Rising Fire by Terri Brisbin

I'm always willing to try a new series, especially if it combines two or more genres that I like. It's not a secret that I love anything paranormal or fantasy. However, one of my guilty pleasures happens to be historical romances. This book promised all three so I didn't hesitate to pick it up. Although I have mixed feeling about this first book of the series, it does have a fantastical world that is detailed and enchanting. I just wished there could have been more to the story and to the characters because besides great world building, I wasn't crazy about very much else.

Brienne is a young woman who, on the cusp of adulthood, realizes that she has magical control over fire. She always knew she was adopted, but when Lord Hugh de Gifford rides into town, claiming her as his biological daughter, she is confused and sad about leaving her adoptive parents. Lord Hugh takes her under his wing, helping her gain control of her magic, but when things get dark, she starts having second thoughts about Lord Hugh's intentions. Her naivety and immaturity is quite obvious and at most times, aggravating. She does grow stronger as a character as the book  goes on but I still had problems connecting with her, even in the end.

The other main character, William de Brus, is a little bit better, and an overall well rounded character. His dedication to the crown is admirable and since his mission is to investigate Lord Hugh's affairs, he easily comes into contact with Brienne. Their love at first sight is unbelievable and quite honestly, a little bit annoying. The magic that pulls them together is insubstantial, which probably makes it hard to understand. For literary purposes, since they're bound to be together anyways, it makes it easy to view them as a couple, however unlikely the instant love is. What makes it even more unbelievable is the fact that whenever Brienne is in danger, no matter how far apart they are, William's magic surfaces and he turns into a bigger, stronger and bluer fighter. The physical transformation even scares his closest friends and allies, and most definitely scares William since he has little control over it.

The mythology behind the warring gods is an interesting one, albeit confusing. A century old battle between the gods and their followers resurfaces in 13th century Scotland and because of their magical powers, Brienne and William are noticeably drawn to the conflict.The idea of circles of standing stones being some sort of prison is original. I just wished it was presented a little bit better, with more information instead of supposition.

There's definitely room for improvement in the books to comes. I love the setting, and what we know of the mythology. I'm sure both will be expanded in the next book. It looks like minor characters will have important roles in the next installment, and honestly, I'm more interested in them than I ever was in Brienne and William. It's obvious that the author's background is historical romance, and I think her attempt to add paranormal elements to this book is mediocre at best. The ideas are great but the execution is confusing and leaves us with lots of questions, questions that are never truly answered, it seems.

While I wasn't overly fond of Rising Fire, I think the series has potential. Battling an ever angry, imprisoned fire goddess is bound to be interesting, and I'm curious to see where Brienne, William and their allies will lead us. I've always been fascinated by the mystery of standing stones so I will most probably give this author a second chance.

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by Tynga at Monday, June 01, 2015

 Fantasy, Fantasy amp; Magic, Gods, Historical, Library, Magic, Penguin, Review, Scotland, Signet, Stone Circles, Terri Brisbin  Leave your mark

✎

The King by J.R. Ward

I really love this series. Even though I have my issues with the writing and some of the stories, J.R. Ward always has me coming back for more. You're always guaranteed a 500+ page book so you definitely get your money's worth when it comes to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I admit, some of it can be simple filler and there's a good amount of gangster talk, but I've simply learnt to overlook these things and simply enjoy the ride. Although, we didn't need that many Miley Cyrus references in this book. I'm not a fan of Miley Cyrus but I still don't understand J.R. Ward's problem with the twerking celebrity.

My only major dislike with this book is the amount of point of views. I didn't officially count them all but in my opinion, when you have more than ten point of views, it feels a little bit overwhelming. Mind you, many POVs revolved around the same story lines, but all the same, when there's a switch in POVs every chapter, it's really difficult to get into the book. It made the book feel like a bunch of short stories or novellas all mixed up and crammed together. With that many story lines, it also reduced the amount of fighting and Black Dagger Brotherhood action. Brotherhood interactions were also missing in this book since a lot of the story lines were centered around couples or characters that are not part of the Brotherhood.

