All posts by skyebjenner

Veiled Magic by Deborah Blake

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Veiled Magic

Title: Veiled Magic
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Veiled Magic #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Paranormal fantasy, Witches
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: InterMix
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: Farmingham quavered a little under her suspicious look, but then rallied.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Since Witches came out of the broom-closet in the early 21st century, they have worked alongside humans as police officers, healers, stock traders, and more. But they aren’t the only paranormal entities in our world…

Police officer and Witch Donata Santori spends her days interrogating dead witnesses by summoning their spectral forms. Normally the job is little more than taking statements and filing reports. But when she’s called in on the case of a murdered art restorer, she finds herself suddenly in possession of a mystical portrait that both the human and paranormal communities would kill to get their hands on.

Unable to take on the forces hunting her alone, Donata seeks help from two unlikely and attractive allies: a reluctant shape-changer and a half-dragon art forger. But as the three of them hurry to uncover the truth about the powerful painting, Donata realizes that she’s caught in the middle of not one but two wars—one for possession of the painting’s secrets and one for possession of her heart…

Thoughts

I love the magical realism that Blake brings to her work. She manages to take the world of today, Wicca and our daily social struggles and create a world that is entirely her own. It is the most enjoyable and wonderful way to become immersed in a story. Especially when Donata is such a relatable and thrilling character to take you on such a whirlwind adventure.

I’ve had this novel on my ereader for ages, but actually finding the time to sit there and read it has been a whole other story. No matter how many good ebooks I get my hands on, I still love the feeling of a good, hard cover in my hands. So, it did take me forever to actually read this. And now I kind of regret taking so long to read it. Because it was phenomenal, and now I can almost immediately start on the next book in the series, Veiled Menace. Although I won’t, because there are a whole slew of other books that are in my TBR pile and I tend to jump between series.

Other than Blake’s ability to create a beautifully realistic and layered world in which dragons, witches and changelings are part of everyday life, I love her character construction. There is something beautifully relatable about these characters. Donata is the black sheep of her family – the one who doesn’t quite fit in, never measures up to their expectations and has never been able to fit, so are the other two members of the little love triangle that she finds herself in. Yet, unlike many of the black sheep stories that I’ve read, Donata’s is willing to still love her and accept her. Alright, there’s strings attached and maybe they’re not as willing to accept her as the picturesque family would be – but there is still love there.

Unlike the Baba Yaga series, this has a very cops and criminals feel to it. Probably because Donata herself is a cop, but I love the overlay of the supernatural need for a cop as well. It is such a promising beginning of a new series, and I can’t wait to see which other supernatural crimes she is forced to face up to…

<- More Deborah BlakeVeiled Menace ->

Image source: Goodreads

Andersen’s Witch by Jane Yolen

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

Under My HatTitle: Andersen’s Witch
Author: Jane Yolen
In: Under my Hat (Jonathan Strahan)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Witches
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: It gives the boy ideas above his station.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Yolen explores the tale of the Snow Queen and Hans Christian Andersen in this brilliant spin on witches, fairytales and love.

Thoughts

I love Hans Christian Andersen – at least, I love the stories that I can remember. And this is a great take on his life and death, with a bit of a twist to The Ice Queen.

I love stories that take facts, people, history and turn it on its head. Especially when the story actually feels remarkably plausible. Andersen’s Witch gave a plausible and enjoyable look into Andersen’s early life and rise to fame.

Yet, this story is truly about a child’s love and the innocence and purity that they bring to a person’s life. Ultimately, it is this that helps Andersen to beat the Ice Queen and inspires the well-known story that we all know and love.

