Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Hardcover: 371 pages
Publisher: Ace Books
Release date: March 7th 2017

Series:  Mercy Thompson #10

Source: 

Reviewed by: 

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy's bond with the pack and her mate is broken, she'll learn what it truly means to be alone...

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise...

For once, Mercy was minding her own business, heading to the convenience store, a necessary step to feed chocolate chip cookies to a horde of video game playing werewolves, when she got caught in a near-deadly kidnapping plot. Unconscious and very badly injured, she was hauled all the way across the Atlantic ocean, in Italy, far from everyone she knows and cut off from her pack bound. How will she get out of this one alive?

The Mercy Thompson series has been one of my favorite for years and I am happy to say this novel did not disappoint. It actually made me fall in love all over again with my favorite characters! As much as I love my heroines getting the guy of their dream along a book series, couple lives can get a bit dull around the corners so I was very happy that I would get to see Mercy, and Adam, on their own in this novel. There is just this special and desperate energy going on when you are facing extremely dangerous situations by yourself and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Mercy's determination, resourcefulness, and surviving skills were at the fore-front and I truly enjoyed it. I loved her spunk and the way she built on her coyote skills in this novel. On the other hand, I loved how Adam was forced to let Mercy deal with things on her own and how he had to develop his negotiating skills in a dire situation. Honey, a character I wasn't a fan off in the past, also happily surprised me. I did not expect it from her, but she really rose to the challenge.

This novel has a very special time-line and you have to pay close attention if you don't want to be confused. Add to it narration alternating between Mercy, Adam and other important characters and you have a recipe for chaos (if you don't follow along!) or sheer genius (if you pay close attention lol). Briggs really took her story-telling skills up a notch in this installment, and I'll tell you off the bat she threw one spectacular curve-ball that made me want to re-read the novel as soon as possible.

I don't think I could ever tire of these characters and it's a shame we have to wait so long between installments. I'm already super impatient for the next novel to release! If you haven't picked up this series yet, I urge you to start with the first novel, Moon Called, and I am sure you will crave for more!

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by Tynga at Friday, March 17, 2017

 Ace, Adult, Fantasy, Mercy Thompson, Netgalley, Paranormal, Patricia Briggs, Penguin, Review, Romance, Shifters, Urban, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, werewolf  2 People left their mark

✎

Wires and Nerves, Volume 1 by Marissa Meyer

Wires and Nerves, Volume 1 by Marissa Meyer

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Science-Fiction
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Macmillan
Release date: January 31st, 2017

Series:  Wires and Nerves #1

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Stéphanie

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

In her first graphic novel, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marissa Meyer follows Iko, the beloved android from the Lunar Chronicles, on a dangerous and romantic new adventure -- with a little help from Cinder and the Lunar team.

In her first graphic novel, bestselling author Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold. When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series.

I don't read many graphic novels, so when I do, it's bound to be something special. Wires and Nerves follows the story of Iko, the loyal and lovable droid from Marissa Meyer's bestselling series, The Lunar Chronicles. Iko is a wonderful character that probably didn't get enough credit in the book series so I'm really glad her story is finally being told in graphic novel form.

For someone that's accustomed to novels, reading graphic novels seems like cheating, like I'm speed reading through the story. So I think it's unfair when I say that the story felt too short because I know graphic novels take more time and space. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this graphic novel and it's a great extension to the series.

One thing I really appreciated is that all main character from the four Lunar Chronicle books are represented in this story. Obviously Iko shines and is the narrator too, but I think it was important to include everyone. Iko, a droid with a human-like body, is charged with the task of searching and arresting all the wolf-hybrid soldiers deployed on Earth by the ex-Queen of Luna, that have been hurting and killing people all over the world. So far, Iko's record is pretty good but some have resisted, unaware that they are being brought back to Luna for a fair trial, not as slaves to the new Queen.

^{Source: Amazon Preview}

Searching and fighting are things Iko knows how to do, however love and feelings might not be part of her programming. She is a hopeless romantic, fawning over princes and bad boys, but as a service droid, she has always thought love as something unobtainable. So it will be fun to follow her romantic storyline in sequel since the creators leave us on a pretty steep cliffhanger.

