Tag Archives: Paranormal Fantasy

Veiled Menace by Deborah Blake

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Veiled Menace

Title: Veiled Menace
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Veiled Magic #2
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Paranormal fantasy, Witches
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: InterMix
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: This was one conversation she didn’t want anyone to overhear.

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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…

Witch and police officer Donata Santori is no stranger to magical mayhem, but lately her life has been unexpectedly charmed. Her job as a Ghost Yanker now includes the occasional paranormal investigation, and she’s advancing her magical abilities with the help of an ancestor’s treasured spell book. And while both of her former love interests—reclusive half-Dragon art forger Peter Casaventi and disgraced Shapechanger Magnus Torvald—are nowhere to be found, she’s not averse to being wined and dined by wealthy businessman Anton Eastman.

But Eastman isn’t what he seems, and what he wants from Donata is far more than she’s willing to give. When a mysterious relic, the Pentacle Pentimento, resurfaces, along with Peter’s Dragon father and a shocking Santori family secret, Donata must fight to save herself, her friends, and just maybe the fate of the world from a magic as old as it is dangerous…

Thoughts

I didn’t enjoy this as thoroughly as the first book in Veiled Magic. I think because the relationships were a little off, and her best friend Doc just appeared… there were just a few holes that made the continuity from Veiled Magic a little clunkier than I’m used to from Blake. That’s not to say that I didn’t still thoroughly enjoy this story, but I did take a lot longer to read this than I did the first novel.

Although Veiled Magic features a love triangle, Veiled Menace focuses solely on Donata’s relationship with Pete. Again, the continuity of this was a little disjointed. They had the off again, on again drama going on. Which was a fun driver, but when they were off, Pete wasn’t even mentioned. For the amount of passion in their on moments, it was weird to have such a lack in their off moments.

I liked that we finally discovered who the sixth race was in this and how they fit into the scheme of things. I had formed a number of opinions as to who and what this race could be throughout both Veiled Magic and Veiled Menace, but it still completely swept me away. Donata’s connection to this further surprised me, and I can’t wait to see how all of this unfolds in Veiled Enchantments. That, and how the relationship with Pete is going to evolve (if it does).

<- Veiled MagicVeiled Enchantments ->

Image source: Goodreads

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Wicked Lovely

Title: Wicked Lovely
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fae, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Harper Teen
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: Seth came up behind her.

Synopsis

Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries.

Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries.

Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention.

Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. When the rules that have kept Aislinn safe from them stop working, everything is suddenly on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr’s stunning twenty-first century faery tale.

Thoughts

I loved this book when I first read it, and I love it today. There is something so completely captivating about this kind of dark faery tale that makes it impossible to put down. Something that seems to draw me in again and again and again. I like when retellings of old paranormal creatures, such as the fae are told in a way that sticks true to past tellings – that they are not good. They are not romantic. They are wicked. And lovely.

Although Aislinn is obviously different from every other girl that has been pursued by the Summer King (otherwise why would there be this story?), she is completely independent of him. And I love how she attempts to retain this independence throughout the entire story. Even when she is overwhelmed by fear, and well, overwhelming odds, she doesn’t succumb or relent. I love this independence and the modern-take on how faeries work in today’s society. That, and the fact that the female lead isn’t easy to take control of and push around.

I’m not sure that this is a good book to read when you want to be productive elsewhere. It has just enough of a pace that if you want to put it down, you can. But it is still fast enough that you really won’t want to. I read it in 2 days, and this is when I was supposed to be working on some fairly important things – it was just too good to stop. Even though I’ve read it a few times before…

 <- Cold Iron HeartInk Exchange ->

Image source: Goodreads

Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

ShutterTitle: Shutter
Author: Courtney Alameda
Series: Shutter #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: I eyed my bedroom door hinges.

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

Synopsis

LOCK, STOCK, AND LENS, SHE’S IN FOR ONE HELL OF A WEEK.

As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, Micheline Helsing has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual. The corporeal undead go down by the bullet, the spiritual undead by the lens. With an analog SLR camera as her best weapon, Micheline exorcises ghosts by capturing their spiritual energy on film. She’s aided by her crew: Oliver, a techno-whiz who developed the camera’s technology; Jude, who sees death before it occurs; and Ryder, the boy Micheline has known and loved forever. When a routine ghost hunt goes awry, Micheline and the boys are infected with a curse known as a soulchain. As the ghostly sickness spread through their bodies, Micheline learns that if she doesn’t exorcise their entities in seven days, she and her friends are dead. Can she track down and destory a nightmare more powerful than anything she’s ever faced before the week is up?

