On her 18th birthday, Jane Yellowrock leaves the children’s home where she was raised, and heads north to her first job. But she makes a detour and discovers where she came from, who she is, and what she is.
I loved revisiting Jane’s first modern day experience of skinwalking. Reading Skinwalker, I had always wondered how she had discovered her paranormal capabilities, and this short story provided a great insight into this journey. It also provided more information about the importance of Jane’s gold necklace and the reasoning behind her name (Jane Yellowrock). I love that every detail about the protagonist’s life prior to the beginning of the first book was carefully planned and thought out by Hunter – an intricate reality that has layers upon layers, with more discoveries every time I read the story.
Jane is displayed as an outcast in the first few Jane Yellowrock books, and The Early Years gives us insight into the beginnings of these feelings. Her protective, Beast instincts also come to the fore in her protection of other outsiders. The feeling of inadequacy and loss of self echoes throughout the story until she literally finds her inner self.
Beast, with Jane Yellowrock in the background of her mind, observes the lumber camp of white men who are destroying her hunting grounds. She decides to take revenge on the leader of the lumberjacks.
It was incredibly interesting to read a little more about some of Jane’s first years. Not only is it a great way to gain insight into her first transformations, but it also gave me a glimpse into the desecration of the land by white man when they first arrived in the Americas.
This short story was beautifully written – it was structured from the Bobcat / We Sa’s point of view, and the difference in language was both startling and enjoyable. Where Beast is strong and always willing for a hunt and fight, We Sa is aware of her limitations and fearful of the consequences of her actions.
Throughout the other Jane Yellowrock stories, Jane’s connectivity with nature is alluded to, but never highlighted. This short story beautifully ties this intricate relationship into her story and illustrates that although her victims may have changed, Jane is still sassy and uses slightly obscure tactics to get the job done.
Title: Stolen Goods Author: Shannon K. Butcher In: Kicking It (Faith Hunter & Kalayna Price) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Easy reading, Fantasy, Strong women Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Roc Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: She had no idea what the Fractogasts wanted with those stolen pieces, but the second machine she was in broke down, everything had snapped back into place, restoring her.
Blacksmith Matthew Brighton wants to hire mercenary Simone Solange to help him retrieve a special hammer the Fractogasts are using to construct a portal. Once complete, the portal will allow more of these destructive creatures entry and it will be the beginning of the end for humanity. Simone is all business with her leathers and magical red boots. Matthew has his own skills as she learns when she accompanies him on the assignment.
I have an obsession with boots, so reading about a pair of hand-tooled, red, knee-high boots that make the wearer invisible was enough to draw me into this short story. The vividness of descriptions and characters bought this micro-world to life beautifully. I was so impressed with the way in which Butcher was able to bring an entire world to life in mere paragraphs.
Butcher crammed a lot of character information into few words – I have read very few pieces of writing that are able to divulge so much in such a short period. I think that this may be one of the reasons why I so thoroughly enjoyed this story. Although, as much as I want to read it again, I’m not entirely sure what drew me in so succinctly.
Featuring stories by FAITH HUNTER * KALAYNA PRICE * RACHEL CAINE * CHLOE NEILL * ROB THURMAN * SHANNON K. BUTCHER * LUCIENNE DIVER * CHRIS MARIE GREEN * CHRISTINA HENRY
New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine has modern-day potions witches Holly and Andrew facing off against a firebrand politician who wears literally killer boots in a Texas-sized rodeo of trouble.
Boot-loving Cadogan vampire Lindsey must team up with off-again, on-again vampire partner Luc when a woman from her past is targeted by supernaturals in New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill’s all-new adventure.
And New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman features Trixa Iktomi from her Trickster series dealing with magical vengeance and magical footwear.
Taking kick-ass urban fantasy literally, USA Today bestselling authors Kalayna Price and Faith Hunter bring together the best of the genre to once again prove when you’re fighting supernatural forces, it helps to keep your feet on the ground.
This is one of the most brilliant collections of short stories that I have ever read. I mean, you can’t really go wrong with fantasy stories about strong women kicking butt in amazing shoes… nine stories from nine amazing authors, all featuring strong, independent women who are able to hold their own throughout the story.
