Book Review: Fire Touched

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publication Date: March 2016
Source: library

I really liked this a lot. I thought I was getting tired of this series, and that it had run its course for me. I guess it hasn't, though. This book still felt fresh enough, with new characters and new ideas, that I didn't feel like it was just the same story told all over again.

I love Mercy and Adam's relationship, and definitely like it best when they are supportive of each other and there's no manufactured drama, like ex-wives.

This is probably my second favorite urban fantasy series, after the Kate Daniels series.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Dead Heat

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Source: Netgalley review copy

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire. 

I liked this okay, but it wasn't my favorite by this author. I seem to be liking her books less and less lately. Dead Heat seemed to get really bogged down with all the horse talk, and I found it rather slow in the middle. Even though this is the 4th book in the series, I didn't feel much of a connection with the characters.

Book Review: Nine by Night pt. 1

I received Nine by Night for review from Netgalley. Since it is nine books long, I will periodically post some short reviews for the books included in the collection. Here are the first two:

Witch Hunt by S.M. Reine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
 This was okay, but I didn't love it. It's different reading an urban fantasy from a male POV, so I guess that was nice. The romance, what there was of it, was annoying to me. I didn't buy it, and it happened way too fast. Which I guess was my main problem with the book as a whole, is everything moved so fast. There was a lot of plot, but not a ton of world or character building.



Death's Servant by C.J. Ellisson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I read this as part of the larger Nine by Night collection that I got for review from Netgalley. I really feel like this will only appeal to fans of the V V Inn series, which I had never heard of before reading this novella. I don't think it's aimed at all as an introduction to the series, because it just didn't seem to be written in a way for the reader to meet and connect with these characters.

Book Review: I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas

I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas by Molly Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publication Date: December 2013 on audio, November 17, 2014 on ebook
Source: Netgalley review copy

College co-ed Gigi is headed home to Half-Moon Hollow for her first Christmas since her sister, Iris, was turned into a vampire by her beloved undead husband, Cal. Iris is working overtime to make this holiday as normal and special as possible. After all, it’s taken her months of working with Jane Jameson and the Hollow’s vampires to convince herself that she won’t bite her baby sister on sight.

Gigi has her own worries. She’s falling out of love with her high school sweetheart, Ben, and has no idea how to tell him. She’s got a secret job interview with terrifying teen Council official, Ophelia Lambert. And there’s a handsome but cagey vampire following her around town and then disappearing before Gigi can confirm that he’s not, in fact, a figment of her fertile imagination. Holidays with family are complicated. Christmas with an undead family can be downright dangerous.

This was a really fun read for the holidays, when you're busy and you don't have a whole lot of time or brainpower. It was really short, and I did feel like it ended rather abruptly. I realize it's a short story, and part of a larger series, but I really thought that we would at least find out who the mystery vampire was. Granted, I haven't read any of the other books in this series, so maybe it made more sense to those who had. I have read the Jane Jameson series, though. So this world wasn't entirely new to me.

I enjoy reading this author's books, and they always make me laugh, or at least smile.

Book Review: This Is Your Afterlife

This Is Your Afterlife by Vanessa Barneveld
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Source: Netgalley review copy

Keira is a high school girl who suddenly has the ghost of a classmate show up in her room. He has been missing for a few days, so obviously they figure out he must have died. Her and the boy, Jimmy, decide that have to find out how he died in order for him to "move on". She enlists the help of Jimmy's brother, Dan, who she has been friends with for a long time.

I liked Keira well enough. She seemed to take the events that came at her fairly well. But as a detective solving a mystery she was pretty horrible. The romance that built up between Keira and Dan was nice, and it was nice to read a YA novel without a love triangle for a change.

This was a very short, easy read, which is nice if you're looking for something that doesn't require a lot of time commitment or brain power. I don't know if I'd seek out more by this author in the future, but I would be averse to reading another of her books if it sounded good.