Thoughts

I really liked this story. I loved the incorporation of Van Helsing and Bram Stoker into a modern day horror tale. The fast pace and Micheline’s terrifying past all help to create a slightly terrifying world and a hunt where the stakes are as high as they can possibly be. Actually, this really inspired me to buy and read Dracula, since it features so heavily within the storyline and construction of Micheline’s world.

Although this story is heavily based on the premise of Dracula, I loved the originality and uniqueness of the tale. I’ve read a lot of paranormal and vampire stories, but the creatures in this are far more terrifying. Actually I had to stop myself from reading this before I went to bed… mostly because it gave me some amazingly vivid (and weird) dreams. I love when the descriptions and writing are so realistic that it seeps into my psyche. And, luckily this one did so.

There is always a bit of romantic entanglement in a good story. It helps to heighten the risks and stakes of the battle. Sometimes it’s a little too predictable and boring. Which, honestly, I was half expecting this story to have that kind of love story. It is about two teenagers, one who is effectively royalty, after all. But that certainly wasn’t the case. Although it might come as no surprise to see who ends up with who, but the angst and the journey is far more enjoyable than I thought it would be. And it’s a big part of what has made me hope that there might be another journey on the horizon for these four amazing characters.

 <- Fixer Review Trigger Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

No Love Lost by Rachel Caine

Book Review, , ,

Overview

No Love LostTitle: No Love Lost
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: Weather Warden #1.5, Weather Warden Universe #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Online
Year: 2013

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Synopsis

A Weather Warden short story.

Thoughts

This short is the tale of David’s feelings and interactions with Joanne. It actually explains a lot of why he does what he does and makes the choices he makes throughout Ill Wind.

This is one of those quick, deleted scenes that you can find in a lot of series. It doesn’t really have its own storyline, but rather, adds to the overarching storyline of the main series. The thing that I love about these, and No Love Lost in particular, is that it gives you a glimpse into another character’s point of view. Here, it is David’s process of falling in love and his view of Joanne. Reading this actually helped me to form a much better, overall picture of Joanne as well.

 <- Ill Wind Review Heat Stroke Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

Book Review, , ,

Overview

Ill WindTitle: Ill Wind
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: Weather Warden #1, Weather Warden Universe #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Roc Fantasy
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: “Must be a bitch, being enslaved and all.”

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Synopsis

RIDERS ON THE STORM

The Wardens Association has been around pretty much forever. Some Wardens control fire, others control earth, water, or wind – and the most powerful can control more than one element. Without Wardens, Mother Nature would wipe humanity off the face of the earth…

Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden. Usually, all it takes is a wave of her hand to tame the most violent weather. But n ow Joanne is trying to outrun another kind of storm: accusations of corruption and murder. So she’s resorting to the very human tactic of running for her life…

Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful Warden. Unfortunately, he’s also on the run from the World Council. It seems he’s stolen not one but three bottles of Djinn – making him the most wanted man on earth. And without Lewis, Joanne’s chances of surviving are as good as a snowball in – well, a place she may be headed. So she and her classic Mustang are racing hard to find him because there’s some bad weather closing in fast…

Thoughts

I’ve started this book twice. And both times I put it down because it was too good. Apparently, in my mind, that’s a thing – the first chapter was so good that I knew I would need to buy the rest of the series, or at least the next few books. And when I first went to read this, I didn’t have much money, so decided to make a more grown up decision. But as soon as I had a little surplus cash? I dived right into Ill Wind expecting the ride of a lifetime. And I wasn’t disappointed.

My biggest difficulty with this story was the length of the chapters. There are about 5 in this 300ish page story. It meant that I had trouble putting the book down and doing adult things like going to sleep, getting food, doing the work that I sometimes get paid to do… but, all in all, that really isn’t much of a complaint. I just had to be a little more aware and smarter about when I opened up this tale to start the next chapter. And really, I ended up reading it in almost one night (I read the first chapter a few days before). So ultimately, nothing much to complain about.

Joanne was an interesting female lead. Most of the stories I read have a heroine with a damaged past (check), a love interest that they can’t quite seem to trust, and an inability to have lasting relationships. Joanne only had the damaged past. Her sexuality and confidence in herself was entirely new to me. And I quite frankly, loved it. She was bold, confident and sex was something that she enjoyed, but it wasn’t a symptom of damage or mistrust. Actually, although it was a large part of her psyche, it wasn’t something that was dramatized in any way. It was just there.