The art is very well done however a little bit simple. It's easy to follow and very well organized. Obviously, it would have been better in colour, and at that price point, you kind of expected it to be coloured. However, the grey tone kind of fits the lunar theme so it might have been a deliberate choice. I highly recommend Wires and Nerves to any fans of The Lunar Chronicles but for those of you who haven't read the books, you might not appreciate it as much and might be a little lost in the story.

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by Tynga at Monday, March 06, 2017

 androids, Droid, Feiwel amp; Friends, Graphic Novel, Macmillan, Marissa Meyer, Purchased, Review, sci-fi, Science Fiction, werewolf, Wires and Nerves  6 People left their mark

✎

Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George

Dacia and Lou are embarking for the trip of their life when they head to Romania to meet with their mother's family. A lot of secrets awaits them, and nothing could prepare them for what they will have to face.

Silver in the Blood has a fun concept, but the execution was lacking for me. The first 50% of the novel is, I'll dare say, boring. It took me almost 2 weeks of reluctant reading, wondering if I should give up altogether, to reach the 50% milestone. The world building is extremely slow and Jessica is so focused on keeping things vague and mysterious that she completely lost my interest. Up to that point, the characters were drab and typical.

Thankfully, things finally picked up when the big, bad secret (which, let's be honest, wasn't much of a surprise) was revealed. There was finally interesting moments and some action to hang onto. The characters finally had some flavor as well! Dacia who had been outgoing and fast-spoken thus far suddenly became almost catatonic until she knocked out of it toward the end. Lou, on the other hand, had been a shy introvert who turned onto a confident and strong woman. I think Lou's transformation is the only thing I really loved about this book. She was like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.

The lore had an interesting (if not completely original) flavor. The legend surrounding the Florescu family was good, but there was definitely not enough details about Mihai's family. Do they have powers of their own? Why would the Florescus feel compelled to protect them for centuries if they don't have anything special? We don't get answers and it just didn't make sense. I liked the part about the Wing, the Claw, and the Smoke. It was an interesting twist.

We don't meet Dacia's mother at all and it is kind of disappointing because I was curious about her. What kind of woman would send her daughter across the world to face such trauma?

Overall, my review is clearly negative. It's not a bad book, I know many are raving about it, but its flaws bothered me. If you are curious about it, I would suggest getting it from the library.

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by Tynga at Friday, July 24, 2015

 Bloomsbury Publishing USA, Fantasy amp; Magic, Historical, jessica day george, Netgalley, Review, Silver in the Blood, werewolf, young adult  6 People left their mark

✎

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Shopping for a new horse should have been an uneventful event, but while visiting old friends of Charles, Anna and him stumble right into a fae mess. They must get involved because they targeted his friend's grandchildren, and nobody threaten children on Charles' watch.

It's been three years since the release of the previous book in the Alpha & Omega series, which is wayyyy too long if you ask me lol I love Charles and Anna and I am very happy I could finally visit them again. Briggs really has a talent for bringing a story to life, and even though I don't know a darn thing about horses, I still wanted to know which one Anna would choose in the end. Jokes aside, Dead Heat was another great installment in the series.

For unknown reasons, a fae held prisoner was released onto the world to wreck havoc. By inadvertence, he got tangled with the local alpha's family and the chase was thrilling. Anna's abilities to read and calm people and Charles fierceness work perfectly together to solve any mysteries they encounter. It's probably because Briggs' stories are always so engrossing, but her books always feel too short. I can't help but want more every time.

A & C are as amazing as ever, but one of the aspect I particularly liked was his interaction with his old friend. It was obvious he was dear to him and I felt his sorrow since he had to part from him. This story contained yet another trip to Charles' past and I always enjoy those, revealing more about the character.

The conclusion was heart-pounding and breath-taking. I loved every moment! I sincerely hope it won't take another three years before we get another Alpha & Omega book. If you haven't read Patricia Brigg's book yet, I strongly suggest you do, starting with Moon Called, the first book in this world (It's from the Mercy Thompson series).