Book Review: Trace of Magic

Trace of Magic by Diana Pharaoh Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publication Date: September 2014
Source: Netgalley review copy

Even the most powerful tracers can’t track you if the magical trace you leave behind is too old. But I can track almost anything, even dead trace. That makes me a unicorn, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Lock Ness Monster all rolled into one. In a word, I am unique. A very special snowflake. And if anyone ever finds out, I’ll be dead or a slave to one of the Tyet criminal factions.  
Riley Hollis has quietly traced kidnapped children and quietly tipped the cops to their whereabouts one too many times. Now she’s on the radar of Detective Clay Price, a cop in the pocket of a powerful magic Tyet faction. When he blackmails her into doing a dangerous trace for him, Riley will have to break every rule that keeps her safe. Or become a Tyet pawn in a deadly, magical war. 

If I think about it too much, it would be pretty easy for me to start nitpicking this book and listing all its flaws. Ignoring that, I really enjoyed reading it, and thought it was a good start of a new series. I didn't much care for the romance, and felt like the love came way too quick. But that seems to be normal for romance books, which this partly is. The magic system, and fantasy part of the book was interesting, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it all goes.

Book Review: Demons Are Forever

Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publication Date: July 2007
Source: library


It isn't easy when your daughter's figured out that her mom's a demon hunter-and wants to grow up to be just like her. Or when you suspect your dead husband used the forces of darkness to filch the body of another human. And your living husband isn't the man you married anymore either.
Moreover, Kate's acquired a precious but deadly item that every demon within commuting distance wants. With husband woes playing havoc with her emotions, an ambitious teenage protégée at her heels, and hell to pay, this stay-at-home mom's putting in a lot of overtime.


It's been awhile since I read the previous book in this series, but that didn't matter at all when reading this one. It's not the type of series where you feel super lost if you haven't read (or can't remember) the previous books.

This felt a lot like the TV show, Supernatural, but with a mom as the main character instead of two brothers. Kate (the mom) is a very likable character, and I could certainly relate to her.

I really liked it, perhaps more than I've liked the previous two books. I will definitely be continuing on with the series. It's not heavy reading at all, and is good to read when you want something light and fluffy.

Book Review: The Dark World

The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Source: Review copy from Netgalley

Paige Kelly is used to weird--in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn't fazed by Paige's propensity to chat with the dead. Suddenly, Paige is smack in the middle of a centuries-old battle between warlocks and demons, learning to fight with a magic sword so that she can defend herself. And if she makes one wrong move, she'll be pulled into the Dark World, an alternate version of our world that's overrun by demons-and she might never make it home.

I liked the idea for this story, and felt like the plot was different from a lot of the other YA books I've read. At the same time there were a lot of aspects that were the same.

There was quite a heavy focus on the teen romance. So much so that the story seemed to get bogged down a bit in the middle. It started off pretty good, and the ending picked up and was exciting, but I got really bored in the middle. Bored enough that I almost wanted to quit reading.

I don't know if I'd continue on with the series. The end was interesting, as I said, but the book as a whole wasn't quite enough to make me excited about reading more.

Book Review: How to Run With a Naked Werewolf

The Plot:  Anna is running away from an abusive relationship when she meets Caleb, a werewolf bounty hunter.  They like each other.  That's about all the plot there was.  There was a lot of driving and staying in hotels, and of course the big "action" bit at the end that all these novels seem to have, but mostly I was pretty bored.

Why I read it: netgalley review copy, plus I have enjoyed Molly Harper's novels in the past.

The Characters: I didn't really care for Anna, and Caleb didn't really do anything for me.  I mean, I felt bad for Anna's situation, but never connected with her character.

The Setting:  Blah.  As I said, it was mostly just driving around.  The setting was mainly his truck and dirty hotel rooms.


Who Should Read This:  Fans of Molly Harper.

Final Thoughts:  There were some laugh out loud funny parts, and that is always a plus, but those parts weren't enough to make this book light and fun like I was hoping.  The subject matter was pretty dark, and besides that there just wasn't enough happening to keep me interested.  It's possible that I've just read too many great epic fantasies (my favorite genre) to appreciate this at the moment, but I'm not sure if that's it.  I'll continue to read Molly Harper's books, because she's a fun author, but this definitely wasn't her best.