The other incredibly unique thing about this story was the way that it was told. You are just dropped into the middle of her chaotic world and as the tale unfolds, you are slowly fed bits and pieces of her past. Actually, the tales of her past take up the vast majority of her tale, yet they are informing the future and the reasons for all of her decisions in the present. I’ve read other stories that do this, but not to this extreme. And I found that I really loved this incredibly different style.

 <- Red Hot Rain Review No Love Lost Review ->
Image source: SF Reviews

Fixer by Courtney Alameda

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Kisses and CursesTitle: Fixer
Author: Courtney Alameda
Series: Shutter #0.6
In: Kisses and Curses (Lauren Burniae)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: I stop, wondering when Micheline became my girl.

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

Synopsis

Ryder has recently rescued the girl he loves from a horrific monster – but that doesn’t mean that the battle is won. Both Micheline and Ryder are left with scars that they are trying to overcome.

Thoughts

This book has made me incredibly curious about the larger Shutter world in general. The idea of one of the descendants of Van Helsing is fun, although I’m still a little bit hazy as to what the team is hunting in the first place. It feels like a dark, demonic hybrid of a vampire, but I’m going to buy the novel to actually find out.

I found this a really interesting story – it flicked between the present day (and the aftermath of THAT NIGHT) to well, That Night. It’s a great way to see the harm that is inflicted upon Ryder in his attempt to save Micheline. The team’s risk and the ways in which this all interrelates is really fun and interesting. And something that I can’t wait to read more about.

The other thing that I really enjoyed about this story was how the name connected to the last scene. It seemed very random and non-descriptive when I first started reading this, but once the story actually unfolded, I finally understood it. And loved it. Which is why I immediately jumped online to actually buy my copy of Shutter.

 <- Trigger Review Shutter Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Trigger by Courtney Alameda

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

TriggerTitle: Trigger
Author: Courtney Alameda
Series: Shutter #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Tor Books
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: The Bay Bridge stretched from San Francisco to Oakland, covering about eight miles of open water.

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

Synopsis

Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat – a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. Now she’s facing one of her most challenging ghost hunts ever. Lock, stock, and lens, she’s in for one hell of a ride.

Thoughts

This is a really interesting novella. I read the short story Fixer before I read this, and the tragedy in Michelline’s future hasn’t quite yet occurred. So it’s nice to see how she is stuck between two worlds – that of her father and mother and two legacies. Yet, Michelline’s gumption somehow saves the day. Albeit in a very destructive manner.

I’m really enjoying the single word names for Alameda’s Shutter series. Somehow they manage to explain exactly the topic and trend of the story. I love how one simple word might seem a little bizarre as a title at the beginning of the tale, but by the end I have this beautiful light bulb moment where everything makes sense and it seems so glaringly obvious.

Now I just have to wait for Shutter to appear in the mail…

 <- Shutter Review Fixer Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Fair Game

Title: Fair Game
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Alpha & Omega #3, Mercy-verse #18
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Werewolves
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace fantasy
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Isaac bent his knees and squatted, putting his head on a level with theirs.

Synopsis

Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, “always enchants her readers.” Now her Alpha and Omega series – set in a world of shifting shapes, loyatlies, and passions – brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could turn the hunters into the prey…

It is said that opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son – and enforcer – of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant Alpha. While Anna, an Omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

When the FBI requests the pack’s help on a local serial-killer case, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston to join the investigation. It soon becomes clear that someone is targeting the preternatural. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer’s sights…

Thoughts

Anna is a great heroine. Unlike most of the others in Briggs’ books she’s a little more damaged at the very beginning of the series. And, although she is kind of able to take care of herself, she is constantly taken care of by others who want to do that for her. Yet, that protective instinct still causes her to go toe to toe with the biggest baddest wolf in this fictional world – all to protect her partner.

Whilst this story continues the ongoing healing and acceptance for Anna of her new status. It also features Charles. It shows the horrors and pain behind the persona of the scary wolf, and reminds us that everyone needs to be taken care of at some point in their lives. No matter how tough we all are. The fact that there is a serial killer thrown into the mix just makes the stakes a lot higher, and the importance of Charles healing his psychological wounds all the more imperative.