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by Tynga at Friday, January 30, 2015

 Alpha amp; Omega, fae, Fantasy amp; Magic, Netgalley, Patricia Briggs, Penguin, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf, Witch  6 People left their mark

✎

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls has been my favorite Mortal Instruments book so far.  At Book 5, I finally understand the fandom, and I am looking forward to City of Heavenly Fire, Book 6.

City of Lost Souls picks up only a few weeks after the end of City of Fallen Angels.  Jace is still missing, as is Sebastian, and Clary finds out the Lilith has tied Jace and Sebastian together.  She's tied them together so tightly, in fact, that everything that Jace feels, Sebastian also feels, and vice versa.  This means that killing Sebastian would also kill Jace, so Clary, Isabelle, Alec, Magnus, etc. all realize that they must find Jace, they must find a way to sever the tie to Sebastian, and they must tread carefully as they go.  The Council, however, sees things a bit differently.  To them, Sebastian is such a great danger that they are willing to sacrifice Jace's life in order to destroy Sebastian.  Thus begins a very exciting race between the Shadowhunters of the New York Institute and the Council.

Cassandra Clare did an excellent job with character growth in City of Fallen Angels, and in City of Lost Souls we get to see a lot of characters' relationships grow.  I love that!  This is Book 5 in the Mortal Instruments series, so by now the reader really knows the characters: their mannerisms, their goals, their feelings.  We know (and love!) Jace's dry sense of humor and Clary's impetuousness and Isabelle's fierce (almost to a fault) loyalty to her friends and family and Alec's sensitivity and Simon's peacekeeping talents.  I don't want to give spoilers, but there are some romantic relationships forged in this volume, and I found myself cheering for them all the way.  That being said, while this book is found in the YA section of bookstore and libraries, the reader may want to be aware that there are a few brief non-graphic "behind bedroom doors" moments.

I thought that City of Lost Souls has been one of the most action-packed titles in the Mortal Instruments series.  It's non-stop!  One of my few beefs with City of Fallen Angels was the multiple angsty lets-talk-about-feelings scenes; you find almost none of that here.  Yes, the characters still have feelings, but they squeeze those in between all the action, and they're mostly "action" moments too: quick, passionate, intimate moments where there is definitely more "showing" than "telling."   And last but not least, let's talk about the ending.  It is definitely skillful writing to have a book end like this one.  The main plot of this individual title was resolved while still leaving enough questions to carry the overarching plot of the series into the sixth and final book.  I am definitely left wanting more, and can't wait to start in on City of Heavenly Fire!

**A Note on Narration:  I listened to City of Lost Souls on CD, and the narration was fantastic.  I truly think that the narration on this book actually improved my experience over reading a print version.  Molly Quinn narrates City of Lost Souls solo.  She is the same female narrator from City of Fallen Angels.  I really loved her part on that title, while not really digging the male narrator, so I was very excited to see her name on the CD case.  She has a nice, even tone and cadence that is never boring, but also never requires me to fiddle with the volume controls chapter to chapter.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_FUJU3q9xY&w=560&h=315]

 

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by Tynga at Thursday, October 16, 2014

 Action amp; Adventure, Angel, Cassandra Clare, Library, Mortal Instruments, Paranormal, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Vampire, werewolf, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

How To Run With a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

When it comes to Molly Harper books, you're always guaranteed at least a few laughs. HOW TO RUN WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF is no exception. Her books can always get me out of a reading funk because while they aren't necessarily great literature, they're fun and easy to read. I completely forgot that she was writing another book in her Naked Werewolf series, but I'm really glad I finally picked it up since it might just be my favorite out of the series.

In the first few pages, we are introduced to the main character "Anna Moder" but we don't really know her real name until well into the book. Anna is on the run, jumping around from city to city to avoid her abusive husband. Her case is the type where the law has a really hard time protecting abused women so she takes matters into her own hands and restarts her life with fake identities whenever her husband gets close to finding her. As a computer tech, her husband is very resourceful so she never feels completely safe, even on the run.

