"I thought it would stop. That I could take it with me in death. But I couldn't. It never stops. Never stops. Because death is not the end."
Third time"I thought it would stop. That I could take it with me in death. But I couldn't. It never stops. Never stops. Because death is not the end."
Third time's a charm. It's official; I'm now a bona-fide fan of the author. Three books I've greatly enjoyed, and each stands apart without blending. Not always an easy feat, especially if in a similar genre and trope (haunted spots). While I didn't dig this one quite as much as the other two I've read (in case you're curious, they are The Sick House and A House by the Sea), it's a fun little spook story that offers some different twists while keeping up the familiar for fans of the haunted stuff.
It's a novella size sampling that doesn't harbor nearly as much creepiness as some of his other works, but that's not to say it doesn't dish out its own goods. Enter the Ouija, creepy spirits without moving mouths, and a tiny mystery. The feeling of suffocation in the tiny apartment as it keeps growing darker is felt with the well-done writing style. Tension is tight, especially when she's caught (more than once!), and when she was attacking a window, I was especially tense. This would have been the scene where, if it were a movie, there would be high-strung orchestral music hammering on the audience's eardrums while they covered their eyes with their hands.
With horror I like to list how liberally it applies the blood splatter for those who are curious about gore level; there isn't much, if any, here. There doesn't need to be. It wouldn't fit into the vibe. This one is pure psychological tension all the way. It has what it needs: some creepy pauses, tense moments, characters dropped into volatile situations, a small mystery to keep it intriguing, an ending that closes the last page with a slam. Well done.
Oh, and don't use Ouija boards. This book tells you another reason why.
'The first to speak in court sounds right, until the cross-examination begins,' Proverbs, 18:17.
Ah, the joy of parenthood – and the darkness of it…
Adm'The first to speak in court sounds right, until the cross-examination begins,' Proverbs, 18:17.
Ah, the joy of parenthood – and the darkness of it…
Admission: I wasn’t sure before going in if this one would do it for me or not. Burned out by so many witchcraft stories being cheese-coated regurgitation, the Midwives is a refreshing change of pace that did not suffer from the same curse. Its fate instead was complex and eventually riveting; I ended up reading it in two sittings.
Witchcraft plays its role in the story, but with enough polish to stand out and flourish. Toss in a serial killer who livens up the story – especially when combined with a humorous town pariah – excellent results. Compelling characterization is where The Midwives excels past the mark, especially having Martin be the flawed man he is. Sheila is a worthy tag-along who brings feminism in to a storyline where the small town is dominated by these women who still embrace somewhat antiquated views on womanhood.
Ruby as the mother is particularly fascinating with her manic moods and the mysteries of her pursuits. Even the town itself, aptly named Barrow’s Bay, becomes a small character on its own. The remote, island type towns suits the ambience of a creepy horror story.
It’s not a first person, so we get to hop around in a few heads, but Martin leads the majority of the tale, as he should. He’s not the only focus, but he is the shining example of the opposite end of the point of faith.
A disconsolate landscape of human misery, horrible things happen – truly. Faith is mentioned as a manipulative weapon to allow much of this darkness to come to pass and hold the town in its grip; blind faith and behind-the-scenes manipulation. By a saving grace, faith becomes a symbol of hope for transformation for more than one character. The story may open with a long-standing tradition grounded in horrible origins, but it ends by showing that you can continue to evolve past your roots.
Having faith in who you can be, not just who you are, or origins of who you once were.
Violence and gore aren’t shied away from, particularly in the prologue that almost did border on cheesy, but everything happens for a reason – and some of these reasons may eventually surprise you with subtle magic. It’s brutal, but it gets your attention and makes a lasting impression. Five stars, and I don’t give those lightly to horror novels any more.
A horror story absolute, it remains true to the fairy-tale lore for witch tales of old. These aren’t women in gingerbread houses molding traps to snare wandering children, but they’re not far off from it either. If you want a modern day, twisted fairy-tale type of story that is both dark and gripping – this is the one. ...more
I’ve heard of this author but never had the pleasure of reading him until now. It turns out he truly is creepy as others have said, as I found – to soI’ve heard of this author but never had the pleasure of reading him until now. It turns out he truly is creepy as others have said, as I found – to some surprise – as the story unfolded. At first I wasn’t as impressed; the writing style was fine and easy to relate to, characters sound, but it just wasn’t grabbing my interest much until around the middle.
Haunted houses have tropes, clichés, patterns we come to expect when digging in to these tales, which may be one reason I wasn’t as into it. This one dealt the steady hand of things readers expect: a friend who has a psychic lean, so-called expert investigators, trying to communicate with the dead, researching the local legend and history of the house, feelings of chill, drawings, dreams, night disturbances. The story starts taking it further, though, since this isn’t any ordinary spook or demon. There’s more than one thing involved with this house and I wasn’t sure of the true enemy, or if both were the true enemies. There’s a twist with the ending as well that cements this as truly chilling and makes it stand out.
Jack isn’t that nice of a character, really, but I like flawed mains. Him being a writer is a perk since I like writer leads. The ghost hunter is especially amusing for various reasons. This house has a dark history and, like many haunted location stories, becomes a character in its own right. Being set on the sea and having to do with the water makes it even more chilling.
Not all questions are answered, and I don’t fully get everything. Some of it’s open-ended. I like answers, so that was slightly frustrating, but not enough to dislike the story. A perk is the villain was unusual in its way, which makes the story different than many of a similar vein.
I was reading this in bed with the lights off by the light of my Oasis 3. My cat was on the blanket and my bedroom door was left over, looking into the dark hallway, as I generally do so the cat can go in and out at will. I’ll admit when the book ended that I genuinely got freaked out. I felt like a 10 year old as it reminded me of creepy stuff I went through as a teenager with the Ouija board. I then had to get up to go to the bathroom – yep, that wasn’t fun. I swear that door moved a bit…
I look forward to reading more from this author. ...more
“She hopped out of the way, nearly run over by a massive clown riding a tiny bicycle. No, not a clown, that clown. The town’s clown. The one who stare“She hopped out of the way, nearly run over by a massive clown riding a tiny bicycle. No, not a clown, that clown. The town’s clown. The one who stared all night into her bedroom window, peering from the side of the burned-down Baypen factory. Pervo? Mervo? Frenco? Yes, Frendo. That was it.”
Quinn and distraught father find out the hard way that leaving behind something miserable may put you in the path of something far worse. Things are just about to unfold and get downright nasty right when they’re unloading that last packing box.
Tension is felt starting day one as Quinn meets a surly group of teens who spend as much time sneering at local adults as the adults spend sneering back in their direction. Conceptionally it kind of reminds me of a reverse Children of the corn.
Small towns hold some of the best potentials of plot for horror filled tales such as this one. The town becomes a character in itself as it dishes out the history of Frendo the clown as the official pet mascot. We even get a town fair that’s the event of the year to start the party off hardy.
Characters are layered well considering this is a form of slasher fare; they aren’t just token red-shirts waited to get killed off without eliciting any emotion on behalf of the reader. That isn’t to say all characters are likeable – but they are realistic enough. Quinn as the main character is worthy of the role, although she gets annoying at times, especially when she starts on her anti-gun tirade (this changes later.)
An example – “Quinn shook her head. If it gave Janet a bit more comfort, thinking she had a loaded gun and could defend herself, then maybe that revenge fantasy could keep the girl awake and alive. The answer certainly couldn’t be leaving her with a loaded handgun.”
Really, Quinn, why not? There’s only a demented killer on the loose, and you’re thinking it’s not wise to leave a frightened and wounded girl alone with a gun that would actually protect her? Egads.
Not smart, Quinn, not smart.
Character annoyances aside - and truthfully there really aren’t many of them - the writing style flows well to suit the story. Slashers aren’t the most complex of plots, but this one serves up a suitable motive and a cult-sized mentality that keeps the story interesting enough to be something other than simple hack-and-slash entertainment.
