Book Review: "Iron and Magic" by Ilona Andrews

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Iron and Magic" by Ilona Andrews is the first of a spin-off series from the Kate Daniels universe. It begins with the character of Hugh D'Ambray, Roland's former warlord and Kate's one-time stalker. Roland casts Hugh out after Hugh fails to get Kate to willingly agree to meet with Roland. So Hugh has sunk into a drunken stupor, waiting to die.

Hugh is forced to become sober and help out the remnants of the Iron Dogs, the fighting force he put together for Roland, because Hugh's enemy, Landon Nez, is hunting and killing all of the Iron Dogs that he can find. With his back against the wall, Hugh agrees to marry The White Warlock, a woman leading a group of people called The Departed.

This book explains who Hugh is, why he did what he did in the Kate Daniels books, and why he worshipped Roland. It also hints at who Hugh might have been in different circumstances. Elara Harper, The White Warlock, is a a new character in the universe, though there is a reference to her during a conversation with the Witch Oracle. The readers learn about Elara and the Departed alongside Hugh and his Dogs.

I read the entire book in one day. Not that I didn't have other things to do, but because the story pulls you in. You just don't want to put the novel down until you know what happens. How do Hugh and Elara work together? What's going on with Landon Nez? How will the Iron Dogs fit in with the Departed?

There are more questions, but that would be spoilers. Let's just say I now think of Hugh as a good guy combined with an anti-hero.

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Book Review: "The Ape That Understood the Universe: How the Mind and Culture Evolve" by Steve Stewart-Williams

The Ape That Understood the Universe: How the Mind and Culture Evolve by Steve Stewart-Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Ape That Understood the Universe" by Steve Stewart-Williams is an amazing book that discusses how evolutionary forces shaped human beings, and continue to shape human beings, in terms of culture and psychology. The book begins with a fictitious report by an alien species on the strange life on the planet, asking all sorts of questions that seem obvious once someone points them out. Stewart-Williams then goes on to explain humanity, answering the alien's questions.

I found this book to be interesting, in the good sense of the word. I also found that I could not read it as quickly as I read other books. I would cover one section, and then my brain felt full. There is no better metaphor for the sensation. I spent time thinking about what I read, and sometimes I would even reread sections. It was a slow, wonderfully-engaging narrative that made me think about what it means to be human.

I recommend this book to anyone who wonders about who we as a species are, why we exist, and where we might be going.

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Book Review: "Allegiance of Honor" by Nalini Singh

Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Allegiance of Honor" ties together all the threads of the first arc in this universe, puts a beautiful bow on them all, and sets up what I assume will be the second arc in this universe. For the rest of this review, I'll be writing about characters and events that occur in the first 14 books. If you have read them yet and you plan on it, be warned now.

There are several major questions left over from the previous stories:

• What happened to all the major couples that we meet and get to know, including:
• Sasha and Lucas
• Sahara and Kaleb
• Mercy and Riley
• Hawk and Sienna
• and everyone else...
• How is Naya Hunter, Sasha and Lucas' daughter, doing as she grows up? Will she learn to shift into a black panther or a regularly colored leopard?
• Will Mercy ever give birth? How many pupcubs will she and Riley have? How many will be wolves and how many will be leopards?
• Will the Arrows be able to stay independent?
• Will any of BlackSea's missing packmates be found?
• Who are in the Consortium?
• What are the Consortium's plans for the future?
• Is the PsyNet finally stable and safe?
• How are the Forgotten doing?
• Will Xavier find his Nina?

Nalini Singh manages to answers these questions, plus may more in this massive book. She brings back just about everyone here, from children we've met in the Arrows to leopard soldier trainees to a previously lost Forgotten boy. When I first heard about how many characters and threads appear in "Allegiance of Honor", I wondered if Ms. Singh bit off more than she could chew. I mean, how do you include everyone and not end up with a hot mess?