In comes Caleb Graham, an unlicensed private investigator/bounty hunter. She witnesses him being shot by one of his targets and her old car get blown up in the process. As a trained medical doctor, her first reflex is to help him and get him to a hospital. Despite him being a stranger, she lugs Graham into his truck, gets behind the wheel and drives towards the closest hospital near the remote Alaskan town they were in. Delirious, Graham refuses to go to the hospital so they end up in a motel room where she treats his already healing gunshot wound. Obviously, this situation isn't very realistic but it's a great setting for laugh out loud moments. Especially since Anna obviously knows that he's a werewolf, but Graham doesn't know she knows, and never admits it.

Anna and Graham find themselves on the road together, travelling the picturesque Alaskan roads, working his bounty hunting jobs together and getting to know one another in the process. Steamy motel room situations, stripper bar fights and awkward fugitive apprehensions are a few of the awesome situations Anna and Graham find themselves in. The longer they're together the closer they get. It's obvious their interest for one another becomes stronger, and their bed sharing turns into a lot more than just bed sharing.

For a chick lit, Holly Harper was still able to incorporate darker themes like marital abuse and stalking. For entertainment purposes, situations were obviously exaggerated but I applaud Molly Harper for taking a chance with this novel. The fact that she writes books with amazing and strong female leads, only emphasizes how resilient and capable women can be. The expected happy ending enforces the fact that abuse situations can take a turn for the better with encouragement and a strong support group. The story gravitates around Anna and Graham but it wouldn't be possible without the cast of great secondary characters. The novel is well rounded, an absolute page turner and definitely up there on my list of awesome chick lit.

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by Tynga at Sunday, October 12, 2014

 Chick Lit, Library, Molly Harper, Naked Werewolf, Paranormal Romance, Pocket, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Simon Schuster, werewolf  2 People left their mark

✎

Summer Moon by Jan DeLima

Jan DeLima is a relatively new author but she really jumped onto the scene with CELTIC MOON. (If you want to see what I thought of the first book in the series, click here.) She comes back to her Celtic Wolves world in SUMMER MOON but now the focus is on Luc and Rosa, two characters who appeared in the first novel. It is possible to read SUMMER MOON without knowing the first book but I think you'll enjoy it a lot more if you read CELTIC MOON first.

In any case, here's what I thought of this brand new book:

In the aftermath of CELTIC MOON, Rosa finally has an opportunity to take charge of her own destiny. She's waited 300 years to rebel against the Guardians and, newly (and happily) widowed, Rosa makes her move and approaches Dylan for help. (Dylan is the leading man from CELTIC MOON.) Rosa goes in to their meeting looking for an alliance and a way out of a very creepy ritual and comes out with a new husband, Dylan's brother Luc. This was quite exciting for me because I was really interested in Luc when I read CELTIC MOON. He's got such an interesting history and was the impetus for so many important moments in the series mythology so I really enjoyed learning more about his past, particularly his marriage to a Native American woman. He's so much more complicated than you might expect and DeLima does a great job of delving into Luc's history and psyche. He's a great leading man for SUMMER MOON, and more than a match for Rosa.

We only got a glimpse at Rosa in the first novel in the series so SUMMER MOON is her chance to shine. She's such a strong character and her journey in SUMMER MOON is really something. After hiding herself for so long it's neat to see her embrace her strength, voice her opinions, and fight for her friends. Rosa has a lot to lose but she stands up for what's right, expecting very little for herself. You can see why her friends are so loyal to her, despite the horrible circumstances they'd lived under for so long.

Aside from the love story, there are also some interesting developments in the overall series arc. I won't say too much about these since they occur in the latter part of SUMMER MOON but I will say that I'm desperate to see what happens next. DeLima has set up what should be a very excited third book and I'm really looking forward to it.

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by Tynga at Monday, October 06, 2014

 Adult, Celtic Wolves, Jan DeLima, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Review, werewolf  1 Person left their mark

✎

Red Blooded by Amanda Carlson

I was really looking forward to RED BLOODED because every chapter in Jessica's story has been so amazing. Sadly, this instalment, while good, was not quite as stunning as I'd hoped it would be. This isn't to say that it's a bad story -- far from it -- but Carlson has set the bar quite high in her previous books and RED BLOODED fell just a teensy bit short for me.