 <- The Stone Witch Review B is for Bigfoot Review ->
Image source: Frances Hardinge

Great-Grandmother in the Cellar by Peter S. Beagle

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Under My HatTitle: Great-Grandmother in the Cellar
Author: Peter S. Beagle
Series: The Innkeeper’s World #1.5
In: Under My Hat (Jonathan Strahan)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Witches
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: And that was all we ever got out of him about Great-Grandmother.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Da’mas watched as the evil sorcerer with whom his sister fell in love placed the girl in a sleep that mimicked death. He tells Da’mas that she will not awaken unless she sees his face, something that will not happen unless Da’mas and his father agree to allow the wicked mage to marry her. Da’mas’s father is out of town, and he’s not sure how he can help his sister. He decides to go down to the cellar to awaken the great-grandmother he knows still lives there. As it turns out she is nothing but bones and must take over another’s body in order to help. Da’mas volunteers his body, and together, they set out to stop the sorcerer and save his sister from his clutches.

Thoughts

The title of this short story made me want to read it as soon as I saw the table of contents in the beginning of Under My Hat. After all, any story that has a great-grandmother buried in a cellar is bound to be good. Or at least, that’s the way my brain tends to work…

All families have skeletons in the closet – after all, there is no family that doesn’t have its black sheep. But in the case of this family… not so much a black sheep and not so much a closet, but more so a skeleton in the cellar. Plus, it’s a much more terrifying skeleton than any that my family have. Yet, this kind of works out all for the best. After all, it is this terrifying grandmother that ends up saving the day and protecting her family.

Although you know that somehow the boy will save his sister, the journey is still amazing. The way in which it is done is kind of unexpected, and it helped to make the adventure so much more interesting. Now I can’t wait to see how this short story works into The Innkeeper’s World.

 <- B is for Bigfoot Review Crow and Caper, Caper and Crow Review ->
Image source: Frances Hardinge

Under My Hat edited by Jonathan Strahan

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Overview
Under My Hat

Title: Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron
Author: Jonathan Strahan, Diana Peterfreund, Frances Hardinge, Garth Nix, Holly Black, Charles de Lint, Tanith Lee, Neil Gaiman, Ellen Klages, Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman, Patricia A. McKillip, Tim Pratt, M. Rickert, Isobelle Carmody, Jane Yolen, Peter S. Beagle, Margo Lanagan
In: Under My Hat (Jonathan Strahan)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Short story collections, Witches
Pace: Medium
Format: Collection
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: “Was he?” asked Mari.

Synopsis

Broomsticks.
Black Cats.
Pointy Hats.

They can mean only one thing – somewhere nearby, there must be a witch. From fairy tales to fims to fiction, witches cast their spells and capture our imaginations.

Now the biggest names in fantasy and young adult literature have come together to make a little magic of their own. Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Margo Lanagan, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix are just a few of the authors who have toiled over their cauldrons and conjured up bewitching new creations inspired by and celebrating the might and mystery of the witch. Assembled by one of the most well-regarded anthologists in the science fiction/fantasy world, this rich, intelligent collection will enchant readers of all ages.

Thoughts

Short story collections are always good fun. They’re a great way to discover new authors, and the common thread through them can be so unique and different. Sometimes I even struggle to find the common thread! Not with this amazing collection though. It’s simple. Witches.

Strahan did a great job of putting together this fun and cute little collection of witch-y tales and I’m actually kind of disappointed that it’s over. Although I bought it to read B is for Bigfoot by Jim Butcher, the rest of the stories really jumped out at me. It’s actually difficult to pick an absolute favourite – they all had this twisted, fun, unexpected adventure that they took me on. Closing the cover of the book, I feel like I’ve gone on journeys through distant lands (and realms) and come back to land squarely on earth. Which is actually kind of disappointing… time to find my next epic journey of witchcraft and wings…

<- Crow and Caper, Caper and CrowStray Magic ->

Image source: Frances Hardinge

Sorry… the Hardest Word by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
otherworld-chills

Title: Sorry… The Hardest Word
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #10.8
In: Otherworld Chills (Kelley Armstrong)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: She would have gotten help – she’s not a monster – but she wouldn’t have rescued me herself.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Cassandra du Charme travels to Toronto to make amends with resident vampire Zoe. It seems like this might be the greatest challenge of Cassandra’s long life.

