Series Book 4). This was dated September 8, 2017

"My wife and I will have an uninterrupted 2 month period after we go home, during which I basically hope to get the book turned in, and then we can begin setting a firmer schedule for its publication. For the most part I’m very pleased with it. I’m pretty sure that I can fix the stuff that I’m not pleased about in the next 8 weeks or so."

There seems to be hope. The book was pushed back from a September 2016 publishing date.

ETA... The third book in the series was published in Oct 2013, how very Martin-esque. They both seem to be attending a lot of "Cons".

The Next Sweep of the Blade is up.

http://innkeeper.ilona-andrews.com/20...

I must say I love little Helen's character.

Doug... I'm hoping that Fenton does a holiday story or eventually one about the younger girls, Betsy and maybe Davina, and then a couple about the Honeywell and Leighton terrors, I mean twins. I think that they twins would be a really funny series.