Reading this collection of short stories was not only one of the most enjoyable ways I could think of to spend a Sunday afternoon, but also a fantastic way to discover some great new authors. I must admit that I went on a spending spree after reading this book, finding all new stories from the great authors that I had fallen in love with.
Title: The Surgeon Author: Tess Gerritsen Series: Rizzoli & Isles #1 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Crime, Strong women Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Transworld Publishing Year: 2001 5th sentence, 74th page: Oh, she got along fine with Barry Frost, despite his irritatingly sunny disposition.
A killer is targeting lone women, torturing and murdering them. The precision of his methods leads Detective Jane Rizzoli to suspect he is medically trained.
The Jane makes a terrifying discovery. Years ago a young woman was assaulted in a similar way. She escaped by shooting her attacker dead.
So why does it feel like he’s stalking her again?
As seems to be a recurring theme for me lately, I decided to read The Surgeon because I love the TV show Rizzoli & Isles. And, I really wasn’t disappointed. Like all good remakes of books, the storylines were recognisable, but still different enough that I had absolutely no idea what was about to happen. Needless to say, it was a great read and a total page turner.
It was obvious throughout the book that Gerritsen had a great grasp of medicine and criminal pathology. To the point that when reading from the point of view of the unsub, I would get goose bumps. It also led to some more terrifying dreams than I am used to. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I loved the character of Jane Rizzoli. She was tough and driven, but also a little vulnerable and struggling to keep her place in a “man’s world”. Her struggles and insecurities in this made her one of the most realistic heroines that I have read in a long time.
The pace of the story took a little while to get used to – flicking between four entirely different people’s points of view sometimes within a chapter is something that I am not used to. Although, this technique created a wonderfully rounded and detailed story that had me yearning for the next book in a matter of moments.
The combination of criminal pathology, and the resulting emotions of their victims was more powerful than I could have imagined. I’m fascinated by the ways in which socio- and psychopaths think and rationalise their actions, but, I had never given a huge amount of thought to the effect of their actions upon the victims’ mentality. Probably because it is all too easy to imagine myself in their shoes. But the tale of Cordell and her ability to survive was not only deeply moving, it was also inspiring. It reminded me that our lights can shine the brightest in the darkest of places.
Title: The Apprentice Author: Tess Gerritsen Series: Rizzoli & Isles #2 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Crime, Strong women Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Transworld Publishing Year: 2002 5th sentence, 74th page: Kind of like a brush.
He’s learned from the best
A series of horrific murders seem disturbingly familiar to Detective Jane Rizzoli. They remind her and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles of those committed by a killer known as the Surgeon, who they recently put behind bars.
While they’re still trying to track down the new killer, the unthinkable happens: the Surgeon escapes. Suddenly, Jane is chasing not one but two brilliant and twisted minds, united by one goal…
To perfect their skills on the woman who’s hunting them.
I loved this follow-up to The Surgeon. For starters, the storyline followed flawlessly, and there were the first glimpses of the cracks in Rizzoli’s armour. Dr. Isles was also introduced in this book as an aloof and vague character, since the series is called Rizzoli and Isles, I assume that she will play a far larger role in books to come.
Agent Dean was the exact opposite to every male that Rizzoli has worked with. And I liked that his character was able to completely put her at odds and even question some of her own motives. I always love flawed heroines, and using another character to show some of the cracks in their self-assurance is a tactic that worked beautifully. It also helped that Agent Dean was Jane’s polar opposite, and a great reminder of how well opposites can work together.
Gerritsen has a masterful grasp of the victimisation and mentality of the men who prey upon women. Not only their psychology, but also the victims themselves – even those who don’t want to be a victim. I loved this aspect of her writing, and it was this that made her work truly spin tinglingly brilliant.
Title: Grave Secrets Author: Kathy Reichs Series: Temperance Brennan #5 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Arrow Books Year: 2002 5th sentence, 74th page: He pushed a blue pin into the map.
In the searing heat of Guatemala, Dr Temperance Brennan must harden herself against the horrors she excavates.
And then four young girls go missing from Guatemala City.