For a book that I really enjoyed, this review has been pretty negative so far! On to the good stuff. One of the greatest things about this book is revisiting Beth and Wrath. The couple that started the whole series are ever present in all the BDB books but it was still nice to read more about them. It goes to show that stories don't always end up with a happily ever after and that book couples do fight after their "ending". I liked how Beth and Wrath fought about realistic problems that readers could possibly associate with. Although their circumstances may be a little different, since Wrath is the blind king of vampires, but all the same, I thought it was a great idea to bring them back. However, we still don't know why Wrath is blind, and as an Optometrist, I'm ever curious about his condition. (Unless it was mentioned and I totally missed something?) I just wished the book was centered more around them, since the book is title The King. On another note, I loved reading about Wrath's parents because not only do we get some historical background, we also see how the glymera, the vampire aristocracy, was never fond of Wrath or his father. Tension between the royal family and the glymera is ever present and for the past few books, we've been expecting something big to happen.

For some reason, I really enjoyed Assail and Sola's story line. Although I didn't care much for Assail in the previous books and I really thought he was a bad guy, he did do some pretty heroic stuff in this book (if you ignore the death that followed his wake). His old fashion attitude combined with his drug dealing business makes for a pretty interesting and original character. But what sealed it for me was his interactions with Sola's grandmother. One way to a girl's heart is to woo her only living relative whom she adores. Assail and Sola's relationship is pretty strange, but like all J.R. Ward couples, it's heavy and intense.

I won't discuss any other point of views except mention Trez and iAm. These Shadows, a different "tribe" of vampires, if you will, are well set up for their own book, which releases at the end of March 2015. I'm not overly excited about their book because I still don't understand where they're coming from. When Territory and the s’Hsibe are mentioned, there's still a lot of mystery and I don't know what to make of it. Hopefully their story will grow on me and we'll finally get to learn more about their origins.

Most fans of the series will enjoy The King if they can overlook the ridiculous amount of point of views. The book did have some flaws that I was able to overlook so some fans may not be crazy about The King, but then, if you've gotten this far in the series, you can turn around now. I loved revisiting old characters and the story development of newer ones. For future books, I say bring back more Brotherhood butt-kicking action. I need more!

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by Tynga at Monday, March 16, 2015

 Black Dagger Brotherhood, J.R. Ward, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Romance, Signet, Vampire  Leave your mark

✎

Lover at Last by J.R. Ward

As much as I was disappointed with the previous book of this series, I really loved this one. Personally, I think J.R. Ward has redeemed herself and brought this series back to glory. I love these vampires and their culture and I just can't get enough. I would definitely recommend this series, but the books really need to be read in order. I mean it as a compliment when I say Lover at Last is a hot mess.

I'm slowly catching up with this series, and I didn't know how to approach this particular book because it's the one featuring Qhuinn and Blay. I've really been looking forward to it, but at the same time I didn't want to be disappointed. Same sex relationships are hot in erotic fiction right now and it has, to a certain point, made its way into mainstream fiction. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all homophobic, but it kind of surprised me that the author would lead these two characters in this direction. Actually, I'm kind of surprise how much I loved reading about them. J.R. Ward achieved what she wanted to do, which is feature two hot and ripped vampire males in a romantic relationship as the main story line, and not just an afterthought story. Kudos to J.R. Ward and her publisher for breaking barriers and including this relationship in a New York Times bestselling series.

Qhuinn and Blay's story isn't a simple one and it's full of misunderstandings and fights. For those of you who have read this series, you'll agree with me when I say this has been a long time coming. J.R. Ward is pro when it comes to misunderstandings and conflicts in relationships, which ultimately allows her to write 600+ pages books. I kind of hate to say it, but if Qhuinn and Blay had been honest with each other, say in the first 50 pages, everything would have gone a little smoother for these two guys. Forget that. If they had been honest with each other many books before this one, things would have been simpler.