Somehow, this Author Lord pulls it off, melding together the stories from everyone and introducing new plot bunnies. We get to learn more about BlackSea, how it works, and why all the water changelings formed one big pack in the first place. We also meet the new pupcubs (yes, they are FINALLY born), get insight into Sasha and Nikita's relationship, watch Hawk and Lucas as they act like brothers (though don't mention this to either one), and see Naya turn one, a huge birthday for a changeling as that coincides with a child's first change. There is just so much happening in this book. It's like a bunch of plot bunnies got together and did what plot bunnies do - multiply.

The biggest difference between "Allegiance of Honor" and the other Psy-Changeling books is that no new couples are introduced here. But honestly? There is enough romance in the existing couples that it's not an issue.

Overall, this book feels like a connecting book between the two story arcs. From Ms. Singh's newsletter, I believe that she intends to continue the series with a story arc focusing on:

• how the world adjusts to the changes,
• how the Psy cope with emotions,
• whether the Trinity Accord holds up under scrutiny,
• what will the Consortium do now, and
• what will happen to Ming LeBon.

If you liked any of the first 14 books, I recommend reading "Allegiance of Honor". It is worth the time and cost.

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Book Review: "God No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales" by Penn Jillette

God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales by Penn Jillette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first heard of "God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales", I wondered if Penn Jillette wrote the book himself or had a ghost writer take on the literary workload. But as I read the introduction, I realized I heard Penn's voice in my head, reciting the words to me as I went and that settled that question.

"God, No!" is an interesting book because it arose from a conversation Penn had with Glenn Beck, in which Mr. Beck challenged Penn to think about an atheist Ten Commandments. Penn divides this book in chapters representing his version of atheist Ten Commandments, with rambling bits and pieces of his life scattered in between as a conversation he has with the reader about why he believes as he does.

One of the most entertaining and thought-provoking sections of the book actually is the introduction. Penn discusses how he defines atheism with the phrase "I don't know", rebuts the claims that atheists must be arrogant and proud to pretend to know all the answers, and sets the tone for humorous but thought-provoking dialogue that follows in the rest of the book.

The good parts of "God No!" include all of the ramblings and story tellings as Penn shares his life with the reader. For being a self-described arrogant asshole, Penn comes across as a humble man with a bit more self-awareness that most people have.

The bad parts of this book include... nothing. A few times I wondered where a narrative was going, but in the end it was the rambling bits that I like the most.

Now I imagine that anyone who does not identify as an atheist might be offended at the title and concept behind "God No!" But before you decide not to read this, let me present the lines from the very beginning of the book:

If god (however you perceive him/her/it) told you to kill your child, would you do it?

If your answer is no, in my booklet you're an atheist. There is doubt in your mind. Love and morality are more important to you than your faith.

If your answer is yes, please reconsider.

If your answer is no, I strongly urge you to read this book. Whether or not you change your mind, I guarantee you an entertaining and thoughtful read.


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Book Review: "Hounded" by Kevin Hearne

Hounded by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Hounded" by Kevin Hearne introduces readers everywhere to Atticus O'Sullivan, a regular bookstore owner, tea drinker, hound-walking, 2,000 year old Druid. No, that is not a typo; he really is 2,000 years old! It seems that when the rest of the druids died out, Atticus found a way to survive, and he's been surviving every since.

Mr. Hearne creates a believable world in this book, gradually explaining things as the narrative goes so a reader never feels left out. And that takes some serious work, because on top of druids, "Hounded" features Celtic gods, witches, werewolves, and vampires. But never once did I think to myself, "Seriously? What's going on here?"

Mr. Hearne also presents believable characters; I felt like I could hold a conversation with Atticus or Oberon (his Irish wolfhound). The dialogue for the Widow MacDonagh sounds Irish, while Oberon sounds like a teenager and Atticus alternately sounds young and so very old (depending on how hard he is working to fit into modern society). Kevin Hearne is definitely a master at creating voices for his stories.

The plot of this first book in the Iron Druid series is quite simple; Atticus is hiding from Aengus Og, the Celtic god of love and a real jerk. After running for centuries, Atticus decides to make a stand. It's a simple decision, and yet the ramifications of this decision still effect him 7 books later.

I love this particular series; every book brings new adventures, personal growth, and interesting people. I cannot recommend the Iron Druid series enough, so I suggest you grab a copy of "Hounded" and prepare to spend several hours reading. :-)

This book earns a sold 5 our of 5 stars.