When a skeleton is found at the back of a rundown hotel, only someone with Tempe’s expertise can deduce the identity and cause of death.
But as she searches for answers, her path is blocked at every turn. It is clear that some people will stop at nothing to keep Guatemala’s secrets buried.
Every time I think that I have a handle on the legal system outlined in the Temperance Brennan books, Reichs seems to throw a spanner in the works. I finally get my head around the system de Montreal, then we move to America, then we investigate a plane crash, and finally we move onto the jurisdictional system of Guatemala. It’s always great when you learn while reading!
Discovering more about a third-world, corrupt government and its jurisdictional system was incredibly fascinating (and also made me grateful to live in Australia). Reichs’ adeptness at describing the criminal workings of different countries is a great way to further the storyline – but it is also an awesome reminder of this woman’s intelligence and work in the field of forensics. Actually, it was Kathy Reichs’ work that first interested me in Anthropology and Forensics…using Guatemala as a backdrop in the fifth book is an amazing contrast with the preceding four books. So, not only did I learn something new, I was also transported into a world that is totally foreign to me.
Most good stories have a romantic subplot, even though I like to scoff at them, sexual and emotional tension between characters really helps to progress the storyline. It also helps to pull you in. The Temperance Brennan series is no different, there is constant tension between Tempe and Detective Andy Ryan throughout the stories and every time you think that something is about to happen, something prevents it (can you say frustrating?). This makes the introduction of Sergeant-detective Bartolome “Bat” Galiano a welcome one. More steaming sexual tension and I lapped it all up. Reintroducing Andy Ryan into the storyline helps to build this tension, and at the end, finally, finally, Tempe makes her decision. But, as a masterful writer, Kathy Reichs doesn’t let you know who it is. You have to read the next book in the series first. And even then, it takes a while to discover just who Brennan chose.
Title: Industrial Magic Author: Kelley Armstrong Series: Women of the Otherworld #4 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Orbit Year: 2004 5th sentence, 74th page: I’d just finished finding my fourth stray cat when a distant voice hailed us.
‘The blade pressed into my throat, and blood trickled down my neck. In that moment, it seemed that even to breathe might be fatal…’
Paige Winterbourne is in exile. Ousted as leader of the American Coven, she decides to turn her back on her old life and start afresh. But fate, of course, has other plans. A murderer is on the loose – someone with apparently superhuman skills and a grudge against the supernatural community. When Paige discovers that the killer is targetting children, she has to get involved.
Desperate to protect those she loves, Paige is thrown back into a world she thought she had left behind for good. But if she wants to stop an apparently unstoppable psychopath, she will have to find allies in some very dark places…
So far this has been my least favourite of the Women of the Otherworldbooks, but I still absolutely adore it! After Dime Store Magic, it was really nice to find out what Paige, Lucas and Savannah are doing with their somewhat changed lives. That, and finding out more about Lucas’ family and the difficulties of his life was fascinating – although it took a little while for the storyline to really build up steam.
Finding the potential culprit of the killings in the first half of the book seemed really bizarre to me at the time – the whole main point of the story is that someone is killing supernaturals. And needs to be stopped. And is found in the first half… ?? But, eventually it begins to make sense – a red herring that really does help to further along the storyline. Not only does the potential culprit lead to stronger ties within the characters’ relationships, but also to greater explanations of their new positions in life. Dime Store Magic led to upheavals in the lifestyles and very fabric of being in Paige’s life. This also had rippling effects to Adam’s life. I loved revisiting him, and all in all, although confusing, I found that just the reappearance of Adam in the story made the slightly odd red herring well worth it.
I loved how Armstrong likened the sorcerer Cabals to the mafia, not only literally throughout the storyline, but also in its very conception and creation. The idea of a paranormal gang running half of America and the supernatural community was really fascinating to me – mob and gang mentality has always interested to me, so combine this with a world of fantasy and I’m just hooked. The contrast between a rigid, utilitarian, money-making corporation with the prodigal son, Lucas, someone who works for a cause (and almost never money) really highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of each group.