This book isn't just about Qhinn and Blay, although they do have quite a lot of angsty and steamy scenes. The story is also about Layla, the Chosen who went through her needing in the previous book and in which Qhuinn serviced her and possibly conceived a child. I say possibly because when it comes to these complicated vampires, nothing is simple, especially when it comes to pregnancies. They are very difficult on the females, and more often than not end up in miscarriages. It's important to note, however, that Layla and Qhuinn didn't decide to have a child together because they love each other. No, this is more out of convenience because both want a family, and figure this is the only way to do it. Like I said, nothing is simple when it comes to these vampires. And that's not to mention the fighter Layla fancies after meeting him only once, when she gave him her blood in order to save his life from mortal injuries. Still, she feels drawn to him, even after she's made aware that this fighter is Xcor, the enemy of her king. Layla is confused about her feelings, but oddly enough, the disfigured Xcor also feels the attraction, but is disgusted because he is not worthy of a female like Layla.

I told you it was a hot mess. Besides all the complicated Blay-Qhinn-Layla trio and the enemy Xcor, there is also, this random attraction between a vampire drug dealer and a private detective-like woman. The Band of Bastards lead by Xcor are also gaining some ground and planing to overthrow the current king and the Brotherhood. The glymera, the elite society of vampires, are also working with the Bastards to take over the royal family. Let's not forget the vampire's true enemy, the Lessening Society, the soul-less humans that are trying to eradicate vampires. It felt like they were missing from the previous book, but they are definitely making a come back, despite being hunted by both the Brotherhood and the Band of Bastards.

One more thing I want to mention: Plane crash. Please, try not to fly a plane without training like these characters. Piloting a plane is way more complicated than when these characters makes it out to be. This was an absurd scene but I assume the author wanted to add some action, and the characters had already totaled a Hummer. I guess the next thing on the list was a plane.

So many things going on with this book that I've had a really hard time putting it all together in this review. Honestly, I really enjoyed this eleventh book of this series (hard to believe it's been going on for so long). J.R. Ward definitely knows how to keep readers coming back for more. She writes powerful romance and intense scenes that I just can't get enough of. Lover at Last is the perfect title of this book because at last, it tells the story readers have all been waiting for.

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by Tynga at Monday, January 05, 2015

 Black Dagger Brotherhood, J.R. Ward, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Signet, vampires  4 People left their mark

✎

Bewitched, Bothered and Biscotti by Bailey Cates

After reading the first book of the series a few weeks ago, I had to find the time to read the rest of the series. Bewitched, Bothered and Biscotti is a good follow up novel, but I still feel like there could have been more to the story? Usually with paranormal romance or urban fantasy novels, there's a lot going on, but this series is neither. I guess I'm still not used to the relaxed atmosphere of cozy mysteries. Don't get me wrong, the story is good and entertaining but I think I miss that extra action you get with PR and UF. Instead, there's a lot of scenes about sitting around discussing things, food description, and scenes about eating the food. I love food as much as the next person (actually, I like cooking so I appreciate the foody scenes), but I think it was used as filler a little too often in this sequel.

The series revolves around The Honeybee, a bakery/coffee shop the main character Katie and her aunt and uncle opened recently. Business is going well since we saw it open in book one, but trouble tends to follow Katie around, and when I say trouble, I mean murder. Finding three dead bodies in a six month period shouldn't be normal, yet it looks like it will be the norm for Katie from now on. Although she knows she should stay away from this new murder mystery, she feels inadvertently drawn to the investigation. Actually, you might even say it follows her around since her spell group of friends is asked to investigate the horrible affair.

The magic in this series is very subtle. Katie might be a witch but not the kind of witch you would see in Harry Potter. Her talent lies mostly around green/natural magic, where she uses plants and nature to create potions, and minor spells. The approach to magic is very Wiccan, for Katie and her group of friends. However, the murder investigation centers around a secret Druid Society which the victim was a part of, and this society's approach to magic is a little less subtle. For example, she's magically attacked in her own home and with quick thinking, and a little bit of help from beyond, she's able to survive the ordeal.