Cover Thoughts:  Why on earth is this girl running around in the snow with a coat and no pants?  And the blurb, "She's the leader of the pack . . . literally" makes no sense to me in the context of the story.  I think that's a mistake, because that was also on the cover of book number two in the series, where it made a lot more sense.  But anyway, I love the colors on the cover, so there is that.

Grade:  2 1/2 stars (it was okay)

Book Review: Student Bodies

Student Bodies by Sean Cummings
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When I saw Student Bodies on Netgalley, all I remembered was that I had read the first book in the series, and figured I might as well read the second. I started reading it before coming to Goodreads to find that I did not, in fact, really like the first book. But I had already started, and it wasn't super long, so I figured I might as well just finish it.

I liked this one even less than Poltergeeks. The writing seems like it's written for middle grade, at best, but the subject matter isn't middle grade. I hate to give an all bad review, so I will leave it at that. I'm sure there will be readers out there who will enjoy this, it just isn't for me. I will definitely not be continuing on with this series, which is pretty much what I said after the first book. Please don't let me forget again!


Publication date is set for September 3rd.

Review: A Trace of Moonlight

A Trace of Moonlight by Allison Pang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source: Review copy from the publisher

Abby’s pact with a daemon—whether or not she remembers making it—is binding, so she’d better count herself lucky that (in the words of a daemon who knows better) there’s nearly always a loophole. But her friends’ reckless attempts to free her, well intentioned though they may be, set off a disastrous chain of events. In no time at all, Abby turns her incubus lover mortal, then gets herself killed, cursed, and married to an elven prince whose mother wants her dead. On top of everything else, she’s lost the Key to the CrossRoads to her mortal enemy, who promptly uses his restored power to wreak havoc on the OtherWorld and put its very existence in jeopardy. Only one person can make things right again, but to find her, Abby must place her trust in allies of mixed loyalties, and conquer her nightmares once and for all.

I think I actually liked A Trace of Moonlight the least of the three books in this series. Maybe the storyline wasn't as interesting to me. The writing is pretty good, and I think this is a decent urban fantasy series. It's just definitely not the best I've read.

This was a very quick read, but I felt like there was nothing new here from the previous books in the series. Abby is not really growing as a character, and neither are her relationships.

All that said, I appreciate that there are some new ideas in this series as a whole. I imagine it's difficult to come up with some new and original in the paranormal romance/urban fantasy genre. It's not all more of the same, although at times it seems like too many different things are thrown together in one book.

I would probably recommend this series to paranormal lovers, but there are definitely better series out there.  Also, be sure to read this series in order.  This book really wasn't one that you could pick up and not feel completely lost without having read the previous two.

Book Review: A Brush of Darkness

A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source: Review copy from the publisher

 Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

At first I wasn't really sure if I liked this one, and found myself going back and forth on whether or not I was enjoying myself while reading it. Now that I've finished, I think I can safely say that I liked it, but I didn't love it.

The story was quite interesting, and there were some very original elements to it. I guess I'm not big on sex in books, and this one had quite a lot of it. That made it hard for me to really love the book, even though the author writes quite well. I will be continuing on with the series, though.

Book Review: Poltergeeks

Publication Date: October 2012
by Strange Chemistry
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: netgalley

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

This book was about as average as you can get. There was nothing particularly memorable, nothing really different. And it wasn't horrible either. I didn't hate it while I was reading it. I just feel very blah about it overall. I think I'll have forgotten the whole thing in a few days.

Julie is an okay heroine. I guess she was a typical teenager, with a bit of magic thrown in. Of course there was the obligatory YA romance. Complete with teenage angst about feelings.  It was definitely better than the usual love triangle, though, for sure. 

Mostly, though, I'd say it was a quick read and something to pass the time if you don't have anything else to to read. It's pretty predictable, and nothing great, but I've definitely read worse. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, I know. I probably wouldn't read more if this is a series.  Too many other books out there.

Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors

Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publication Date: February 2012
Source: Review copy from the publisher

I read this entire series back to back, and one good thing I can say about it is that I didn't get tired of it. A lot of times when I read a series (or even a couple books in a series) all at once, I get sick of the story, the characters, and the whole thing. This just felt fun.