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Book Review: "Magic Binds" by Ilona Andrews

Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I like reading book series, but too many times I stop mid-series because either:
- the characters stop developing,
- the main character devolves into a simpler version of himself/herself,
- the author clones the plot from one book to another,
- a book plot jumps the shark, or
- the author seems tired of writing the series and it shows.

None of those conditions apply to the Kate Daniels book series. In fact, Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews went beyond all my expectations. In this story, the authors show Kate struggle with her dark side while providing a new, unexpected story arc that continues from the previous eight books and leaves the reader wanting more story NOW.

The book begins with Kate and Curran asking Roman to officiate at their wedding, a scene where we catch a glimpse at just how powerful the laid-back, funny black volhv truly is. This next scene begins innocently enough, but ends with Kate learning that her father kidnapped Saiman, the demi-god who Kate once counted as a sort-of friend. The action, adventure, introspection, and intrigue burst into life here, as Kate runs around trying to figure a way to save Saiman, learn how to cope with the land she claimed, but most importantly save her family from the utter destruction known as her dad.

If you've never read a Kate Daniels book, you can start here but I guarantee that you'll go back and read the first eight. I suggest you get a copy of "Magic Bites" and go from there.

This book is definitely 5 stars out of 5, maybe even 6 stars out of 5 because the authors made a series continue to be entertaining well after the first three books.

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A New Romantic Murder Mystery from Alexandra Ivy

Kill Without Mercy by Alexandra Ivy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Kill Without Mercy" by Alexandra Ivy presents readers with a simple sounding premise - a vet helps a woman deal with her past. But in reality, this book is anything but simple. The vet, Rafe Vargas, proves to be more than a man with a violent past. He's loyal to death to those who he cares about, but the flip side of that loyalty is a hatred of people who betray others. Rafe prefers to handle any situation alone, but he relies on his team with nary a complaint. He kills when he needs to, but he values life perhaps all the more because of those he had to kill. Rafe arrives in Newton, Iowa to clean out his grandfather's house, with the intention to get out of town as soon as possible.

The woman, Annie White, wants to be invisible. After a horrendous childhood, she wants to be anonymous to the media and to the general public. But she feels drawn to Newton, Iowa to finish... something. Her arrival unfortunately coincides with the start of a serial killer's sick game of kidnapping, torture, and death. Annie intuitively knows she is somehow a part of it all, but she doesn't know how.

Ms. Ivy combines these characters and takes readers on a twisted journey through the past and the present. As I read the novel, the beginning went generally as I expected - meeting the people, learning about what makes Annie and Rafe tick, watching Annie and Rafe circle each other as it becomes clearer and clearer that Annie needs Rafe's help... But then the novel diverges from familiar ground and heads into darker territory. I love when an author manages to take a simple plot and twist it into a complex web - and Ms. Ivy does this magnificently.

If you love a good story and don't mind a bit of darkness thrown in, I strongly recommend reading "Kill without Mercy".

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Burning Up with a new Dragon Kin Book

Feel the Burn by G.A. Aiken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As the eighth book in the Dragon Kin series, "Feel the Burn" could easily read as a formula-generated book. But the author, G. A. Aiken, manages to make this book read as well as any standalone, actually better than some. I have only read the first book in this series so far, but I never felt like I missed a thing while reading "Feel the Burn". Of course, I do plan on reading the other books now that I've read this book.

"Feel the Burn" thoroughly introduces us to Gaius, the One-Eyed Rebel Dragon King, and Kacka, a Daughter of the Steppes and a warrior woman who makes the Amazons look like wannabes. Gaius currently travels around, locating and killing treacherous family members. But Kachka is safely ensconced at Annwyl's palace and bored - BORED I tell you - out of her mind. Queen Annwyl solves her boredom by asking Kacka to track down a cult that's running around her territory, torturing and killing people.

The story includes a love story between Gaius and Kacka, but there is so much more than that. Both protagonists learn about themselves and want they truly want, all the while saving the various kingdoms and killing cousins. In fact, I think Gaius and Kacka are apart more than they are together, but it never feels artificial.