While I usually find love triangles tiring and annoying, the one in this book is actually interesting. Katie still can't decided between a hunky firefighter Declan, and the witchy reporter Steve. She really could see herself with Declan, since he such a nice guy and would do anything for her, yet she find herself drawn towards Steve. Steve believe there's something magical pulling them together, making them meant to be, but Katie still hesitates between the two, especially since her broken engagement to another guys is still fresh and makes her hesitate to get involved with someone officially.

I probably said it about book one, but this series is very light and fun. Don't expect major action, but you'll find an amateur sleuth who will try to do anything to protect herself and the ones she cares for. What keeps me interested in this series is the easygoing characters and the complicated love triangle Katie finds herself in. Combining magic and cozy mysteries, in my opinion, is a pretty good idea. It adds a little flair to the mystery solving and a little spunk to the bakery food. There's definitely a recipe I want to try, that's included at the end of the book. The Cinnamon Raisin Biscotti sound amazing!

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by Tynga at Sunday, April 13, 2014

 A Magical Bakery Mystery, Bailey Cates, Library, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Review, Signet  2 People left their mark

✎

Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby

I've admitted it long ago, I'm a huge fan of high fantasy, and Assassin's Gambit definitely met my high expectations! Castles, assassins and romance, is there seriously something not to like? Not only is the set up amazing, Amy's writing is also smart and smooth! The closest comparison I can come up with is Sarah J Mass' Throne of Glass series because of the whole 'assassin undercover in the castle'  situation, but the Heart and Thrones series is addressed to an adult audience and their heroines have completely different perceptive and objectives.

I absolutely loved the world Amy Raby created but I have to confess, at first, I kind of wished she included a glossary. The particular terminology wasn't the easiest to grasp at first, but I quickly got used to it. We were blessed with great forms of magic, originally channeled via soulstones. Magic users simply can't use their powers if they are separated from them, which I thought was a pretty original twist. Warmages and Wardbreakers were the two forms of magic we learnt the most about because that's what the main two characters are, but we also encountered Warders and Healers and I'd like to know more about them. Also, I find myself wondering if there are other forms of magic we have yet heard of. I truly enjoyed how the author introduced us to the different type of magics.

The geographical and political world were also a stellar point of this novel. Lucien is the emperor of Kjall, a country that invaded as many territory as possible in the recent future. Under the rule of Lucien's predecessors, Riorca, once an independent country, has been enslaved. Vitala, our star assassin, is a Riorca native working for The Circle, a rebel organization aiming to free Riorca.  There is also Mosari an oversea country Lucien's father also tried, but failed, to claim. The political intrigue simply kept me glued to the pages and I honestly couldn't wait to witness how everything would unfold.

Another aspect keeping me engrossed was the romantic developments between Lucien and Vitala. The two of them are very unlikely lovers, with her job being about killing him and all, but they slowly sneak into each other's hearts. I loved that it wasn't an easy relationship though and it was necessary to be believable. Their relationship started in distrust and it's a feeling that's hard to let go. Raby perfectly portrayed their struggles to trust each other, but also the faith they need to have as allies if they want to reach their objectives. I felt like they were perfectly balanced.

The storyline was perfectly paced to keep a believable timetable for medieval times, but also kept a good rhythm to keep the reader engaged. I never felt bored, or in need of more action. I thought everything was simply perfect. The different plot twists also managed to surprise me more often than not and it's another aspect I loved. The conclusion was particularly surprising and I never would've guessed how the conflict would finally resolve itself. Of course, not everything is settled and I can't wait to see what will happen for our heroes in the future!

Assassin's Gambit was a real treat for me and I have to urge you to get your hands on a copy. I already ordered book two and three (not released yet) and I can wait to sink my teeth into them! High fantasy at its best, I am convinced you will be satisfied!