Violence-wise, there’s plenty to be had after enough character development and build-up. Don’t let the YA genre tag throw you off that expectation. Decapitations, crossbows, fire, chainsaws, guns, weapons you’d find around a farm or with everyday country folk looking to throw down and have a good time around the party barn. Blood isn’t let out in a geyser rush for the sake of cheapened shock value, but without at least a tad, we’d feel cheated. The author delivers. Killer clowns and cornfields need tools, right?
I’ve seen some readers mention this has a cinematic feel that would translate well to the TV screen. They’re right. The writing works and doesn’t come across as a dry screenplay style, but the story is something you find in a teen-aimed, slasher-style scare flick.
Hobbies of YouTube video upload, social media reputations, and even Yelp shout-outs keep this one dated to the modern age.
Well-written and downright fun, this one earns its rep. Clown in a Cornfield is a good time to be had for fans of horror, even if slasher-type, or even YA, isn’t your usual favorite. ...more
This was recommended to me in a thread on a forum about diverse voices in cozy mystery novels. I like digging through the book pile to uncover unusual amateur sleuths. The traditional, overdone stereotypes are still fun to read, but I enjoy those who have unusual careers for a change in rhythm. I was primarily drawn to this one because of her role as a maid and caretaker of the house. I enjoy the head cooks of private politically-inclined houses as well. Who would think I'd be so drawn to private cooks and housekeepers in these novels while I hate cooking and cleaning in real life myself?
I'm weird that way. Moving on...
Blanche IS certainly different. She's also a delight. Her humorous inner voice takes liberties to deliver messages to the reader almost too often. I dug her sarcasm, her issues with authority. Blanche is of course different from me since most of her pain and objection comes from racial issues I don't have to face and can not fully understand. Much of this was eye-opening and an educational experience to absorb.
That said, sometimes I think she's too unreasonable to assign unfairness to her from past employers. As an example, she speaks of being fired by a previous employer because she believes the employer was snotty, snobby, perhaps racist, and unfair. What she did was get caught using the employer's bathtub, bath salts, bath pillow, and cleaning brush/sponge. Assigning villainry for that is not something I agree with at all - bath salts, who cares, but in my house we're careful to keep all bathing sponges separate and bath pillows are meant to collect the skin cells, conditioned hair resting on it, soaped bodies...yech. I wouldn't share this with friends, family, let alone employees either - I don't think being disgusted by someone using my bathing sponge is at all unreasonable. *shudders*
The mystery is a clever enough one, although the suspect pool is small because most of the book takes part in a single household in the country. The story takes awhile to take off, but I didn't care. Some may get impatient, but I loved the opening where she makes a bold decision that's daring and again "different" - slipping from the law, not a spoiler in itself since it's in the title of the book and the synopsis - and getting caught up in this oddball family situation. I enjoyed her preparation of meals, evenings spent listening to the radio, and her bond with Mumsfield - that was especially endearing, as were her few meetings with the gardener Nate.
In short, I didn't mind the mystery taking awhile to take off because even the smaller things were interesting to me. Characterization is rich in this one and has a natural feel that takes you places without having to move there quickly. The ending showdown is more than a typical fight and lucky save - it's a fulfillment of taking control of a situation, of having hope, of leaving strong when you started frightened considering the opening chapter.
I'll definitely read more of this series, more of Blanche's misadventures and funny voice, more of her unique perspective I'm not familiar with, and of course more cooking - more cleaning - and more amateur mystery solving....more
“Under the last full moon of February, rousing from the latest of his nightmares, he heard something that commanded every hair on hRATING: 2 1/2 stars
“Under the last full moon of February, rousing from the latest of his nightmares, he heard something that commanded every hair on his body to rise—a single howl rang out through the darkness.”
My teenage-hood was filled reading horror books. It used to be by far my favorite genre, but as I grew older I branched out to include other books, making horror not even the most commonly read genre for me yearly anymore. That’s not to say I don’t still appreciate and genuinely love the genre – I do – but I’ve found as I get older that I grow pickier. Not just with books, but with horror movies, another thing I indulged in almost non-stop.
Blood and Rain has a stellar reputation as an “IT” werewolf book. It’s recommended on most horror lists and most of the friends I have online who read horror wholeheartedly recommend it. If you dig werewolf stories where the furred villain is a monster through and through, if old-fashioned monster type stories are your bag, you’ll probably enjoy this more than I did.
The plot isn’t bad for this type of story - fits a werewolf tormenting a tiny town quite well; blood-splattered pages don’t hold back the violence, body count number, drawn-out deaths, gore level, and these monsters even have a rape mentality. If you like your werewolf violent and pure-bred, Blood and Rain may be a better for you than it was for me. The simplicity of the characters, storyline, villains, and writing are not what push my horror buttons anymore. As I said, I’m pickier now when it comes to this stuff. There are also some grammar errors that didn’t bring it down a star, but it was noticeable.
I prefer villains who have layers in that they’re conflicted, or we see a steady progression to the darker path. This opened where the big-bad was already fully bad, with a backstory already over and explained, telling instead of showing. There is not any remorse with these creatures.
Likewise, the good characters are a bit one-dimensional themselves. Joe as the town sheriff who has battled this particular monster before isn’t that interesting. He’s fine, but most of the good guys sort of blend together, and there is an over-abundance of head hopping. I don’t need to switch between Mel from the diner, each deputy, the villains, the teenagers, the sheriff, and various people so much to get the same effect. Let me stay in the head of someone long enough to actually care more or invest myself into the story before jumping.
I grew confused with some of the town’s history. It’s explained there was a rash of werewolf attacks in 1997, but the relationships characters hold with some of the deceased is a little foggy. Having the backstory connection makes sense to add another layer to the story, but I had a hard time knowing who was truly affected other than Ted’s connection to a brother. Also, it was pretty clear immediately who the villain would be and I’m surprised Joe didn’t figure it out.
One’s thing for sure, no one is safe here – even the best of the characters get munched on. Action isn't an issue, it's almost on superspeed.
Themed horror anthologies are a bag of fun. Anthologies filled with random short stories are a delight too, but to have a joining theme, those are my Themed horror anthologies are a bag of fun. Anthologies filled with random short stories are a delight too, but to have a joining theme, those are my favorite. Fans of the furry will be pleased with the well-named Leaders of the Pack. Sporting a colorful cover (the book names the illustrator as Patrick Cornett), each story has an impressive and creative illustration drawn by Michelle Merlini to introduce it. These illustrations are highlights. Great job from both artists.
And to find out this was released on a full moon? Come on, how could I resist?
I’m not as into long anthologies, so the page count at 267 is ideal. Not too long, not too short. Twelve stories by twelve authors, some I recognized. As with any anthology, it’s a mixed offering.
Several stories are prequels, sequels, in-betweens, and tie-ins to existing series. The book opens with a story set after Blood and Rain and before the monstrous Nick returns to his hometown. The Dead Brother’s Situation is slasher fare that opens the anthology on a violent, gory note. This is a short story I consider more of a “scene” than a full story on its own, which is fine, as these have their place. If you’re a big fan of Blood and Rain, you’ll enjoy this one as bonus content.
Another tie-in is Graeme Reynold’s Blood Relations: A Gilson Creek Story. At the end of the short story, it states it takes place between books 2 and 3 of the High Moor series. The heroine is a 13 year old girl who seems older than she is due to a depressingly bleak life; we open with child abuse and end with possible family reunion. It was different and a break from some of the more violent stories in the anthology. Not to say this one doesn’t have some truly dark stuff, but not all the werewolves are mindless monsters with the world-building, and of course many humans show themselves to be just as monstrous.
Most familiar with Jeff Strand’s humorous Wolf Hunt series will recognize the character by the title, Ivan’s Night Out. Ivan was always a mean character with over-the-top humor which flourished in Wolf Hunt, and he doesn’t hold back the viciousness here either. I won’t say the story was enjoyable exactly, it was more of a brief lead-in to the character before the Wolf Hunt series. With the full length novel you got the funny dialogue from the demented killer, but it was told through the POV of other main characters, which made it that much more tense and humorous. Being in Ivan’s mind while he was telling these jokes and doing these monstrosities gave me a shudder or two. This was the last story in the anthology.