Thoughts

I suppose that if you live for hundreds of years, you are likely to know a heck of a lot of people. Yet, somehow, it still surprised me that Cassandra and Zoe knew each other in the past. The fact that they had a history was a surprise. The fact that Zoe had been wronged… not so much.

Cassandra is a character that I have very mixed feelings about – she’s kind of a bitch, especially in Stolen, but as the series progresses and she appears in a number of short stories and novellas, you can understand the apathy that she feels towards the world. After all, she’s nearing the end of a very long life and has watched numerous people come and go. Which is why she is sent to apologise to Zoe. And, although she’s still a bitch, and Zoe is still annoyed, Zoe’s acceptance that this will give her peace is admirable.

Although it is a battle to get Cassandra to eventually apologise, as usual, Zoe’s manipulations and manoeuvring finally get her the result that she desires. It gives the story a beautiful, happy ending and is a great way to leave a smile on your lips when you turn the last page of the story.

<- Amityville HorribleWaking the Witch ->

Image source: Goodreads

Amityville Horrible by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Amityville Horrible

Title: Amityville Horrible
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #10.7
In: Otherworld Chills (Kelley Armstrong)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: It was dark.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Jaime Vegas—spiritualist, entertainer and, unbeknownst to her audience, real-life necromancer—swore she’d never do another reality ghost show after the last fiasco. But when she’s railroaded into a charity gig, she finds herself back on the set, this time with a cast of photogenic college kids, an up-and-coming Russian spiritualist, and a tale of missing girls and murder in New England. It’s cheesy, but that’s show business. With her werewolf Alpha lover, Jeremy Danvers, along to keep her nights interesting, it’s not so bad really. Until the bloody ghosts show up. Jaime has never faced spirits like these, and no matter how hard she tries, they won’t be ignored.

Thoughts

Yet again Jaimie is pulled into the world of fake reality and TV shows. And, once again, she finds a way to shine and do a trashy public event without sacrificing her own identity and self-worth. And, she solves a mystery, has an incredibly passionate romp with Jeremy and fills her time with foiling the evil (or at least incredibly morally bankrupt) director of the show.

I don’t know much about horror and ghost stories in my local area, let alone around the world. But, I’m assuming because the name Amityville has a ring to it that there is a place in America that has a horrible history filled with ghost stories. At least, the way that Armstrong wrote about it made me think that it does, in fact, exist. And the way in which she yet again intertwines the worlds of fact and fiction so seamlessly that helps me to fall even further in love with the characters which inhabit her world.

For a character and story that I couldn’t put down and seriously enjoyed, I’m actually finding it hard to find the words to describe it. It’s a fantastic story that made me smile and laugh, and although it centres of Jaimie and her finding of the truth, there are also the sweet and understanding moments between herself and Jeremy. It’s these moments of love and acceptance that I’ve come to expect from Armstrong and I’m always a little disappointed when these secondary plots don’t rear their head.

<- V PlatesSorry… the Hardest Word ->

Image source: Goodreads

V Plates by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Blood Lite III

Title: V Plates
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #10.6
In: Blood Lite III (Kevin J. Anderson)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: I want your body.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Losing your virginity is a serious thing for some, but it’s even more serious when you’re a werewolf in a zombie brothel.

Thoughts

I love when a non-Australian author writes about Australians and uses slang that we actually say. I’ve never heard someone say chuck a few shrimps on the barbie. For starters, we don’t call them shrimps, they’re PRAWNS! But, I have, and do use the term v plates to talk about virginity, and even told my friends that I’d lost my v plates when the time came. So just the title and the very beginning of this story worked well. Like I said, Armstrong actually managed to use Australian slang and characterisation in a way that was actually recognisable. And didn’t make us look like extremely backwards and uncultured swines.

Losing your virginity is a big moment in anyone’s life – for some it’s a passage into adulthood, others it’s an indication of your love, religion, something. In the case of Noah, it’s about not getting ribbed by his classmates anymore. The added issues caused by his slowed development and the fact that he’s a werewolf just make the moment and losing of his v plates a whole lot more difficult and serious. Hence Reese attempts to help him out. Which doesn’t actually work out all that well – after all, it wouldn’t be a great Women of the Otherworld story if there wasn’t chaos, mayhem and confusion left in their wake.