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by Tynga at Friday, February 07, 2014

 Adult, Amy Raby, Hearts and Thrones, High Fantasy, Magic, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Romance, Signet  2 People left their mark

✎

Cursed by Destiny by Cecy Robson

We're part of Cecy's blog tour so there's a giveaway at the end of the post!
Thanks, Cecy!

Cecy Robson brings the heat in CURSED BY DESTINY, the third novel in her Weird Girls series. Celia and her sisters get drawn deeper into the supernatural community, the Tribe is becoming more brazen and dangerous, and Celia's love life somehow manages to get ever more complicated.

Celia's a girl in trouble. Her heart is bound to Aric, but he is a pureblood were who must deny her or risk condemning his species to extinction. And that's just her love life. She's also been called to take down a group of demon terrorists looking to overthrow the paranormal world. (No pressure.)

The Aric-Celia-Misha love triangle gets a lot of page time. I don't usually take issue with love triangles, as long as they're organic and work within the story, but I find myself getting really tired of Aric. I understand that he's torn between duty and love and that it's causing a lot of internal havoc for his wolf but I cared less while reading CURSED BY DESTINY. I guess I'm Team Misha because I found myself becoming quite fond of our resident manipulative but oh so compelling vampire, especially since Celia's living with the vampires and we get to see Misha's softer side. He'll always be machiavellian but his feelings for Celia are genuine and he's much more upfront with her than Aric, which won him major points in my book. Robson also introduces another man for Celia -- though Celia isn't terribly impressed by him. The were elders, on the other hand, are definitely on his side, which makes everything just a tad more complex. For my part, it seems unnecessary since Celia already has two options but perhaps the newest guy will grow on me (and Celia), and I'll be more invested in Celia's love square.

Celia's sisters are also experiencing ups and downs on the romance front. In each case, it really shows a lot about the girls' characters and lets us get to know them better, which is great because what we knew before this book was relatively superficial. That's not to say that they're not good characters -- it's just that we spend so much time in Celia's head that we know her much better than the other Wird girls. We see a lot of growth from Emme in particular, which I loved because she's probably my favourite sister, but both Taran and Shayna also get some nice page time.

CURSED BY DESTINY ends on a very exciting and serious note and it's left me extremely curious about where Robson will take Celia and her friends and family next. Robson is a talented writer who manages to surprise me time and again, which definitely makes her a Must Buy author for me.

Cecy is offering one (1) prize pack (a signed copy of CURSED BY DESTINY, a magnet, lip balm, and bookmark) to a lucky reader!

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by Tynga at Monday, December 30, 2013

 Adult, Cecy Robson, giveaway, Penguin, Publisher, Review, Signet, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, Weird Girls, werewolf  35 People left their mark

✎

Heart of Brass by Kate Cross

When it comes to good steampunk novels, it's important to have interesting and original mechanical gadgets. In this book, not only are they interesting, some are also pretty scandalous. I found it very bold for the author to introduce us to her steampunk world with a gadget similar to our modern day vibrator. For those of you who didn't know, hysteria used to be a catch-all female ailment that affected affluent woman and it gained popularity in Victorian England. One of the treatments then for hysteria was orgasms and it's around this time that the vibrator was invented to help these women. This novel is  an historical steampunk romance, and while it does mention vibrators, I would never qualify it as an erotic novel. Another gadget introduced in HEART OF BRASS is the A.R.O.T.S. machine that allows someone to see the last images of someone's life, an apparatus quite useful while investigating someone's murder. Body enhancement apparatuses were also very popular in this novel and overall, I think the steampunk elements tied in very well with the story. It might have been courageous in some cases (vibrator, cough) but everything was elegantly done.