The Great Storm by TW Piperbrook is a prequel to a story I haven’t read (his Outage series) – it was well-done and vicious. I may check out the other books sometime. These werewolves sure aren’t cuddly, as is shown as two children have to run for their lives from their own neighborhood. Tension kept this one intense.
A few of the furry fiction was set in the modern day and through a loner werewolf view, like The Hunt by Thomas Emson. I wasn’t into the past sequences so much, but the story was enjoyable and the ending just had fun with itself.
A few felt incomplete with their endings. One example is Outside of Nowhere by Ray Garton. This dark story had an odd ending and tragic resolution. The author writes well, though, and the story stands out, but the ending felt so abrupt.
Matt Serafini’s Evernight Circle was a favorite and one of the best, buried in the middle. It’s definitely unique – a struggling husband accompanies his wife into a new town for a new chance at a new life. The corporation is too good to be true, of course, and its clear from the start something hokey is going on. The game becomes figuring out exactly what. I had various theories at different stages of the novel, and to my delight most of my guesses proved to be wrong. It keeps you on your toes - it’s different, dark, and I’d read more stories set in this world building and with this character.
Lifeline by Paul Kane is interesting, not sure if it ties in with something else; Beth is a likeable character and his writing style is smooth. It continues for awhile focused on spousal abuse and survival, with a small backstory. After awhile you start wondering how this will fit in with a werewolf theme, but I appreciate the realism of the story and not having a rushed lead despite it being a short story. It gets you to know the characters more and actually feel something. There’s a twist or two and the werewolf is gradually revealed.
Hunter’s Moon by David Wellington is a stand-out. It’s unique in that a huntress is stalking a vampire into a remote wilderness area. Her guide, the town, and the wilderness hold their own secrets. One of the better stories, the right length and an ending that actually feels finished. I don’t have a “top favorite”, but this would be in the top three.
Certain stories had a lot of history established in lore or legend – one is “The Original” by David Watkins. Written well, but a little confusing since I haven’t read his ‘Originals’ series, it tells the story of a survivor of Germanic Celts on his travels. He runs into a small village and … well, there are several twists here, revealed for the main character, about the main character, and concluding with a whopper of an ending.
Jonathan Janz has written some good works, so I was curious on how he’d handle a werewolf short tale. “The Kiss of Divna Antonov” was beautifully written and stood out as uniquely blending a long-time history with a present situation. The lead is a University professor interested in the origin of werewolves, and the book is a series of scenes with a meet, a few turns of events, and an open-ended conclusion. It’s chilling in a quiet way.
The offerings of these are varied – which is good. Seeing monstrous werewolves munching through small-towns would get old after awhile, so keep it various by also offering origin stories, historical settings, contemporary humor, women weres, entire packs, and you keep it more interesting. Not perfect anthology, but it’s highly recommended – not only for the stories, but again for the artwork. You also can’t beat the price.
I love this series in general, and I re-read the first four in preparation for this fifth release. Unfortunately this turned out to be my least favoriI love this series in general, and I re-read the first four in preparation for this fifth release. Unfortunately this turned out to be my least favorite by far. The author still writes well, I still love the series and plan to continue, but for the bad parts:
1. Amnesia. I hate it. Loathe it. If it's the plot of a standalone, I avoid it. Having Amnesia in the main character for almost the entire book right in the middle of a series is a nightmare. I don't feel like seeing her meet people all over again and discover things all over again --- I'd rather get plot progression from the events of the last book. More development in relationships instead of her not remembering anyone. Argh.
2. Dual POV. Alice was always single pov. The author, probably due to the amnesia or maybe wanting to change this more to PNR than Urban Fantasy/Mystery, mainly told this through Sean's POV. I love Sean, but I don't like romantic dual POV. We already know how he feels about her, so having it repeated in her head, then his directly, made it repetitive and dull.
3. Not much plot. There's some back and forth time shifts in the storyline, but really this one has the slowest plot out of the Alice Worth books. The majority is spent with her and Sean going over a lot of the same ground they've already covered in previous books, and a few scenes with Nan and Carly. There's a cool sorcerer battle but the book is large and it needed more action and direction. I will say we got a potent moment out of the real Alice's past that was well written.
4. The author has decided to kill any good relationship with Charles. I'm team Sean all the way but I liked Alice's bond of at least friendship with the vamp. That was pretty much tossed out the window now.
5. There's no connection to anything with Moses, which has the been the large story of the first four books, and the ending cliffhanger of the fourth - nothing is progressed there at all. In addition, we don't get anything more resolved with her potential new family member other than a cliffhanger. Lake and others from previous books aren't here at all. There isn't a big mystery other than Alice trying to recover power and memories.
6. For someone who is supposedly so powerful, can we please have her stop getting hurt every other chapter in every book?
7. It's a personal pet peeve of mine that the powerful can have their powers easily stolen. If that's the case with the worldbuilding, I can't be that impressed by their power.
8. The wolf thing is awesome - but I still want her to be in her roots involved with all the supe groups and herself instead of making it all about wolves, which is where the story seems to be suddenly heading.
Sadly the book was mainly dull, it pains me to admit it. Some of my dislike of it is personal pet peeves that aren't the books fault (my irritation at convenient amnesia or powers being stolen), but otherwise the book's shift of POV made it feel basic and repetitive, the filler quality without much story and not continuing any of Alice's personal story was a disappointment after the wait, I was saddened to see every character associated with the vamps at all to now being enemies again (she's even rude to Brian instantly at the beginning).
Untamed Magic is the first in a series of Paranormal Reverse Harem series set in academy, which is a popular theme in that sub-genre right now. After Untamed Magic is the first in a series of Paranormal Reverse Harem series set in academy, which is a popular theme in that sub-genre right now. After reading several of these, it's easy to recognize patterns - this one follows the pattern where a young mage is sent by force to a school, either that or magical prison, for a crime she didn't mean to commit. The book opens with her in the dean's office finding out she has to go; I'm glad the author did not start on the foot where the heroine is learning for the first time about her powers. It's shown she wasn't aware of her magic or the magic world until "three days ago" when page one opens, but I'm glad she's gotten over the shock and adapted before the story started.
The plot is loosely structured. World-building is only subtly filled in, there isn't much complexity, there's a small cliffhanger that's more like a fade-to-black type scene than anything else. We get a reveal of a villain of sorts at the end that we didn't know existed until that one scene, and it's hard to feel more shock at it since it involves something about the main character that's never been mentioned previously. I don't think she had much actual emotional investment or outrage about it because of this fact.
It's instalov and instalust. There are no explanations about her being able to tie into different men, how the mate bond can be possible, and she's not aware of most of it yet. Which brings me to another thing...
Why does she not know about magic but then gets unreasonably punished if something goes wrong because of something that's not her fault? That's just frustrating as all hell.
How come with these kinds of books the authors try to make all the male love interests players that have went through most of the women in the school before they met the heroine that changed them, but it's written almost like that's a good thing?
Another pet peeve of mine that I don't hold against a book personally, and that other readers enjoy - but this one is the standard, paint-by-numbers, chapter switch POV. When the main character's view is told, the writing is easier flowing. When it switches to random men, it gets into major cheese zone right away. If you read the second chapter alone, you'll already see what I mean.
Getting through this with a small plot would have been fine if the setting was strong, but what we have is me hating all the teachers and the institution. They have little personality other than seeming harsh and unfair. Their lack of understanding about her situation just makes them seem moronic. Rebel against the system! Wait, no one does? Oh well, we just have dickish characters pulling the strings then with no one fighting back or even caring.
The men don't stand out much either. They're not unlikable per se, just nothing special there to me. And for a book that makes it's focus all the sizzle and insta stuff, it's surprisingly cut off when it comes to intimacy. What happens is the book is filled with people thinking about doing it in graphic detail without actually getting the scenes out there....more
Not as good as the first two in some ways - but better in others, if this makes sense.