The plot, action, and dialogue are up to Ms. Aiken's high standards. She also manages to create fully developed characters, the main characters as well as several secondary characters. And as usual, I ran into no spelling or grammatical errors.

Overall, I recommend this book to everyone who loves dragons, fantasy, and kicking butt.

I give this book four out of five stars.

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"Desert Wolf" by Heather Long

Desert Wolf by Heather Long
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Desert Wolf" by Heather Long is a rare kind of book. The blurb on the back cover explains quite succinctly the lead up to this book, and also describes what happens in about 85% of the plot. Cassius needs an Omega to unify his pack. He asks Sovvan to come. It took her several months, but she decided to help. Now Cassius is traveling to the New Mexico-Texas border to meet Sovvan and her guardian, Faust.

I love how Ms. Long takes what might have been a page of narration and stretches it across several chapters. As a reader, I learned about the hell Cassius has endured to become alpha and hold the position. I also learn how much he wants to help his pack become better. I also learn what an Omega is, and who Sovvan is. She is gentle and strong, curious and calm, and exactly what Cassius needs.

Ms. Long includes mayhem, betrayal, playfulness, love, hate, and more into this one book than I have seen in a long time. The characters pop out, and you care about what happens to them. From the youngest child to the supposedly unflappable alpha, you want the best for everyone. The action seems real; the pacing of the story almost perfect. Every fight scene had me cringing at the punches, and torn between wanting to read more to find out what happened and wanting to put down the book because I hated when characters I cared about got hurt.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the creation story of Cassius' pack, the Sutter Butte pack. First, you hear it from an outsider's point of view and you wonder what Sovvan is getting herself into. Then you hear it from an insider's point of view, and though it is basically the same story, your heart will go out to the people of Sutter Butte.

For the record, I never read any of the other book in the Wolves of Willow Bend series, but I never felt as if I needed to for this book. That in itself is the sign of an amazing author. Though I must admit, I will be getting the rest of the series now because I want to know what happened before.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story, who loves fantasy books, who loves werewolves, and who likes a good old-fashioned love story.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5.

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"Witches Protection Program" by Michael Phillip Cash

Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I admit, I got excited when I read the title "Witches Protection Program". All sorts of questions popped into my head. First and foremost, who could threaten witches enough that they need their own protection program? The obvious answer is ... other witches. Okay, it could also be witch-hating zealots or other close-minded people.

That is the premise behind "Witches Protection Program" by Michael Phillip Cash. There are two groups of witches out there, and they have been at odds for a long time. For those who hate spoilers, I'm not going into details here. The author actually covers this information fairly well in the beginning chapters. This story centers around a guy named Wes. He comes from a long line of ridiculously talented and famous people. He father currently runs a division in the police department that was founded by his grandfather. So Wes feels compelled to make a name for himself, and feels all sorts of internal and external pressures to do so.

Only Wes is more of a regularly talented guy, and he's a bit thick. At least that's my first and so far lasting impressions of him. It's also the first problem I had with this book. Despite lots of evidence to the contrary, Wes stubbornly refuses to believe in witches and magic well past the point that makes sense. While I applaud critical thinking and not accepting a situation at face value, Wes goes beyond that into "I don't want to believe this so I just won't" territory before he starts to believe in spite of himself.

The other problem I have with this book is pacing. There is choppiness in the narration and the action. At times, Mr. Cash slows down to explain the situation well, or slows down to capture a scene. Then, Bam! You're thrust somewhere with new characters gaining information you think will be relevant at some point in the future, but uncertain as to the whys or how behind it.

Overall, the characters are good, if a bit stereotypical at times. The plot is interesting enough, and where Mr. Cash might lack in originality he makes up for in good storytelling. But I still give this book only three stars because I am not a fan of his writing style.

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"Small Magics" by Ilona Andrews

Small Magics by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For anyone who has read and loved the Kate Daniels universe, this book is a must read. "Small Magics" by Ilona Andrews contains five wonderful short stories; three of them are set in the Kate Daniels universe and two are in new magical worlds. This author duo strikes again with stories that draw you in until the last word.