Arden Grey, also known as Lady Huntley, is a brilliant female lead that creates and fabricates some of these mechanical gadgets. Ever since the disappearance of her husband 7 years prior, she has buried herself in her work with the Wardens of the Realm, a secretive organization that protects the Crown, for the London Scotland Yard and in building her machines. This escape into work isn't because she's mourning. Not at all. It's her way of coping because being alone is difficult for her, but she never had any doubt about her husband's survival. Even after 7 years, she thought her husband had simply been captured and would return to her well and alive. And return he did. Luke, or Lord Huntley, returned a completely different man, ordered to assassinate Lady Huntley, and with no recollection of his life prior to 7 years before. Captured by an enemy organization to the Crown, his memory has been wiped in order to transform him into an ultimate assassin with mechanical upgrades.

I think I expected to see more scenes of Society and social calls but I'm quite happy the author concentrated more on the mystery surrounding Luke's disappearance and the murder mystery Arden is trying to solve with Scotland Yard. I was disappointed a bit on how abruptly the murder mystery was solved. It didn't seem like much investigation was done to find the savage murderer of Society's debutantes, and personally, I found the ending too abrupt and clean cut. What did intrigue me however, was Luke's amnesia. The idea of brainwashing a man into assassinating his wife is very clever. The interaction between Arden and Luke in the beginning of the book, while he still doesn't remember his past, was brilliant. His mind and body was fascinated by how strong and unique Arden is and he felt something hindering him in completing his deadly task. With or without Luke's amnesia, the scenes with Luke and Arden are so fun to read. Their personality and feelings for one another clashes from time to time to create great banter and romantic scenes.

A romance book at heart, HEART OF BRASS is about two people falling in love again, despite hardships and a confusing past. The merging of steampunk elements into the story was very well done and I applaud the author for taking risky and scandalous chances. I will definitively be checking out the next book of this series soon.

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by Tynga at Sunday, December 29, 2013

 Adult, Clockwork Agents, Kate Cross, Library, Penguin, Review, Romance, Signet, steampunk, Steampunk romance, Victorian England  Leave your mark

✎

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

J.R. Ward keeps surprising me every time I read a new Black Dagger Brotherhood book, because I always expect to get bored with the series. On the contrary, while the main themes remain the same or similar throughout the series (love, angst, strength, good vs. evil, etc.), the actual stories and characters couldn't be more different. With this ninth book, I'm still hungry for more and I definitively need to play catch up for the release of the twelfth book early next year.

This story is mostly about the vampire Payne, a female that has been imprisoned by her mother for ages and Manny, a human surgeon who has been plagued by the disappearance of his friend Jane and by his lonely life. An unlikely pair, an impossible pair, since a vampire will always outlive a human. I'm glad the author brought it up early in the story because it makes it that much more realistic instead of having them ignore the elephant in the room and deal with the "aging differently" later on. Their chemistry seemed a little odd to me at first, especially since Manny was more or less turned on by her when they first meet and she's on a hospital bed with a broken back. Eventually, with her naivety and his constant need to help everyone, they grew on me and their attraction became relevant and intriguing. Not that there weren't any other bumps on the road because there most definitely was, including an overbearing brother named Vishous. Just a name like that would force any man to have second thoughts.

I'm pleased that this book also allowed us to revisit Vishous and Jane's story. They are obviously in love and have great chemistry, but with a troubled history like Vishous', things from the past are bound to resurface and cause marital problems. I'm glad that Vishous and Butch's friendship is also on display because it allows us to see how deeply V is affected by his past. I guess you could say that this book is really about the brother-sister twin duo because V and Payne are more or less equally represented in this one.

I can't finish this review without mentioning the Quinn and Blay saga. While I'm not usually a fan of homosexual relationship books, this is one relationship that I can't wait to read about. J.R. Ward is such a tease for making this story stretch out over a number of books, and I almost feel like skipping book 10 to jump right into their main story in book 11. The few scenes we get in LOVER UNLEASHED are exactly that, teasers that make you anticipate their own book.