This one has plenty going on - a little too much. One action sceNot as good as the first two in some ways - but better in others, if this makes sense.
This one has plenty going on - a little too much. One action scene right after another without any downtime. On the other hand, Erin doesn't hide who she is and most people know at this point.
We get a new member of the group, a fun vampire named Shawna, who adds enjoyment later on. Josh has become a friend, and Trevor mainly a jerk with a final resolution that's comfortable. Sam still rocks as a boss and father figure. Blake is in the backseat due to an injury, but I have a feeling for a future romantic interest for him. Almost everyone has paired with someone romantic wise, except Erin, except for a random meeting out of the blue that is pretty shallow so far since the man is barely described. She's searching, though.
With all the build-up of the hunters, I figured some of the battles would be fiercer, but honestly even the head man seems taken down relatively easy. Erin doesn't appear as naive this time and at least shares some of that knowledge, but I'm confused on a few things. I thought being a ley line mage was rare but apparently not with this book. It's either my misunderstanding, or else the author has changed things around a bit.
We have few shifter or vampire scenes (other than red coat baddies and the new Shawna). After the cliffhanger of the second book, I figured the new Master of the city would take a bigger role in this book, but he doesn't. I like David and he's probably the only one who may be a possibility future wise for something between them, but it needs more development. Michaela is an enjoyable dhamphir character, and even Liam is getting his happiness, which is just sweet.
This does feel like a final book because of the wrap-up with the hunters, Erin finally finding a home and peace and acceptance, her deciding on her future career pursuits....but there is a fourth book, so apparently it is not the final. I'm kind of happy about that because I think Erin needs some more excitement in her life.
Supes other than the dhampirs and mages are being a bit greyed out and need a little more color added to them, and I'm curious where we'll go from here. ...more
“We’re a dramatic people,” Perry Mason said slowly. “We’re not like the English. The English want dignity and order. We want the dramatic and the spe “We’re a dramatic people,” Perry Mason said slowly. “We’re not like the English. The English want dignity and order. We want the dramatic and the spectacular. It’s a national craving. We’re geared to a rapid rate of thought. We want to have things move in a spectacular manner.”
4.5 Stars
A little confusing at times, or else it would be in 5 star territory.
I read on a forum the other day that the early books are strong with Perry Mason doing a lot of investigating and even crossing into the illegal territory but that the author calms down later - what a shame to hear as I love the way the early books are set up. Plenty of investigation, and the book closes with extensive and detailed court drama. Perry discusses a surprisingly layered, intelligent lecture on human psychology with juries and audiences in a realistic way with a young law clerk - intriguing stuff.
I read on the author's life a bit online and would be curious to know more about him. It's clear these cases are inspired from experience more than only thoughts on these matters. He was a lawyer who got a bit bored with the legalities other than trials, which fits Mason a bit as well since he likes the daring and twisted cases.
He is always shown to be protective of his clients, but the opening was especially - shall I say sweet? - with his worry about a first-time client being mentally ill and needing extra help. The clients don't stay the same necessarily as the game changes the more players are added and more twists that pop up.
We get a nod back to the book as Della tells him she's learned her lesson to trust him ultimately and that she will never doubt him again, but the same can't be said for Paul Drake who keeps telling him he's crossing too many lines - legally and questionably, in regards to not only the law but the media - and his young lawyer in training who's fascinated by Perry but uncertain that the case is falling sour.
I don't fully get everything, unfortunately, but it was still twisted good and my favorite so far. The audiobook if this is highly recommended.
The story gets much more complicated than I pictured, twists and turns I didn't guess, with a grand finale of a court ending. Full review to come....more
Anthologies centered on Halloween are fun any time of year. I couldn't resist trying out this short anthology all penned by the same author. My originAnthologies centered on Halloween are fun any time of year. I couldn't resist trying out this short anthology all penned by the same author. My original plan was to read in October along with other anthologies, but I got behind and didn't get around to reading any of them. Ah, holidays.
The first story, Johnny Halloween, pairs up well with the introduction to Halloween and that the creepiest monsters can wear human faces. Mix Halloween into the deal with the grinning, blank masks that are supposed to be trustworthy, and it can get trickier. The story started on a different note than the middle dive and then end twist. Plenty of tricks made this short story a treat that sets the story off well. It was my favorite of the bunch and well worth reading.
The second story is a bit confusing and disjointed but ... disturbing. Ties in the evils warned of by fire-and-brimstone type preachers with the paranoia of a small town with a grim finale. The story isn't the best, but the focus of it is nifty -- when it comes to Halloween and all the things kids love about it (horror movie marathons, creepy monsters, traditions and spooks and parties), we all remember the naysayers talking about the corrupted youth turning bad due because of entertainment. This was a clever twist on this that served up a small taste of irony to finish it off.
The third story is more of an essay about his town's experiences with the Zodiac killer. Intriguing stuff. I realize I never read much on that particular serial killer, although I've of course heard the name.
Black Leather Kites, while inventive, confused me at first and stalled on me later. Not my favorite of the group, it crosses into some cheesiness, but does do serve the anthology's theme well by having a story focus on the ancient traditions of Halloween and the weird occult stories surrounding the season.
I feel clueless not getting what Treats was about, but I still dug the story. It was creepy and fascinating. Were they killer ants trained as an army and fed on candy? I didn't get the ending, but it was still one of the most interesting.
Three Doors - well, wow. It started out seeming like an almost humorous story about something unbelievable and somewhat silly, but it turns into serious, dark, grim reality. It's a strong contender for my favorite of the book. It was a tricky and misdirecting tale that's just....sad. Sad, but well done.
The longest, The Jack O Lantern, was one of my least favorites with its cohesiveness and direction, but it was at least creepy.
A recommended anthology if you want some spooky and unique twists on the Halloween season, or just have a craving for a horror anthology in general. I liked the author's style, and saw he had awards for a full-length novel, Dark Harvest - I'll check that one out soon, although it seems to be in the same worldbuilding as The Jack O Lantern (same town and legend but expanded) so not sure how I'll like it. I may. Either way, the cover is the cutest halloween cover ever, I'm reminded of a bobblehead pumpkin man, I'm weird but I get that "aw" moment every time I see this cover:
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Seriously, who can resist, or is it just me?...more
“Anyone who wasn't half-stoned on pain meds would have instantly realized what a really bad idea this plan was, but since that didn't include me, I d “Anyone who wasn't half-stoned on pain meds would have instantly realized what a really bad idea this plan was, but since that didn't include me, I didn't worry about it.”
After finished my loved Adrien English series by the same author, I was anxious to dive into another similar series. She writes series I'm not as interested in trying, so this seems the closest fit. While I enjoyed the first, it didn't endear me as much as Adrien's series. The second book is better. While still not as good to me as Adrien English's cozy bookstore, I love it.
The humor, the writing, the main character - much like Adrien, he's a perfectly flawed lead. Kit is a fun and relatable lead because he, much like Adrien, delves in realistic self-doubts and insecurities. Both of them are loner characters. I love the author writes two series with writers who don't wholly get ample respect around every corner. While Adrien was just starting out, Kit has been languishing for years with safe, dependable, and somewhat formulaic series adventures of an elderly spinster (Ms. Butterwith) and her cat. There's humor in this direction and writing jabs, publishing woes. That Lanyon shows these sides of the writer's life that's not glamorized or unrealistic is a delight.
The boyfriend role with J.X. is charming and well-done. Not all in the bedroom is perfect and again the age thing is brought up with realistic insecurities. The romance is more sure this time with non-angst hesitation. I adored it and look forward to more of this pair's adventures. Their differences in personality play off each other well when "investigating."
The humor is the best part but the mystery setting gives a lot of fun ambience to suit the genre. I didn't guess the villain and that ending - whoosh - nice finale to the finale. We don't get red herring misdirections but we get plausible suspects, we get turns of events that may or may not be a coincidence in the making, we get interesting dynamics between the characters that keep them more than thin paper people donning ink or pixels.