"Questionable Client" marks the beginning of Kate and Saiman's relationship. Saiman needs a bodyguard and Kate needs money. She keep him for getting killed (obvious, since he's in following books) and Saiman becomes fascinated with the woman who politely turns him down.

"Retribution Clause" brings all new characters, starting with Saiman's cousin Adam. If you haven't read "Magic Strikes" (Kate Daniels series book 3), this story contains one significant spoiler. I'll say no more.

"Magic Tests" brings Kate and her adopted daughter, Julie, to a new school in Atlanta. A student is missing and Julie has 24 hours to find her. For those who like to read stories in order, this comes after "Magic Slays".

"Of Swine and Roses" finds a young woman on a horrible date with a neanderthal chasing a pig. It's seriously funny - I almost fell out of my chair laughing. :-)

"Grace of Small Magics" introduces a new magical universe that I keep hoping Ilona Andrews will write more stories in. Magical families, revenge, duels, secret societies, and competitions to the death - this story has it all plus great characters and a new way to approach magic.

Even if you own one of these stories, it is more than work the money to buy this compilation to get all the stories. You won't regret it.

I give "Small Magics" 5 stars out of 5.


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Book Review: "Grave Illusions" by Lina Gardiner

Grave Illusions by Lina Gardiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"Grave Illusions" by Lina Gardiner introduces us to an alternate universe with vampires hiding in the shadows, a somewhat vanilla vampire world with no overt magic, no werewolves, and no zombies. Jess Vandermire is a cop who turned into a vampire, learned to cope with her condition, and became a cop again. She now leads a special ops unit that tracks and kills rogue vampires.

When I first read about this book, I was extremely excited. I love vampire books, the various flavors of vampirism, and unusual situations that different authors create to test out vampires. I also like a good romance, and "Grave Illusions" held the potential for an excellent romantic vampire murder mystery.

Alas, but the book doesn't quite measure up. John Britton stands up as a three-dimensional character, with Jess running a close second. But the rest of the people are not well defined; more than two-dimensional but not quite fully formed. The narrative also starts out rather slow, and takes about a third of the book before the pace picks up.

As for the plot, I wouldn't say Ms. Gardiner left plot holes, more like plot gaps. I found places where the narrative missed details that made the flow of the words stutter. For example, at one point John and Jess are talking in an office when Jess hears someone outside. Suddenly, John's taking his jacket out of an SUV without leaving the office. Too much of the intermediate action is implied, leaving plot gaps.

But the story has a lot of potential, and I intend to read the sequel to see if the pacing problems work out now that the universe is established.

I give this story a 3.5 stars out of 5.

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Book Review: "Skin Game" by Jim Butcher

Skin Game by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Skin Game" by Jim Butcher sees Harry Dresden working another assignment as The Winter Knight, only this time Mab wants him to work with Nicodemus Archleone - the head of the Blackened Denarians and one of Harry's personal nemesis.

This novel redefines Dresden's relationships with the people he almost left behind. From Karrin to Butters to Michael, Dresden learns to rely on his friends and trust that he can contain the Winter Mantle. He even begins a real relationship with his daughter, Maggie.

But the real joy in this book is the action. Mr. Butcher packs comedic action, dramatic action, treacherous action, Parkour in Hades, and enough back-stabbing that you almost need a tally sheet to figure out who is sided with whom. And the action is held together with genuine character interactions. I felt Butter's hesitation as he wondered if Dresden succumbed to the Winter Mantle; I laughed when Dresden learns that Bob discovered Internet porn. But mostly I hung on to the edge of my seat because for the vast majority of the book, Dresden is forced to work nicely with his enemies. I delighted in the machinations as Nicodemus and Dresden attempt polite conversation; I wept when Dresden had to leave his daughter for a virtual suicide mission.

From the beginning to the end, I had trouble putting this book down. I give it 5 stars out of 5, and recommend it to fantasy lovers everywhere.