RED BLOODED takes us to a different part of the Jessica McClain universe: the Underworld. I've been curious about this since the end of the previous novel and, as usual, Carlson throws us almost immediately into the action, with Jessica getting accidentally sent to Hell before she's ready. ('Cause where would the fun be if she was all prepared, right?) Much of the novel is Jessica on her own in Hell because time moves more slowly in the Underworld. As a result, Jessica spends much of the novel trying to find her brother Tyler and avoiding the thousands of demons who live in the Underworld and who would love to get their hands on her. Carlson does a good job of creating an Underworld that's not exactly the same as what we've seen in other series, and she even has time to introduce her take on the chupacabra, which I quite enjoyed.

One of the best things about RED BLOODED is that we see a lot of the series mythology get unpacked. We learn more about the various prophecies that have come into play and what they mean for Jessica and her friends and family. I found this aspect of the novel to be extremely satisfying and I'm sure that you will, too, since it's part of the payout that we've been waiting for. I'm thrilled that Carlson doesn't make us wait longer, though this is typical for her. (One of the major reasons I'm such a fan.)

Despite all of this goodness, and the page time with some fascinating new characters, there was just something about RED BLOODED that didn't live up to its predecessors. I think it's just a matter of this book being a teensy weensy little bit less fabulous than Carlson's other stories; it remains a wonderful piece of urban fantasy. It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly why I didn't super love RED BLOODED because the are no bad parts to the book but I will say that the usual Carlson spark was just a little dimmer than usual. Despite this, I remain a staunch Jessica McClain and Amanda Carlson fan and I strongly urge you to give this series a try if you haven't already!

Read an excerpt

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by Tynga at Monday, September 15, 2014

 Adult, Amanda Carlson, Hachette, Jessica McClain, Netgalley, Orbit, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  Leave your mark

✎

Ante Up by Amanda Carlson

The Sin City Collectors is such a fun series! For those who don't know, it's a series of novellas written and self-published by a bunch of author friends. So far, there are novellas by Amanda Carlson and Kristen Painter, but more authors will join later on. Each novella is set in the same world, and featuring a different pair of main characters.

This time around we meet Diesel, a werewolf who completely looses control on the full moon, and Sofia, a witch hunted by an incubus. Once again a fun installment with great characters! With only 120 pages to build the plot and romance happens pretty quickly, but these two characters already met because they are part of previous novellas so it makes even more sense when the passion unravels.

Diesel was a great alpha male and even though I didn't fall unconditionally in love with him, I liked him just fine. He has an history that scarred him and made him more real and I liked his determination and desire to protect. His affliction also made things interesting. I really, really liked Sofia! I think she's fun, smart and brilliant. I loved how she dealt with Neve (a dhampir from a previous novella) and her attitude issues. She isn't a damsel in distress even though she needed help and I command her for it.

Fun but somewhat predictable, the plot still provided great entertainment. It's hard to build something intricate with such a small number of pages, but the story was well-rounded and the conclusion satisfying.

If I had one small complain it would be the secondary characters name. Diesel's brother is called Luke, and they work with a gargoyle called Jake. Both names were just too similar for a comfortable read, I kept confusing the two of them.

It seems novella #5 will feature Ginger and Luke and I can't wait to read it!

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by Tynga at Friday, August 29, 2014

 Adult, Amanda Carlson, Author, novella, Paranormal Romance, Review, Self Published, Sin City Collectors, werewolf, Witch  6 People left their mark

✎

Seven Kinds of Hell by Dana Cameron

I was really intrigued by the idea of a werewolf who's also an archaeologist.  I was hoping for a supernatural Lara Croft but SEVEN KINDS OF HELL's protagonist is more of an everyday girl who just happens to be an archaeologist. It's not necessarily a bad thing but it was a bit different from my expectations.

Zoe Miller has been in hiding her whole life. She's a werewolf but she hides her Beast because her mother has taught her to stay low and avoid her supernatural family, the Fangborn. After Zoe's mother dies and Zoe is getting ready to run again when she gets drawn into an international hunt for Fangborn artifacts. Zoe is thoroughly unqualified for this in some ways but eminently suitable in others, given her undergraduate studies in archaeology and her innate Fangborn abilities. I can't say too much about them without giving away some major plot points but I will say that it's an important quest, the implications of which will likely be felt throughout the series. To Cameron's credit, the stakes are quite high and quite real: not everyone survives the many confrontations between Zoe and her team and the groups that oppose them.