I can't say I loved everything about the story, though. I just didn't find it believable. Not because of the vampires, werewolves, ghosts, etc. But because the main character, who is a book lover and former librarian, throws books when she's mad. SHE THROWS BOOKS! Sorry about the yelling. As fellow book lovers, I'm sure you see where I'm coming from. It's not even the bad ones. It's not like she read a horrible book she didn't like and threw it against the wall in a fit of anger. No, someone makes her mad, and she throws things like Lord of the Rings at them. Sorry, I just don't buy it. Her character is utterly unbelievable.

Now that I've got that out of the way, I did enjoy this book and the previous books in the series. I (mostly) like the characters, and they're varied enough to not all seem like the same person called different names. There's nothing deep or really thoughtful here, but it's a fun and easy way to spend a few hours, and have a few laughs, so I'd probably recommend the whole series, especially if you're a fan of urban fantasy.

Review: Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs

Publication Date: March 31, 2009
by Pocket Star
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Source: copy from publisher

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.
Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

I would probably give this 3 1/2 stars. It's definitely not the best paranormal I've read, but it was entertaining. The story was pretty predictable, and I wish the main character had been a little bit smarter. The part where she worked as a telemarketer really resonated with me, though. I had a very brief job as a telemarketer, and it was like my own personal hell. With every call, I just prayed that the person would hang up on my quickly. So that part alone raised my enjoyment of the book a few notches.

I'm not warming up to the love story, though, as it feels a little bit abrupt and like there's really no chemistry, it just happened. I've got the whole series lined up on my nightstand to read (I need to review the latest one), so I'm definitely continuing on with it.

Book Review: Jane Vows Vengeance

Jane Vows Vengeance: A Novel by Michael Thomas Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publication: February 2012 by Random House
Source: Netgalley

I had not ever heard of this series before, and although I hate not starting at the beginning of a series, I didn't feel lost and the book seemed easy to follow.

I love Jane Austen, and when I saw the description for this book on Netgalley--Jane Austen as a vampire--I was very interested. The writing sucked me right in and this was just a quick, fun read. The characters traveled all over Europe on an architectural tour, which would make you think that the setting would play a big role in the story, but for me it really didn't. I feel like the book was more character driven.

I would have liked to have read the previous books first, as I think it would have added to my enjoyment of the story, but I didn't and I can't change it now. :) So I'll just go back and read them. This is an author I will be following. I really enjoyed his writing style and his very, very proper use of grammar.

Book Review: Silver-Tongued Devil

Silver-Tongued Devil by Jaye Wells
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It seemed like there were too many things that were not consistent, it was a little boring, and I don't really like any of the characters. This has never been a favorite paranormal series of mine, but it's interesting enough that it has kept me reading. After this, I'm just not sure if I'll continue.

This is definitely not a series for those who like "clean" books. There is sex, violence, drug use, etc. Not sure I would recommend this series--there is better urban fantasy out there.

Review: Night of the Living Dead Christian +giveaway

Publication Date: October 2011
by: Tyndale House Publishers
Genre: Christian Urban Fantasy
Source: review copy from publisher

What does a transformed life actually look like? In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way: with monsters! As Christians, we claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, but we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies—90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Yet through it all, we are longing to become fully human, the way Christ intended . . . we just can’t seem to figure out how. Night of the Living Dead Christian is the story of Luther, a werewolf on the run, desperate to find someone who can help him conquer his inner beast before it’s too late. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this spiritual allegory boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature and our quest for Christlikeness.

I'm not sure that this book knows quite what it wants to be. At times it was a fun, light romp, and then it would turn super preachy. I guess I would say the flow just wasn't very good.

For the most part, I enjoyed the story. The zombie parts were probably my favorite. The author got pretty creative with his zombies, and it was just fun. I think if he had just let the monsters be a metaphor, and not got quite as heavy-handed, the book would have been better. But then, that's just my personal preference, and of course everyone likes different things about books.

If you're looking for a Christian fiction story where the religion is subtle, this is definitely not the book for you. I felt like I was jarred right out of the story and was reading a different book, like a non-fiction Christian book, at times.