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Book Review: "Henchgirl" by Rita Stradling

Henchgirl by Rita Stradling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Henchgirl" by Rita Stradling brings to life an alternate world where dragons live and breed with humans to create dracons. Backed by their dragon parents, dracons control over 80% of the world. The protagonist, Dakota Kekoa, is a 16-year-old dracon who works for her grandfather as a type of enforcer. Dakota's mother is a selfish alcoholic who drinks or spends every penny she gets her hands on, so Dakota works to support her mother, her sisters, and herself.

Ms. Stradling immerses her readers in this new world from the beginning. I can feel the heat of the islands where Dakota lives, hear the hate speech from the full-humans, and understand the dread of being accidentally turned into a vampire or werewolf. I want to bitch slap those who are rude to Dakota, and yell at her mother for letting her daughter shoulder the responsibility of taking care of the entire household. If you let it, this story will suck you in and hold you to the edge of your seat as Dakota muddles her way through visiting dignitaries and the vanishing of one of her true friends.

"Henchgirl" is clean in term of no grammatical or spelling errors. But more than that, all the details line up. Not once did I hit an inconsistency that can pull a reader from the narrative. Instead, I lost track of time while reading.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5, and recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy books.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: "Nirvana" by J.R. Stewart

Nirvana by J.R. Stewart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Nirvana" by J.R. Stewart presents a dystopian society with corporate overlords, a secret rebellion, and a planet severely scarred by human activities. Larissa Kenders, call her Kenders, is the protagonist here, struggling at first to define her place in the world, and then to find her supposedly dead lover, Andrew.

This is a good book with aspirations of greatness. The set-up for how the human race managed to screw up the world is plausible enough to be scary. Kenders comes across as a real person as she moves through the story. But the other characters lack that certain depth to make them completely believable. One of the main antagonist sounds as if he's twirling his mustache through some of the scenes. Also, some of the details are either mismatched or just plain missing. For example, Kenders finds some secret information which she hides. Later, she gives the hidden information to someone without ever going to retrieve the information. I found this type of problem throughout the book; nothing that is story shattering but definitely interrupting to the narrative.

If you skip over the details, this is actually a light, fluffy dystopian read.

I give it 2.5 stars out of 5.

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Book Review: "The Shadow Revolution" by Clay and Susan Griffith

The Shadow Revolution by Clay Griffith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"The Shadow Revolution" by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith tells a tale of magic and mystery in a steam-era civilization. It's London, during a time of steam-powered contrivances and magic called aether. Most people don't believe in magic, but it's not secret; it's just not talked about as a current event.

Four characters function as the protagonist. Simon Archer and Nick Barker share rooms and go around, quieting helping out in situations where a bit of magical intervention is needed. Simon is a scribe - he writes down words or runes and then activates them to control his magic. Nick does a bit of everything when it comes to magic, though throwing fireballs seems to be his favorite go-to attack. Lady Kate Anstruther is an accomplished alchemist and head of Hartley Hall, a few hours outside of London. She divides her time between her dog, her sister, and her experiments. Malcolm MacFarlane is a renown Scottish monster hunter. He carries specially made guns, silver ammunition, and a bad attitude.

"The Shadow Revolution" is overall a decent story. The characters, their motivations, and the plot have been used before, so I wasn't surprised by any of these story elements. When saves the book from the "been there, read that" heap is good old-fashioned storytelling. The Griffiths spin a solid tale about men, women, werewolves, mad scientists, and human foibles. None of it stands out as amazing, but none of it is rubbish.

Overall, I give this book 3½ to 4 stars, and recommend this to anyone looking for a quick steampunk read.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: "Two Ravens and One Crow" by Kevin Hearne

Two Ravens and One Crow by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Two Ravens and One Crow" by Kevin Hearne can be read as a standalone story or as part of the Iron Druid series. If you want to read it in the series, this book comes six years after "Tricked", which means about halfway through Granuaile's training as a druid. The Morrigan shows up and demands Atticus accompany her on a journey that will return him in about two weeks, if he returns at all.