It's a clever enough mystery but the humor with the writing style and the excellent characterization is where the charm really wins.
Fortunately there are two more adventures in this series....more
“Welcome to life in a small town. You’re only as good as the best thing your family’s done. Or the worst.”
Floored by One of Us Is Lying, I was all f “Welcome to life in a small town. You’re only as good as the best thing your family’s done. Or the worst.”
Floored by One of Us Is Lying, I was all for reading this one as part of a group read and because I could finally land my hands on a copy. I wasn't in the mood to spend the high e-book price, but the woes of the life of a reader sometimes. Not to rant, but also the life of an author since I get the economy woes in this field.
Anyway, off-topic aside, this little thriller is certainly worth a read. Small town dysfunction, twin bonding, mystery and crime, unconventional mothers, intelligent teenage leads. The author bounced between two point of views well without it becomes frustration or shallow. She did this while managing to create strong side-characters who stood on their own as interesting without needing their own chapters in their own viewpoints.
Ellery is awesome - she's a little sarcastic, she's confident enough to survive high school newness, she's loyal, and she's addicted to true crime stories. Her twin brother Ezra plays enjoyable roles and I enjoyed the bond of the twins, and how it relates to another set of twins mentioned earlier in the story.
Malcolm may have been my favorite viewpoint because he was in such a crappy situation but struggling to still stay on his feet. Between the odd family angles, his brother back in town, his reputation at school, his dependent mother, he was well-done.
The suspect isn't a shock. We have enough culprits in the pot to suspect, so the issue isn't that she didn't give enough possibilities, it just wasn't a shock. The twist was there and it was well-done, but it wasn't as much of a stand-out. I enjoyed her first book better because of the journey being more intricately layered and fascinatingly twisted, but this one still keeps you reading thanks to McManus's well-done writing style and characterization skills....more
I still completely dig this series, but this book kept rubbing me wrong in all sorts of ways and was my least favorite. Before I start listing the reaI still completely dig this series, but this book kept rubbing me wrong in all sorts of ways and was my least favorite. Before I start listing the reasons of woe, I'll mark off some pluses:
I really liked the ravens. Their structure, the "captain", and the moments with that. Seshua was around more without them going at each other's throats. They even had a dance. We get a small Zach moment and a little bit of the kids. At the end of the book Emma mentions maybe going back to the ranch - I liked them there, wish they would as a home base. We get a resolution on a big-bad who did her completely wrong at the end of the third book. Summer finally pops back up briefly - I like her and hope she sticks around. Maybe not all is lost with a character previously thought dead and gone.
Now, the negatives....
SO. Much. ANGST. It's constant. It's every chapter. It's every relationship. It won't stop. It beat at me. It mixed in with every event, every relationship's good and bad moment, every plot point. Seriously stop. Too much angst with Telly, but not only that it's with Red Sun, Fern, Alexis.
I can't believe the author thought it was okay to have us wait five books for her to sleep with one of them, to have it done under duress at a magically induced orgy. Having people having to sleep with other people they wouldn't have chosen to otherwise feels too rape-like to me. I'm stunned the author thought this was okay, truly. Emma doesn't seem to care since she wanted Red Sun anyway and is happy it's finally happened when she didn't have her nerve before, but what about other people? *sighs* The forced orgy aside, it feels cheated to have the firsts be like that, not even in their control.
I don't like Emma as much now. She was oddly growing diva for the first portion of the book, and other times she's randomly bitchy. She kept getting on my nerves. Since she's the main character, that doesn't help.
I still love Fern as my favorite but the author is so focused on Alexi (who is the main in this book and there all the time) that it seems their bond is in a way stronger now than Ferns, which is crushing to me. He joins in on their private conversations even. I wanted her to have alone time with characters but she was interrupted the entire book by having too many people around all the time. Seriously, it's claustrophobic. I want her to have special times and magic with her characters, not have to share everything constantly and hear the other character's thoughts of everything with her relationships. It's hard to explain but was cloying.
We get she's powerful, we don't need her to have to say it every few chapters. On the other hand, she continues getting hurt, faint, weak from nausea, and now has a new serious side effect of doing something with the bears at the end of the book that will cause more angst concern in the future. *sighs*
This one also has one of the weakest plot wise. A few things happen but they are kind of on the sidelines to....well, angst relationships. I hope the next book has more Fern by himself and their bond strong again, more of the others by themselves in their own scenes with Emma without so much angst, not having to put in every politically correct thing in one book just to have it in there, and Emma not acting like everything's about her all the time. We shall see! Since I enjoyed the series so much so far despite this last book, I'll be there with bells on when the next one arrives. It's been since 2016 so hopefully it's soon....more
Another well-done Perry Mason. I'm hoping to eventually get through this whole series, but who knows since there are so many.
I listened to some audiobAnother well-done Perry Mason. I'm hoping to eventually get through this whole series, but who knows since there are so many.
I listened to some audiobook of this as well narrated by Alexander Cendese and I can't recommend those highly enough - available on Scribd and his voice complements the story well with suitable speed. Unfortunately I had seen the episode recently on the show (available streaming on Amazon), so it didn't have all its surprises to offer.
Perry is a likable lawyer who seems half brain courtroom guru, half investigative private-eye muscle. There's character ambience easily loaned to the story thanks to his assistants and secretary who act as supportive, realistic characters. The author uses scenes with them to have Perry "think aloud" and use them as soundboards, but also to show his mental prowess and what's he really after on the case. The writing is not introspective - we may hear Perry's thoughts, but the author focuses primarily on his mannerisms, face expression descriptions, and can hold back some of the reveals of the storyline and what the lawyer is really thinking until the right time in the plot.
So far with both books of this series there is a beautiful and manipulative dame pulling the strings - the girl in question in this book, Frances, is similar in ways to the client in the first book. Indeed, Perry tells Della that all clients lie the first meeting, but when asked further he says, well, the women anyway. Ouch! However, this goes with the old-school almost noirish feel. Della offers her opinion on the sulkiness and impressions of the girl when she's waiting in the outer office to meet him, while the first book had the same carry-out --- in that case, Della disliked the other one was manipulative almost immediately. Note to self: If ever in a lawyer's office, watch how I act around their secretaries.
Great series so far- the mystery is mentally-stimulating enough, but it's the back and forth banter, mini surprises, and ironic tension that give it the bulk of its shine. As I said, not all was a surprise to me since I watched the episode, but it's still a fun book....more
I loved this book enough to read the trilogy over less than a 2 day span the first time, and re-read it already before the year is out.
Reagan is fun.I loved this book enough to read the trilogy over less than a 2 day span the first time, and re-read it already before the year is out.
Reagan is fun. She's independent, she's fierce, she's funny, she's resistant, she's harboring major hiding secrets for good cause. Darius and her are like oil and water - not a mix, he's infuriating at first but their relationship is funny, then steamy, then funny again, then intriguing. I love the pair, especially now that I've completed their trilogy.
The world-building is complex. I won't give away Reagan's secret for those who haven't read the book, but it opens up that world-building, expands it from the Brink that is ruled with patrolling shapeshifters who corporate with the elves. There's a vampire realm of sorts, with it's own layers and secrets. There's an underworld. Basically most of the factions are either at war, or on unstable ground trying to have their leaders secretly make deals (Vlad, we're looking at you). It's full-fledged and it's fascinating.
Reagan divides her attention by working as a bounty hunter of sort, hence the investigative mystery and plot of the story - but she also spends time in a run-down neighborhood with quirky and fun human companions, and meets a hilarious older couple who are the ruling weapon mages in the town, Dizzie and Callie. How fun these two are, a delight.
The characters stand out, the humor works without feeling forced, the world-building layered, the plot story-filled, the focus and anticipating of more to come exciting, the romance slow-burn, the fighting and abilities from the MC unique and superior. It pushed all my favorite UF buttons.