There' s a reason why J.R. Ward keeps winning the Goodreads Romance Choice Award almost every year. LOVER UNLEASHED won the prize back in 2011 and that goes to show you how much of a fan base this series has. Not only do the fans love reading about the brothers, but they actually believe the brothers' stories are #1. The only reason why this series didn't win this award last year is because it had to compete with the erotica phenomena, that included E.L. James and Sylvia Day's notorious books. In my opinion, J.R. Ward is a great storyteller because her books can be read so easily and effortlessly. You shouldn't expect literary masterpieces when it comes to her books but if you haven't pick up this series yet, you're in for a treat. I've recommended this series to a few friends that never read paranormal books but love romance books, and none of them have been disappointed so far!

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by Tynga at Sunday, December 15, 2013

 Black Dagger Brotherhood, J.R. Ward, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Signet, Vampire  1 Person left their mark

✎

A Cursed Moon by Cecy Robson

Novella November might be over but I have one more novella for you: A CURSED MOON, the novella bridging A CURSED EMBRACE (#2) and CURSED BY DESTINY (#3) in Cecy Robson's Weird Girls series. For the first time, we get a new narrator: Bren, the sisters' werewolf friend. He's largely been muscle-y comic relief with his much less muscle-y best friend Dan but  now we're jumping into his brain and there's a very different tone from Celia's narration. It's not a bad thing but it's definitely noticeable, which is good since Bren and Celia are great friends but have very little in common, personality-wise, and it'd be troubling if things sounded exactly the same this time around. In fact, Robson does a great job of inhabiting Bren and creating a unique voice for him, which is why I'm sad to say I found this adventure a bit less satisfying than the other stories. Don't get me wrong, A CURSED MOON is a nice foray back into the Weird Girls world but I missed Celia and the grand problems that she and her sisters get into. (She shows up in the novella but she's not the central character.)

There are two central ideas in this novella: (1) Bren has responsibilities to the were pack that he needs to start doing and (2) ghosts are popping up all over Tahoe, causing trouble and mayhem. Robson does a nice job of tying them together and I particularly enjoyed the stuff with the ghosts. It's the aftermath of events from A CURSED EMBRACE and it's good to see that Tahoe's supernatural residents are doing their part to contain this new menace. I found Bren's interactions with the other weres to be a bit less interesting, though we do learn a lot more about why he's a loner, which I loved. There was just something about his interactions with Aric that didn't click for me the way a Weird Girls story usually does. But, as always, his relationship with Dan made me laugh out loud. Well,  Dan generally is such an endearing character that I always smile when he's on the page but it's great to see him through Bren's eyes now. They've got such a strong brotherly bond -- who doesn't love a good bromance?

Towards the end of A CURSED MOON, there is something that can only be called a Big Event. I won't say a word about it but I think this is what makes this novella a must read for fans of the series. I'm not sure how Robson will explain it away without referencing these events, as I haven't started my ARC of CURSED BY DESTINY yet but I'm certain that there will be significant ramifications for this Big Event. I'm very curious to see how this plays out and hope it becomes an important part of the series. (I know I'm being the Queen of Cryptic right now but I really don't want to spoil things for you. It was such a surprise to me and I want it to be the same for you.)

While I may not have enjoyed A CURSED MOON as much as I've liked previous Weird Girls stories, this novella is still a good and useful addition to the series. We get a lot more knowledge about how the weres function and we learn more about Aric, his station, and his feelings for Celia. And finally learning the full scoop on Bren's family definitely satisfies, since it explains his reluctance to join up with other weres for all this time. Plus, there is that Big Event that has to affect the next novel so I'd urge you to read it before proceeding with CURSED BY DESTINY. Say what you will but Robson definitely knows how to throw that Act 3 surprise at her readers, to make sure you stick around for the next instalment!

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by Tynga at Monday, December 02, 2013

 Adult, Cecy Robson, ghost, Penguin, Publisher, Review, Signet, Urban Fantasy, Weird Girls, werewolf  2 People left their mark

✎