My favourite part of SEVEN KINDS OF HELL is the world building. The Fangborn mythology has some unique takes on some supernatural species. The werewolves are pretty standard but Cameron's vampires are more like snakes, which is quite interesting, especially since these vampires have multiple physical forms. These vampires still have the ability to get into people's minds but they thrive in sunlight. It's a really neat spin and I'm curious to see how Cameron will depict other supernatural groups.

The weakest part of the book for me is the character development (or lack thereof, in some cases). I liked the characters in the book but I didn't really connect with them, not even Zoe. Cameron introduces some potentially great characters in SEVEN KINDS OF HELL but we don't get to know any of them very well, perhaps because there are so many of them. I do like a lot of them: Danny and Sean were particularly endearing, and I was very curious about Adam Nichols. But, on the whole, I felt like a lot of the characters were fairly one-dimensional.

Despite this issue, I'm going to try the next book in the series. I'm hoping that PACK OF STRAYS will give us some more character development, so that I can really get into the Fangborn series.

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by Tynga at Monday, May 26, 2014

 Adult, Amazon Publishing, Dana Cameron, Fangborn, Netgalley, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  3 People left their mark

✎

Kept by Shawntelle Madison

After reading COVETED, I dove into KEPT since it, too, had been sitting in my (virtual) TBR pile for ages. I wasn't sure what to expect from the love triangle and Natalya's continued drive to rejoin the pack but I was confident that Shawntelle Madison would deliver a great story. And KEPT is a fun book. There's lots of excitement, as Natalya prepares for the trials, the physical tests she must take to re-enter the pack. But Natalya's training is pushed to the back burner when her father doesn't come home after trying to pay his moon debt to Roscoe, the alpha of another pack. Nat takes it upon herself to investigate since her brother's baby is due at any moment and ends up on a very bizarre road trip, complete with mystery package and support group in tow.

I really enjoyed this storyline because it gives us more insight into the werewolf world. Madison's werewolves have a Code, which they take very seriously. It governs every behaviour and decision. A moon debt is a Big Deal and the stakes are quite high since failure results in death. And the drive is quite entertaining because Nick, Heidi, and Abby end up accompanying Natalya on her drive. I won't say too much about the details but I can promise you that the Coveted world mythology grows significantly as a result.

Another great part of KEPT is the fact that Natalya's struggles with her anxiety and OCD continue to be depicted realistically. She hasn't gotten better overnight. In fact, it's a constant battle for her, which seems to be an honest portrayal of the problem. As someone who does not suffer from these types of illnesses, it's hard for me to know if it's completely accurate but Madison has created a very sympathetic and likeable heroine in Natalya and her problems are just one aspect of her character. Thankfully, Natalya is making some progress and is able to push her worries aside in times of crisis, which shows a lot of growth. And it's growth she needs to face the pack's trials, which involve a 10-mile race, an obstacle course, and a one-on-one fight. I figured Madison would drag things out but she brings the matter to a head in the final part of KEPT.

The downside for me was the love story. I still don't really like Thorn, though we do finally get an explanation for why he left five years ago and never came back. It's not what I expected and it makes him a more sympathetic character, which is good. And it creates a whole new aspect of the world to explore. I can only hope that Madison will continue with this plot thread because I'd love to know more about this side of things. On the plus side, however, we do get a partial resolution for the romantic elements, which was a pleasant surprise.

KEPT is a strong follow-up to COVETED, the first book in the series. Madison is a talented author and she's assembled a memorable cast of characters. We have a little while to wait before the next story in this world but I'm sure it will be a doozy.

Read an excerpt

 

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by Tynga at Monday, April 21, 2014

 Adult, Ballantine, Netgalley, Random House, Review, Shawntelle Madison, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  2 People left their mark

✎

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Mercy's life is never peaceful but nothing could prepare her for the hateful bitch that invaded her territory - Adam's ex-wife, Christie. Of course, she comes off as sweet as sugar, but she  is very good at manipulating people and making Mercy's life a living hell is on her menu. Her life is threatened by a stalker though, so Mercy has to endure her and for the pack's interest, she also has to pretend the situation doesn't bother her. Little did they know, Christie's stalker is much more than the woman let them believe and their lives will all be at risk.