Better pacing than the first, Erin has settled into her new life, new friends, and new experiences as disaster keeps striking. We don't see Barclay thBetter pacing than the first, Erin has settled into her new life, new friends, and new experiences as disaster keeps striking. We don't see Barclay the crazy vamp other than a brief scene with little interaction, but George Flynn has grown on me and pops up several times, as does a female vamp who Erin seems to appreciate it. There's a fourth vampire who - well, there's a few surprises in store there I won't hint at.
A new type of creature is introduced due to this, and they are intriguing characters that added to the story and that I hope play consistent roles in future books.
Erin tries dating still with mixed results, but nothing that gets me excited either way. It's still inconsistent and wobbly how she goes from experienced/powerful to not knowing as much as she should about the paranormal world; just not fully believable.
She may as well not argue about her identity much longer since most seem to know with their hints anyway, at least with the vamps - and speaking of that, the end of this book settles a large question of power play that's been brewing two books, adds a whole lot of personal tension for Erin's future, and is a game-changer that makes me eager to read the next book.
There is a big quirk. I know she's used to nudity and keeps forgetting not to strip down or stay naked around people, but that gets annoying, we didn't need three scenes. It's not realistic that she would be that dim. Maybe not realizing it once, but seriously? She didn't grow up that long in the Illuminati Quarters and to be able to work on assignments convincingly, she would have been taught how society works to effectively blend in. It's not convincing she'd be that naive.
It's less fighting than the first since she's settled her dominance for the most part, and there's still nothing steamy, but there is less downtime as she's settling in, which is a nice change of pace - literally.
There's some depressing losses - death and change - and I hope not all of those losses stay losses. It's so awkward avoiding spoilers in some of these reviews. You'll know what I mean. Probably. Maybe.
World-building is still a bit stilted but it works well enough. Members from the previous book grew on me with more rounded personalities, the author seems to have clearer focus with the storyline, Erin is more relatable and acts wise beyond her years at time without lecturing on morality so damn much, finally shows some vulnerability.
Romance is still nil, even with some hints, trust me it's not there at all. If the author continues with the previous two attempts, I ain't feeling it.
The ending especially makes me itch for the third book. The story is picking up, but I'm still confused on the ultimate direction goals....more
There may have been some cliche stuff about this, but that doesn't mean I didn't have a tough time putting it down. The main character seeks redemptioThere may have been some cliche stuff about this, but that doesn't mean I didn't have a tough time putting it down. The main character seeks redemption in a paranormally driven town, tending bar (I usually end up liking bar scene books in these types of series for some reason). She can't let the powerful outfit that controlled her know she's alive, but it doesn't help when a massive vampire war starts when she sets foot into town.
Fortunately she doesn't stay deluded about her lifestyle long, and the book opens as she's leaving one world to step into another. There's enough of a history and extended scene to get it, casting a dark shadow over it all beforehand. Erin is interesting enough as a UF MC, although her giving morality lectures to many irks me some considering evil she's done. She's looking for a new life but it's too early to act on a high horse and have it sit okay with me. Either way, she's not too interesting personality wise, but her power is impressive, and I dig when the heroine is a mystery to everyone around her and when she's valued for more than the basics.
There is a colorful cast of characters who slowly come out of the woodwork to keep things fresher. Sam as the boss is a big bear of a man you can't help but like, the odd vampires aren't seen much but enough to intrigue, the three mages are dislikable for too long but come to more light later, and there is a certain pink-haired gal who causes some laughs. Unfortunately they don't really come out to play until later in a positive way. The book's first half was weighed down with pacing woes. Too much introspection without enough genuine emotion about it yet, too much routine and slow-beat without enough happening - but the second part picks up and made me curious about continuing the series.
The human detective plays a large role and he's sweet, but not sure I'd call him that interesting yet. Opera dates and shy smiles, though, that's always brownie points.
It's dark, different enough, and I'm curious what will happen with the other books. Not everyone can hide forever, who will be the ultimate winner in the war (since I've read the second book, I know already but still...), it's worth sticking around to read....more
I wasn't sure if this would get a four star, or a three star, or perhaps a 3.5..... but then the last page left me with a completely baffling, open, aI wasn't sure if this would get a four star, or a three star, or perhaps a 3.5..... but then the last page left me with a completely baffling, open, ambiguous ending - which I personally loathe. If I take the time to read a book, spell out the ending, don't leave me always wondering. I hate those sorts of endings. I like twists, I like intelligent endings, I like psychological endings, but I despise open-ended finales that don't wrap up what I need to know and leave me on unstable footing.
That said, what a whopper of a story. Slower paced Gothic oozing atmosphere left and right. A small, Spanish town with quirky townsfolk, close-lipped servants, suspicious shadows, legends and lore, history in a unique house. To say it's simply a haunted house tale does not end up being true or serving the story justice. If only I could figure out what the story actually IS, then I'd be a happier camper.
With the explanation given before Callie freaks out a chapter or so before the last page, that doesn't fully make sense either. It is not historical times where children cannot fend for themselves or seek their own help, after all, and the house was not completely uninhabited. On the other hand, this ties up a disappearance or two. To make things worse, was what she wanted there in the end or not?? Knowing happiness makes all the difference in every world, reader's fantasy or non.
This book plays with your mind. Callie is reasonable as a main character and not unlikable, but the servants make me want to drop-kick them out of the house some of the time. Mateo had faults, but I really dug the man. My heart felt sorrow at times. The weighed down sadness with favorite characters accompanied by the heavy direction of the story created a disheartening tale.
Fowler writes well and I look forward to reading more of his work, yet I close this one up with a mixed, bittersweet impression.
If you like ghost tales, gothic vibes, you may want to try it on for size - but be warned that the longer the navigation the trickier the labyrinth grows. ...more
Cozy mysteries featuring books, booksellers and book clubs earn automatic brownie points. They just go together. Throw in the cat on the cover and it’Cozy mysteries featuring books, booksellers and book clubs earn automatic brownie points. They just go together. Throw in the cat on the cover and it’s even more shiny.
Pride, Prejudice and Poison focuses on a bookstore owner who is part of a large book-club where not everyone gets along. In fact, the president of the society gets murdered. The MC Erin decides to do a little investigating of her own to clear her friend’s name when the police suspect someone too close to home.
These folks are clearly Jane Austen fans since they quote her works throughout the book in random life situations. The small group of friends surrounding the MC are almost eccentric, which is a clever way to keep the story interesting when the girls are just chatting it up and musing about life. While I’m not as big an Austen fan as the characters (or most readers), the characters are well-written and hide small-town secrets.
The book opens on a humorous note - it doesn’t really stick with that but the writing works well and it stays intriguing. A layered cozy mystery. It’s hard to guess the culprit, there's an obvious mislead in the middle and other clues that may either misdirect or (gasp!) point the reader into the right direction. The book felt a little long for its type and form, though, so I did get impatient with it at times. I also found it unlikely how much the police revealed to Erin during her investigations and how open they were to involving her and her thoughts. Still, a little unrealism is expected with these, particularly since law enforcement usually ends up part of a romance sub-plot.
Disclosure: Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own. ...more
I admit this cover drew me in when I saw it advertised by Sinister Grin Press on Twitter - it's retro-hardboiled-paranormal, so I had to check it out.I admit this cover drew me in when I saw it advertised by Sinister Grin Press on Twitter - it's retro-hardboiled-paranormal, so I had to check it out. I'm easy that way.
But, I'm happy I'm easy and grabbed it up. Sometimes that works out. I figured it was good, but it turned out slightly better than I figured it'd be.
There's something nifty about blending a little of the paranormal into a detective novel without it being an Urban Fantasy or lighter, cozy mystery. This definitely isn't a cozy mystery, it's pretty hardcore when it comes to some of the squeamish and brutal violence revenge scenes. The villain in question does at time come across a little cheesy because we're following a trope that has been done before, but even the main character does a wink/nod at this aspect by being incredulous that the guy monologues before a revenge kill.