Kevin Hearne outdoes himself in this short story. On top of an intricate plot that augments the overall Iron Druid story arc, Hearne expands the characters of Atticus, Morrigan, and a few surprise guests as well as developing new dimensions in the relationships between Atticus and Granuaile, Morrigan, and one particular surprise guest. Also, we learn that the Morrigan is more self-aware than we know, that she's a strange sports fan, and that she values the friendship she has with Atticus.

If you're already a fan of the Iron Druid, you need to read this short story; it's information is imperative to the story. If you're not a fan yet, this short story contains spoilers for previous books, but otherwise it's a great introduction to Atticus and his strange life.


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Book Review: "Rock Redemption" by Nalini Singh

Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Rock Redemption" by Nalini Singh guides the reader through the broken relationship between Noah St. John, guitarist for Schoolboy Choir, and Kit Devigny, friend to the band and a promising actress. If you've read either of the other books in the Rock Kiss series, you know that demons from his past chase Noah through life, and he goes through women like a hot knife through butter.

This is a romance novel, so from the get-go you know that the protagonists, Noah and Kit, will overcome any obstacles and be a couple by the end. What makes "Rock Redemption" a good read is that Ms. Singh crafted a wonderful story that draws you in and lets you care about the characters. You root for Noah to find the courage to talk to Kit about his past and the strength to let go of said past to embrace the future. You worry about Kit and her stalker, wondering who would attempt to terrify her so much.

An side note here - I love the stalker story arc. Kit refuses to let some maniac control her life while simultaneously taking necessary precautions (e.g. security guards), showing backbone and common sense. Plus the reveal of the stalker was not what I expected - I love properly done story twists!

If you like romance novels that have wonderful writing, believable characters, and a realistic plot, I recommend you read "Rock Redemption".

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Book Review: "Hell Bound" by Andrew P. Weston

Hell Bound by Andrew P. Weston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Update: The book is available for pre-order right now on Amazon Kindle, and will be release on October 31, 2015.

"Hell Bound" by Andrew P. Weston delivers snarky, humorous, deep-delving fun through a narration reminiscent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Weston created a new version of Hell here, one in which the various rings reflect real world places, in which Dom Peringnon rules the crime underworld of Perish (Paris) with his 2nd in command, Al Catraz, in which Red Riding Hood aka Red Cap aka Strawberry Fields works as a special investigator, and in which the edges of Hell are illuminated by the light of Paradise.

The protagonist, Daemon Grim, acts as Lucifer's Grim Reaper in this universe. Grim hunts down bad guys both in Hell and on Earth, delivering these rotten souls to Hell for their punishment. In fact, the story begins with Grim on earth to retrieve the soul of a serial killer. Upon returning to Hell, the Undertaker, the man in charge of reassembling and reassigning souls, tells Grim that one of the souls he was supposed to retrieve is missing. This sets up the entire story, as Grim chases down one lost soul and discovers a conspiracy that might end Hell as he knows it.

I loved reading this book. In fact, I had trouble putting my Kindle down to do things such as laundry and dinner. Weston sneaks in humorous references everywhere, usually in the names of people and places. Also, the interweaving of the story was absolute genius! While most of the story was told from Grim's point of view, Weston also includes sections from other character's point of views (I can't tell you who, though, because of spoilers!) The narration flows smoothly from one character to another, and I never felt lost.

The only problem I see is that this book won't be available until March of next year, and who knows when a sequel will be available.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5, and recommend it to teens and adults who like a great story.

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Book Review: "The Science-Fiction & Fantasy Quiz Book" by Joseph McCullough

The Science-Fiction & Fantasy Quiz Book by Joseph McCullough
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"The Science-Fiction & Fantasy Quiz Book" by Joseph McCullough is a fun and entertaining book to read. Mr. McCullough covers everything from television shows, to movies, to comic books, to short stories, to novels. In the first few sections alone, I saw questions about "Star Wars", "Star Trek", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Game of Thrones", and the old "Battlestar Galactica".

I could easily see a bunch of geeks sitting around a table, drinking home-brewed beer, and using this book to play a homemade game of trivia.

Also, I like that the questions range from multiple-choice, to short answer, to true or false, to matching related things, e.g. captains with their ships.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for entertainment value; and I recommend this book to any fans who like to test themselves on trivia.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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