Patricia Briggs never cease to amazed me and Night Broken was no exception. I truly enjoyed this new installment and the best compliment I can say is that even though it's the eighth book in the series, it feels just as fresh and exciting as the first one.

Briggs always find new ways to torture poor Mercy and bringing in the ex-wife, on top of two paranormal foes, was brilliant - and cruel.  We've heard of Christie before, but it was the first time she had such an exposure and I hated her right along with Mercy. She is the most hypocritical character I have ever encountered and her evil schemes and manipulating would put a check master to shame. I am just glad Mercy found a way - a pretty awesome one too-  to get back at her in the end.

Beauclaire, a fae we met in the Alpha & Omega series, is back and throwing an ultimatum at Mercy. Coyote is also back, for better or for worst. I honestly really like the latter's weird and mysterious behavior though Mercy would prefer straight answers from him. We also get to meet 3 new characters, a submissive wolf that didn't have much of a role this time around (maybe Briggs is setting the table for the next novel?), Gary, another coyote (Mercy's half brother - kind of) and Christie's stalker - a very mysterious foe. I grew very fond of Gary and I do hope we'll see more of him in the future. Maybe he will help healing Honey's wounds.

The plot was intricate as always and I truly enjoyed it, having no idea where Briggs would take us with all the different subplots. I couldn't figure out until Briggs decided to let us in, which threat was the biggest, Beauclaire or the stalker, and what was the link with the murders happening in tri-cities. I was completely hooked and read the entire novel in less than 24 hours, quite a feat for me, especially with a newborn on my hands.

The conclusion was exciting as always and I once more find myself wishing Briggs was a faster writer so I could get my hands on the next installment faster. It doesn't have a title yet, as far as I know, and is due for 2015 though no release date was announced.

If you are one of the lost souls who haven't met Mercy yet, I strongly suggest you pick up this series. It's one of my favorite urban fantasy series and I am convinced you won't be disappointed if you give it a chance.

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by Tynga at Friday, March 21, 2014

 Ace, Fey/Faeries, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, Penguin, Publisher, Review, Shifter, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  Leave your mark

✎

Coveted by Shawntelle Madison

I won this book when it first came out and have read it a few times since, but I've been pretty slack about writing it up. But Shawntelle Madison is a talented writer and COVETED is a fun book so I figured it was high time I get this review done.

Natalya Stavinsky is no ordinary werewolf. Well, on some levels, she is, but she's also something of an oddball, no longer a member of the local pack because of her anxiety and OCD. Ostracized from her family and belittled by most pack members, Natalya is a hoarder who takes great solace in her collection of holiday ornaments. And it's Natalya's issues that first got me interested in reading COVETED, because these are traits we don't see in UF protagonists. There are plenty of characters with problems but no leads that suffer from these types of mental illnesses. (Let me know if there are others in the comments, please.) Whatespecially great about Natalya is that she knows that she has to work on these problems and she is actively trying to combat her compulsions, with varying degrees of success. She's a different kind of role model: not the strongest werewolf, but one who is devoted to her loved ones, who works hard, who has a strong sense of honour.

Madison has surrounded Natalya with some great characters. I adore Aggie, one of Natalya's friends from a camp for werewolves with problems. Aggie's an overeater but that doesn't define her. In fact, it is just one character attribute, and one I forgot after a while since I loved her strength, her loyalty, and her compassion. She's also really funny. I'm also a big fan of the members of Natalya's support group, particularly Nick, a wizard with a hoarding problem of his own. We don't get to know the others as well but I was instantly charmed by most of them.

No discussion of COVETED would be complete without talking about Thorn, heir apparent to the pack and Natalya's ex-lover, who disappeared five years ago and is newly back in town, set to mate with the pack's resident mean girl. And if I'm honest, I have to say that Thorn is a jerk. He says he loves Natalya, which I believe, but he has agreed to mate with Erika yet keeps sniffing around Natalya. There are societal and paternal pressures for him not to be with Natalya but he can't leave her alone, which puts her in a terrible spot. I love romantic tension but this really didn't work for me. I just wanted him to man up or move on, so that Natalya could move on as well. And maybe get with Nick, who is clearly her soulmate. 