Overall, though, the story was quite fun and very silly, and if you don't mind some preaching in your stories, you'd probably like it a lot.
Grade: C+ 

watch on tyndale.com

Would you like to read Night of the Living Dead Christian?  I have a certificate for a free copy of the book for one lucky winner.  To enter, just leave a comment on this post.  The giveaway will end on December 31st, and I will draw a winner on the 1/1/12.
 

Review: Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover

Publication Date: November 29, 2011
by Pocket Books
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: review copy from publisher

Jayné Heller has discovered the source of her uncanny powers; something else is living inside her body. She's possessed. Of all her companions, she can only bring herself to confide in Ex, the former priest. They seek help from his old teacher and the circle of friends he left behind, hoping to cleanse Jayné before the parasite in her becomes too powerful.

Ex's history and a new enemy combine to leave Jayné alone and on the run. Her friends, thinking that the rider with her has taken the reins, try to hunt her down, unaware of the danger they're putting her in. Jayné must defeat the weight of the past and the murderous intent of another rider, and her only allies are a rogue vampire she once helped free and the nameless thing hiding inside her skin.

I've read the first four books in the past couple of weeks, and I thought instead of reviewing each book separately, I'd review them all together.  It really is just one long story, complete with cliffhangers at the end of each book.  Normally I like my books to be a little more standalone, but since I had the first four in front of me, it was easy to read one right after another.  But now I have to wait for the next book, and the waiting will be hard.

Jayné is a great lead character.  She's smart and sarcastic, and best of all she's a strong woman that doesn't have to have a man do everything for her.  And she's pretty funny.  My favorite line of the series came from book 1:

"How do you lose a minivan?"  Midian said as I walked into the living room.

"There we were running down the highway, and I said 'Holy sh**, Kim, I think I know why we're getting so tired.'  Look, if it's important, I'll buy us another one."

This line also serves as an example of the writing, and yes, there is quite a bit of language, so if you're bothered by that, you don't want to read this series.  It's a fairly gritty series, and not what I'd call "clean reading" at all.

The nice thing about this series is that, on the surface, it's just a fast-paced, easy to read urban fantasy story.  You can get through these books pretty quickly, and they're really enjoyable.  But if you dig a little deeper, there's a lot to think about and some different themes to be found.  Like what makes a family and how do you know you can trust the people in your life, good and evil and if there are shades of grey.  There is even some religion here, since we have an ex-priest, and Jayné, whose parents were deeply religious evangelicals, who has become almost anti-religion.  It's an interesting dynamic.

You don't come across many urban fantasy/paranormals that are written by men, and although this one is, it's really not that different from a lot of others in it's genre.  I liked that there wasn't a whole lot of romance, and Jayné was there more to kick butt than to find a man.  There is a lot to like here, and I highly enjoyed the whole series.  I'm very much looking forward to reading more. 

Killing Rites is out today, so be sure to get your copy, and if you haven't yet read the first three in the series, get those too.  You'll want to read this series in order.  Grade: B+   

Review: Wolfsbane (Nightshade, Book 2)

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

So, I mostly liked Nightshade, but there were a couple of things about it that bothered me.  But I thought the writing was good, so I was very interested to pick up Wolfsbane.

What Andrea Cremer did here was take everything I disliked about Nightshade, multiplied it by 50, and made a book out if it, adding in some new annoyances while she was at it.

Calla really isn't a strong, admirable character anymore.  She's an idiot that never learns any lessons from any of her life experiences.  Shay is no longer a mildly annoying character who I didn't connect with.  He's a misogynistic jerk that I hate, even though I can tell the author wants me to love and root for him.  And she must have thought there were too many readers who liked Ren, and she's all "no, reader, that's not how you're supposed to feel about these characters--it's Shay you like, SHAY", so she tried to make sure of that by making Ren in his tiny, tiny bit of "screen time" into an even bigger jerk than Shay, if that's possible. 

With all that said, I read this in a day, so it was a quick read and not a total waste, so I give it a D+.  On a side note, what in the heck is up with this cover?  There was another cover I saw for this book that was absolutely gorgeous, and they changed it to this?  And if that's not bad enough, they changed the amazingly beautiful cover for Nightshade into something that's almost laughable.  I guess they wanted the covers to match the story, in that aspect.