That's not to say there's nothing creepy. It's a detective novel through and through, but it's also horror painted. A guy grinning at you in a fedora and overcoat outside your house is creepy enough in itself. Add in the brutality of any kills and the relentless pursuits of these, and *shudders*
The shining stars of the book are the heroes of the tale. I loved the main detective who is the classic down on his luck ex-cop who is making his living as a struggling private eye. His assistant is a bit of mixed bag. It's not a humor novel, but she brings in some needed humor to lighten up the exchanges and break up some of the dark grittiness they're dealing with - it's needed. Sometimes she's a little too grating on my nerves, but overall she's a good addition. The group who hires the detective aren't focused on too much individually, there's several of them, but they come across real enough. The hiring/payment scene was amusing enough. And way to go Brian with his final stand, the youngest but toughest of the bunch?
I will definitely continue with any new investigations Cochran and crew take on. The author delves into some dark and demented stuff, and not all of these scenes were easy reads on the psyche, but the bringing in the dark side of the paranormal into the urban detective scene totally works. The genre has blended successfully before in classics like Falling Angel (made into the unforgettable movie Angel Heart) and the long-running and well-done Pendergast series from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, so let's keep bringing in more of this blend....more
“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him “I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”
Not a type of book I’m usually drawn to, but I read it as part of a group read for a challenge. I’m glad I dug in because I ended up being impressed. Beautifully written, haunting story, tragedy amidst beauty, well done.
Of course innocence is tarnished and horror happens, but there is still a glimmer of hope. The writing style is nearly poetic, it’s gorgeous and smooth and I struggled to put it down. I plan to check out more of the author’s work.
I don’t care about the mythological legends of Achilles, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I feel for the story’s characters, but the winner is of course Patroclus, who the story is mainly told through as a POV. He’s sweet, sensitive, dealt a bad hand, loyal. Their love falls into obsessive, devotion territory. I was literally tense at the end to see if there is a certain action taken that would help them both in their ‘relationship’ - if that hadn’t fell through, the bitterness would have sank my enjoyment and book rating. It’s telling how much I liked the book that I became so tense on the outcome.
“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”
The war scenes are brutal and the changes are heartbreaking as Achilles breaks under his power, but Patroclus still stays loyal and determined to endure the hardships until neither can. Achilles as a hyped up son of a god and a king and his head already inflated before he set foot outside his kingdom, he doesn’t immediately embrace his “fate” but when it’s here he gets over his hesitation of killing people….fast. That said, flawed characters are more convincing characters, and it’s not as if you can have only purity and goodness in a time of war and darkness, especially with mythological legend.
Sadly women are treated worse than cattle throughout the book, but that was among just one of many awful, awful things about stories such as these.
A good re-telling story. The romance is soul-searching stuff, a legendary level.
“He smiled, and his face was like the sun.” ...more
Very good! Almost a five star. It pushed almost every reader button I have.
The world-building is unique enough - there are a lot of shapeshifters and Very good! Almost a five star. It pushed almost every reader button I have.
The world-building is unique enough - there are a lot of shapeshifters and they're all divided into their territories and kingdoms, sometimes subjugating weaker types under their rule and land. Vampires of sort exist, and they're nasty, but they have a "new name" and aren't the typical. Emma Chase lives a normal life until her world is turned upside down as her shapeshifter roommate's brother shows up to tell her they need to go on the run - like, now! - because the Jaguar clan is on their trail. From there it's tense, much happens, it was pretty much impossible for me to turn down.
Emma is great - she's a sweetheart, but she's tough for the most part, she doesn't live in denial all the time like many of these heroines seem to, she goes with the flow, she doesn't try stupid things in the name of bravery. Sometimes she could have fought back a bit more, especially with her bizarre connection to Alexi, a true jerk of a character so far. She's supposed to be something super special, of course, but needless to say not every treats her that way.
I especially loved her pal Ricky and their bond, and Fern is intriguing as all hell. He's my favorite so far and their odd bond is....exciting. Who would think I'd like a giant spider? Once you read this, it's hard not to. I'm not sure what to think of the "walking god" Telly yet. He's back and forth with his sanity for one thing, but breaking up the serious moments with inappropriate humor is at least fun. Other than Fern and Telly, some of the characters blend together a little and there are the stereotypical arrogance traits we see with alpha males in other series.
I can't picture some of these men being attractive. The Jaguar King being blue? Alexi *shudders* sounds hideous looking to me but he's still an enemy at this point. It's hard to know from this book who will eventually be part of her romance life. I've read the full series by this point and I'll say there's some misleads in this first book on who ends up with who.
There's a lot of action but no romance yet. It's hard to feel any bond when kidnapping or coercion is involved. No sex happens in this book, which is fine since I prefer slow-burn, realistic romance. There's no logical reason she'd dive into any of these men's beds at this point. The urge to strike them is stronger than the urge to sleep with most of them, and for good reason.
Humor is well-done and left me chuckling. The author is heavy with the humor but she doesn't shy away from the hard stuff either and it's definitely not all light fluff. The world-building is well layered and intense. The clans are at war so it's more than just about her. The kingdoms within kingdoms plan mutiny. Each race has their own talents and their own pitfalls. Emma is caught up in a whirlwind of horrors and surprises that she starts adapting to.
It will eventually be a Reverse Harem but this first book is Urban Fantasy all the way.
As hard to put down as the first, but has some frustrations the first didn't character-wise. Still, this is a new favorite series that I already wish As hard to put down as the first, but has some frustrations the first didn't character-wise. Still, this is a new favorite series that I already wish were longer. There are two books published after this (but one of them isn't out until June!! Argh), and I have no idea if the series is finished or still in progress. Bummer, but at least I still have two books.
Alice hasn't been doing well. Consumed by guilt by the end of the events from the first book and on a seemingly permanent break from her new fuzzy-bunny Sean, the chip on her shoulder is still concrete strong and weighing her down. She's asked by her former boss and father-like-figure Max to help with a case for the vampire court. What's at stake is huge; dozens of prostitutes and homeless have been missing, and no one is looking in the right direction before the mages came onboard to sniff around.
Mystery-wise, the reader is treated with plenty of actual investigating again - case files, witness talking, video cameras showing us surprise traitors, ooh la la. We also get a bit of supe politics, town outcry and riots, an appearance before the court, complications with the police (although that's dialed down).
Detective Lake is actually open-minded and I liked him. I don't think the author should have had him (view spoiler)[romantically inclined toward Alice, why not just stay friends? (hide spoiler)] He's a good guy and a good cop and I don't see why Alice couldn't have thrown him some more bones. I get she has the natural inclination to lie, has mucho to hide, but it wouldn't have implicated her by telling him some truths. She has some big secrets to hide, but not about this case and not about some of what happened in present day. The character is a bit stubborn and very frustrating in this sequel.
Speaking of that, I could have shaken her with Sean too. She's nearly dying and halfway passing out pretty much every chapter of the book, but she's so prickly and antagonistic when asked if she's okay, what happened, and for help. Argh! That's the main reason this one was a star short of the last. Seriously, it gets bad.
We get a little of Charles and the vamps, done in a well way. We find out a secret is out there which should be interesting - their ending meeting showdown? Simply awesome.
Sean is where it's at, but I disliked that a certain character is leaving by the end of the book. I wish the author had gone a different direction with that. He will be missed.
There's some genuine grief and a stunner of sadness in this one too with personal loss. On the other hand we get an adorable new dog Roscoe for a few pages, news about Alice's past that may be coming closer to her present *yikes*, more on the big bad John West from the last book, but sadly very little Malcolm the ghost time. Also, Natalie from the first book is totally MIA - would have liked her to stay around as a casual friend.
I’m getting burned out with the Reverse Harem genre because so many of them are subpar. What makes it worth the hunt is finding the rare one that workI’m getting burned out with the Reverse Harem genre because so many of them are subpar. What makes it worth the hunt is finding the rare one that works so well and shines as a new favorite. This is one of them, although my enjoyment of the series starts the dwindle with future sequels.