There is something that I always love about Patricia Briggs’ books – they have tough heroines that are none the less damaged in their own ways. None of the characters are perfect, and in their flaws they are far more relatable. Yet, the love story between Anna and Charles that begins at the very beginning of the series is one of my favourites (at least until I read the next book). They are totally accepting of each others’ flaws and able to see beyond the horrors that the others are unable to accept. Plus, the sneaky sense of humour that has me smiling throughout is completely enjoyable.

The events of Fair Game change the course of both the Alpha and Omega and Mercedes Thompson series. It positions the “other” (the werewolves and fae) as completely against humans, and shows the dangers of prejudice. Yes, in this story it is about supernatural beings, but it is a good reminder to treat everyone as equal and in a fair manner.

<- Hunting GroundUnappreciated Gifts ->

Image source: Pinterest

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

River Marked

Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercedes Thompson #6, Mercy-verse #17
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Werewolves
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace fantasy
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Figuring out why he’d been mad should have been a lot easier.

Synopsis

Welcome to Patricia Briggs’s world, a place where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people”. It takes a very unusual woman to call it home – and there’s no one quite like Mercy.

Getting to the altar wasn’t easy for coyote shifter Mercy Thompson and Alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman. And yet Mercy clings to the hope that their Columbia River honeymoon will be drama-free.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

Being a different breed of shapeshifter – a walker – Mercy can see ghosts, but the spirit of her long-gone father has never visited her. Until now. An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River – and innocent people are dying. As other walkers make their presence knwon to Mercy, she must reconnect with her heritage to exorcise the world of the legend known as the river devil…

Thoughts

In the past Mercedes Thompson books, Mercy’s Native American heritage doesn’t seem that integral. It serves to keep her apart from everyone else, creates her unique powers, but generally it isn’t touched upon. Until River Marked that is. Finally, some of Mercy’s heritage and cultural background begin to come to light. Not being American, I’m not sure how true to the actual experiences of Native Americans Mercy’s are, but I enjoyed the journey nonetheless.

I liked that Coyote plays a big part in this story, as does the Native American devil that is about to bring about the destruction of the world. They play well into what (little) I know of Native American culture and just further build upon the world that Briggs has painstakingly created. It layers the idea of immigration and European-based fae onto the natural magical beings of the Americas. I loved how this story took a completely new turn into the world of Mercy, but also helped to build it further along the same lines. I could only wish to be as adept at such beautiful and complex world building.

Adam and Mercy finally seem to be gaining their “happily ever after”. Yet, as with this entire series (and, really, every good series), that isn’t the case. Mercy’s ability to love and do the right thing, at great cost shine through, as does Adam’s love for her. Although I’ve enjoyed the courtship of these two throughout the rest of the series, it really isn’t until this book that I actually get their relationship. Their support and love for one another, coupled with the respect that they have for each others’ personalities shines like nothing else throughout this story.

And, although I loved visiting the Native American heritage of Mercy, it is the love between Adam and Mercy that shines through most vividly.

<- In Red with PearlsFrost Burned ->

Image source: Pinterest

In Red with Pearls by Patricia Briggs

Book Review, , , , , ,

Overview

shifting-shadows

Title: In Red, With Pearls
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercedes Thompson #5.5, Mercy-verse #16
In: Shifting Shadows (Patricia Briggs) & Down These Strange Streets (George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Werewolves
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Ace fantasy
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: I spun and snarled, a hand to my shoulder.

Synopsis

Originally published in the anthology Down These Strange Streets and included in Shifting Shadows. This story features a gay werewolf, Warren, (a main character in the Mercy Thompson series) in his new job as a private eye.

Thoughts

Warren gets his own story! I feel like that is almost enough to say that this is an amazing short story. After all, who couldn’t love Mercy’s best friend – the gay, cowboy werewolf?

But, since I do like to carry on a little, I will share why I thought that this was such a great story. For starters, Warren is always viewed in this series through Mercy’s eyes. Which really doesn’t paint him in a very cut-throat, tough light. After all, he is always saying cute things like “Shucks”. But, seeing the lengths to which he’ll go to protect Kyle… you can see why he survived for so long and is so high in the pecking order. The fact that this story also brings to life (so to speak) zombies, and the resident Russian witch just makes it all the more enthralling.

It actually took me two reads to realise why this story is called In Red, with Pearls – that’s what the zombie and killer are wearing at different points throughout. The fact that this involves a very misplaced crush, and an underestimated villain… it’s just beautiful. And brings karma to the annoying neighbours…

<- Silver BorneRiver Marked ->

Image source: Patricia Briggs