The need of Lucas’ father to connect with him (beyond the running of the Cabal) emphasised the relationships between parent and child. This idea was explored a little in Dime Store Magic when Paige and Savannah are forced to deal with the loss and grief of a beloved mother, but the need to connect to an estranged parent is a major driver in the storyline and both characters’ lives. I love how Armstrong highlights the love between family – it isn’t easy, and it is almost never simple (even in amicable cases), but it is important.
‘I was bought into this world for one reason… A daughter born and raised to lead the Coven.’
White witch Paige Winterbourne has spent her whole life hiding her true nature. But when she takes over the guardianship of Savannah Levine – orphaned daughter of a notorious black witch – Paige’s carefully constructed world comes crashing down.
Someone is plotting to take Savannah and corrupt her already unsettling wild power. But how can Paige fight them without exposing her own gift – the ultimate taboo? And how can she trust the one man offering to help her fight, when he stands for everything she hates?
Dime Store Magic was a total change of pace in the Women of the Otherworld series. Going form Elena’s hard-edged, tough approach to life and her slightly psychotic lover to Paige and the trials of new-motherhood was a very interesting step. I loved the stark difference between the tone and personalities of the two heroines in this series. The inclusion of Elena and Clay within the storyline (even if it was a small one) also helped the transition between characters. This still felt like part of the same series, not just two books set in the same fantasy world.
The re-emergence of Leah was, admittedly a little terrifying. Take the woman who was partially responsible for all of the tragedy in Stolen and remove Paige’s back-up muscle. I was a little worried about how that scenario would end. But, as with all of Armstrong’s books (or at least the ones I have read so far), Paige and Savannah are able to find their own sense of power and embrace it. I think that this is what endears Armstrong’s book so much to me – the characters don’t necessarily start out as strong and independent, they are able to find their own power and self through the encounters that befall them.
Dime Store Magic begins with Paige Winterbourne at a crossroads in her life – the happenings of Stolen not only bought Savannah into her life, but it also led her to question her own self-assurances. She is forced to question her own infallibility and leave behind the delusions of youth. While her foundations are shaken, it takes a custody case, the appearance of an old enemy and the entrance of a sorcerer offering help that truly brings her world crashing down around her ears.
After being exiled and having her world completely destroyed, Paige is still able to come out with hope for the future. Another reason why I loved this book, no matter what happens to the heroine, there is always a happy ending, love and hope for the future.
Elena Michaels is a wanted woman. Ten years ago she was transformed into a werewolf by her lover. Her transformation makes her powerful. But in the wrong hands, it also makes her deadly.
And now, just as she’s coming to terms with it all, a group of scientists learns of her existence. They’re hunting her down, and Elena is about to run straight into their trap. But they haven’t reckoned on Elena’s adoptive family, her Pack, who will stop at nothing to get her back.
They haven’t reckoned on Elena, either. And that’s a very big mistake…
It’s taken me a while to read the second book in the Women of the Otherworld series. Mostly because I didn’t own it when I finished Bitten, and also a little because I have a LOT of other books that I want to read. But, even after all this time, it didn’t disappoint! I’m so glad that I have the whole series sitting in my bookcase, because I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.
Stolen reintroduced me to Elena and Clay, the most contemporary couple I have read about in a long time. I think that their very distinctiveness is what draws me so completely to this book. Elena is damaged. She admits that, the author admits that, we all get to understand that. And with no bones about her damaged, she has someone who is just as twisted as she is, albeit in other ways. Their ability to completely accept each other for this is so admirable. Plus, it’s nice to read about a truly damaged heroine – she’s not very nice at times, has an attitude and a tendency to completely disregard how her actions may affect others. Basically, everything that I can be at moments in my life, and the fact that she is blatantly aware of it just makes her storyline all the more impotent.
Stolenwas a story where the greed of science meets the insecurities of powerful men. As someone who studies science I’ve long been aware that the moralities of my actions and the ability to expand on current knowledge can be mutually exclusive. I loved investigating the point at which this can go completely wrong – using other human beings to expand on our medical knowledge is morally abhorrent, but it has the potential to give us new knowledge.
This book was a beautiful, well written reminder that the pursuit of knowledge is not the noblest pursuit – caring for one another is.
Earth and Skye 