This one is fun. I loved the main character’s humor blended in with her independence, but also her compassion. She’s not truly tough-girl chick mode, although she’s still tough, but it was more realistic. The Draconian race showed it’s disgusting, dark side although Valencia intrigues.
The lead-up there was both nerve-wracking and hilarious. Beware, there be dragons.
At this point I'm not sure who the harem will be - I'm definitely eyeing at least three of them. I love her dog and the "ghost", and how she values her tea by making sure to sip out of ceramic cups properly. Toss in what the hell is the voice behind that door????
The story is slow-burn romance, and romance is not even in the picture yet - we do have layered plots, layered mysteries, surprise twists, great friends, and intriguing characters. Win! ...more
This book was as good as the first; in fact, it’s surpassed the first in my mind because I found the story-building complexity and build-up of the relThis book was as good as the first; in fact, it’s surpassed the first in my mind because I found the story-building complexity and build-up of the relationships in this one to be even more interesting than the first. We do get the characters from the first book around in this one as well, so there isn’t a complete shift/cut-off.
We're not dealing with fated-to-be-mated pairs this time, but three people who don't fit into their traditional roles. While the first was interesting, funny, and had a lot of sexy times, this one delivers even more heart than it does heat (although it does the former incredibly well.)
Xan shows a person who does not fit into the role type he was born into (Alpha), which is a big, confusing no-no in the future society where all alive are men who are supposed to be born to fit their parts. From an abusive father to finding an abusive man to feel his self-hatred, he was written as tragically convincing. My heart ached for him, and the author does an admirable job of bringing a similar struggle that can be compared to transgenderism.
Pairing him with his “omega”, who is also a societal outcast, made it more layered and complicated. Urho hasn’t accepted that he is anything except traditional at first, but he’s forced to accept his feelings and widen his mental scope as this story progresses and his protective instincts take over. Beautiful stuff, so well done and fascinating. Much more goes on with this story other than simply romance and attraction.
Having Jason and Vale on the side was a delight. None of the story is told through their point of views this time, but they show how endearing their relationship has stayed, a new stage in their relationship, and needed humor to complement the otherwise serious story. I missed Jason’s parents, but we hear about them off-page and it was amusing to hear about them fussing over Vale.
This book starts four years after the events of the last book. While the dynamics of Jason's family is missing, we get a brutality from Xan's father and a completely different dysfunctional side effect of his parents being soulmates. There is a violent man at the beginning of this one and the abuse scene is hard to read, but it's raw and real and plays an important point in the story.
The ending is especially beautiful and potent. Urho’s true mate died long ago and he’s led a lonely life. All three of them finding each other is powerful and worth re-reading. It is not actually a m/m/m story, it’s hard to describe, but they all have different feelings for each other that work perfectly well to make a 5-star romance....more
“Cops before breakfast. Before coffee even. As if Mondays weren't bad enough.”
Fatal Shadows is told through first person point of view, and the main “Cops before breakfast. Before coffee even. As if Mondays weren't bad enough.”
Fatal Shadows is told through first person point of view, and the main character completely rocks. I absolutely loved him. He’s sympathetic with a sense of humor. He’s slightly fragile and real. He’s a total bookworm, a good friend, likes to look for the good in others, a loner. If it weren't for Adrien, the book wouldn't be nearly half as good. Throw in other fun characters like the new "weird" assistant, Angus, the quirky and controlling mother (although her better moments don't come until later in the series) and the oddball mystery book club that meets there once a week. It's especially amusing how one married couple is obviously modeling the main character in their book after Adrien but refusing to come right out and admit it.
The man he becomes interested in isn’t as much of a winner yet, but having a flawed character be the interest was refreshing. I find it mentally stimulating where there’s a conflict/contrast. There wasn’t romance in this one, but it was a slow build that fit in well and made me intrigued. The save and rescue act was endearing, but again, don't expect much romance this time around.
With the mystery, I guessed who it was early on, but that was mainly due to their being so little in the suspect pool; still, the mystery was entertaining and the reasoning behind it - when it came to light - layered enough to make it be convincing.
Throw in the bonus that Adrien is of course a mystery fan who reads books. I have several classics and hard-boiled, noir, and other obscure titles I slowly want to search out because of this series.
Go into it expecting a fun mystery, but don’t go into it yet expecting romance or steam....more
This one...took me by surprise. Very well done, strongly action orientated, especially considering it's a reverse harem. The well crafted plot really This one...took me by surprise. Very well done, strongly action orientated, especially considering it's a reverse harem. The well crafted plot really does seem like a hybrid between walking dead, but I would leave out the Vampire Diaries comparison because it doesn't fit (to me) at all. You get vampires of sorts, but it's not anything like Vampire Diaries (thankfully).
A couple of key points:
1. The Let's Dance, I'll Lead fight scene = epic for some reason. Can't get it out of my head. 2. I love Ash 3. The way she meets Ash and the boots in the night leading up to it, the little things make all the swoon difference 4. Logan really is a douche 5. Mad science experiments 6. I have a bad feeling about Tobias, we'll see in future books.
Gripping, couldn't put it down and it ended up costing me over an hour of sleep. Le sigh.
The story is strongly action paced and there's plenty of tense moments. I'm not a huge zombie fan in general but these aren't traditional and the author incorporates them well in a non-cheesy manner that's just intriguing. The world is bleak and ended, it's been after a big fall and destruction of everything mankind knows.
Here monsters exist, and they reign.
The romance is in the beginning paces, so this is a slow-burn and more realistic sort. The main character is sassy, fun, strong, determined - sometimes almost too mean for my tastes but she has the soft spot trying to conflict with her warrior nature that endears her to me. And let's face it, tough stuff leads to tough people when they're survivors, and she'd already been fighting awhile before the book opens it's first window into this twisted world.
I waffled between 2 and 3 stars, so let's go with 2.5
Being a big fan of the first book, and the sequel, it was a surprise I disliked so much about thiI waffled between 2 and 3 stars, so let's go with 2.5
Being a big fan of the first book, and the sequel, it was a surprise I disliked so much about this series finisher. Laken Cane still writes her words fluidly; the reading was smooth, I could easily envision the scenes she crafted, actually feel the despair and darkness in the atmosphere, but maybe she didn't mean to make me so annoyed and frustrated that it ended up shadowing the good stuff.
Main issue? I know this is a darker RH PNR series, so the last book being darker after the apocalyptic events of the second makes sense. I'm now left with a main character I don't like or care about. She's mainly emotionless, at times cruel, isn't as convincing with her romantic state (now it's more like obsessive control than actual feelings). Since it's a Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy, there needs to still be real affection and attachment, otherwise it's just a twisted use-and-abuse system eventually.
Giving me more grating ammunition, she's downright arrogant and almost ignorant. She's so consumed with her abilities now she unreasonably thinks she can handle anything, so keeps charging in without proper planning, and gets taken down a peg a few times by other characters trying to reason with her that, while she may be all that, she's not ALL that.
The ending feels rushed and it throws mindbenders. Rhys, wow. Didn't see it coming, and while it makes it's own kind of sense, it's depressing and doesn't follow the usual RH trope. I always liked Crawford but didn't see that coming at the end (when was that hinted at before? Is it simply her vamp appeal turned up on speed dial?) If Himself had just consumed his last assistant for a refill of power, he should have a long time remaining before it wears off, but with the change of events at the end, then the sacrifice of a character is pointless?
There were some things I liked about the book. "Darkness" was a true villain with creepy ick factor and sociopathic, psychopathic overload. Angus is still his usual Bull self and it awesome. I loved her relationship with Amias and some of the progression.
On the other hand, not all characters will get a choice on leaving her from now on. She shows this with her control and using others to help her and her force. It was disturbing to stomach.
Instead of the usual RH where people are glued together by emotion, it feels more like now that most are stuck together and not necessarily by their choices and free will.
The series is over. It was a good series, but the last book was a tough digest.
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*
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