V Plates might be about Noah turning into a “man”, but it is also another great look into how much Nick has changed throughout the series. Instead of running from the problems with which they are faced and hand-balling it off to Elena and Clay, he holds his ground and tries to find a solution to their problems. He too has grown up, and I can’t wait to see what he does with this new maturity in the next series of stories.

<- Off Duty AngelAmityville Horrible ->

Image source: Goodreads

Off-Duty Angel by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
otherworld-chills

Title: Off-Duty Angel
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #10.5
In: Otherworld Chills (Kelley Armstrong)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: He continued questioning them, and it didn’t take long to realize that they weren’t just trying to prolong the game.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Even when she’s off duty, Eve Levine manages to find something to entertain her. And all too often, get herself into trouble. Kris understands this and tries to find he something to do while she’s off duty. Only to have it blow up in all of their faces.

Thoughts

Eve has such a beautiful penchant for getting into trouble. No matter where the demon / witch / angel seems to find herself, she has one epic adventure. The fact that Kris tries to send her on a journey to kill boredom just helps Eve’s ability to get into trouble along.

Although Off-Duty Angel doesn’t seem to be a major part of the overarching Women of the Otherworld plotline, it is a nice insight into Eve and Kris’ afterlife. After nine years as ghosts, they still manage to have fun and put a little spice into their lives. This short story is just a great reminder of the many ways in which they do this.

I love the insights that Armstrong gives us into her version of the afterlife in this short story. It not only helps to add an extra layer to the world that she has so carefully and lovingly constructed, but also creates a way in which death isn’t necessarily the end.

<- Counterfeit MagicV Plates ->

Image source: Goodreads

Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Counterfeit Magic

Title: Counterfeit Magic
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #10.4
In: Otherworld Secrets (Kelley Armstrong)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: Not Lucas.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

The first rule of a supernatural fight club? Don’t kill your opponent.

When the fighters come with lethal spells, werewolf strength and half-demon powers, that can be a lot tougher than it sounds. It’s hard to attract talent if they know they might not leave the ring alive. So when fighters at a California club start dying — it’s bad for business.

Witch detectives Paige Winterbourne and Savannah Levine take the case. Going undercover in the power-heavy arena of the fight club is a welcome change of pace for Paige, relegated to the role of The Wife as her husband struggles to find his place in his family’s Cabal–the corporate Mafia of the supernatural world.

As Paige is drawn deeper into new and dangerous corners of her world, she quickly discovers the greatest threat isn’t the killer in her sights. It’s something much, much closer to home. And this is one fight she can’t afford to lose.

Thoughts

Paige and Lucas have been a solid and sweet couple since they first got together in Dime Store Magic. Of all of the couples throughout the series, they’re the one that I most want to be – supportive of each other, yet independent of one another and able to pursue their own interests. Yet, things become a little bit more rocky now that they’re both taking a more active role in the Cabal. The very independence that makes them such a wonderful couple makes it hard for Paige when she isn’t treated with the respect and individuality that she is used to.

Although Paige and Lucas continue to try and keep ‘business as usual’, they find that slowly a wedge is being driven between them. The fact that there are external influences and a case to help this along doesn’t occur to them until the very end of this novella. These treacherous undertones lead to big trouble, and actually made me cry towards the end. After all, they’re the most similar couple to myself and my partner, and the fact that there are cracks in their relationship made me concerned about my own.

Counterfeit Magic may be mostly about Paige and Lucas’ relationship, but it also puts Savannah back into the spotlight. She is now 21, and although her school girl crush has been outgrown, her friendship with Adam has blossomed. To the point that this is a great precursor for their eventual get together. Or so I predict anyway.

<- ForbiddenOff-Duty Angel ->

Image source: Subterranean Press