COVETED is probably one of the strongest debuts from 2012, and I would definitely recommend it. Natalya is a very special protagonist I plan to dive into KEPT quite soon, to see where Madison will take her next.

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by Tynga at Monday, March 17, 2014

 Adult, Coveted, Random House, Random House LLC, Review, Shawntelle Madison, Urban Fantasy, werewolf, Won  4 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!

Open internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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

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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

✎

Grave Secret by Sierra Dean

I discovered this series less than a year ago so I was able to devour the first four books, the novellas, and the spinoff pretty quickly. I'm almost caught up now, as I just finished GRAVE SECRET, which I was desperate to read after the end of KEEPING SECRET. I needed to know what kind of relationships Secret would maintain with the main men in her lives and what the next Horrible Thing would be. Well, in GRAVE SECRET, I got my answers to both but I was only partially satisfied.

The relationship side of GRAVE SECRET is very satisfying. Secret gives Lucas a very satisfying cold shoulder because he's a giant jerk who has been using her to solidify his power base. I liked him at first but he's become less appealing as we've learned more about his true motivations. Soul bond or no, Lucas Rain is an [expletive here] and I'm pleased that Secret wants nothing personal from him anymore. It's a situation that still leaves her with Holden and Desmond to deal with, but Secret's personal life gets back-benched when she learns that Kellen has gone missing. I've always really liked Kellen as a character so I was quite invested in knowing what had happened to her. The answer was something of a surprise but I generally liked this part of the novel.

I was less fussy about Secret's interactions with Aubrey. I won't say who Aubrey is but I will say that Secret is a total tool in her dealings with this character. I found it incredibly frustrating to watch her interactions with Aubrey because she had some really smart moments followed by a stack of incredibly stupid ones, which had severe consequences. I generally love Secret's brash, balls-out approach to life but I found her maddening in parts of GRAVE SECRET, which hadn't happened before. I still love the series but I found the second half of the book less satisfying because Secret was acting TSTL in some ways. Her mistakes lead to some interesting moments and Secret redeems herself in the end but it was rough going for a while there.

There is also one truly upsetting moment in GRAVE SECRET. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it and you will be devastated. It involves a character I adore. In fact, I think GRAVE SECRET has a lot of emotional punch, especially when it comes to Kellen. She's always been a bit superficial but we really get to see her heart this time around and it's a nice story.

As always, Dean will leave you eager for the next instalment in Secret's crazy life, which should be extremely satisfying since an old enemy rears his head. I've got my e-reader queued up to SECRET UNLEASHED as you read this!

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by Tynga at Monday, October 28, 2013

 Adult, Purchased, Review, Samhain, Secret McQueen, Sierra Dean, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, werewolf  1 Person left their mark

✎

Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Once again, Amanda Carlson kicks off her novel with a bang and doesn't let the reader -- or Jessica -- catch her breath, not even for a moment. COLD BLOODED is a fast-paced fight against everyone, just when things seemed like Jess might get a brief respite. In this third outing, Jess has to face off against vampires, demons, and werewolves while also trying to find her friend. In some novels, it would feel like too much but Carlson does a great job of jamming all of this in without having her reader feel like s/he's drowning, most likely because you know that there's a reason for each and every scene. Plus, Carlson does a great job of building tension -- you know things are going to escalate, and they do, and then it gets even crazier!

Case in point: Ray. He was such a tool in the first novel, and an even bigger pain in the butt the second time around, but he has a serious character arc in COLD BLOODED. It completely blindsided me and I loved it! I had no idea that this is what Carlson had up her sleeve but I was very impressed with what she's done and how she did it. I've gone from despising Ray to being completely intrigued by him. I don't want to say too much about his transformation because it would be such a spoiler but I will say that it was one of my favourite storylines in COLD BLOODED.

I also really enjoyed the development of Jessica's character. She's really coming into her own as a leader and as a werewolf and it's nice to watch her evolution. She's still not 100% confident about her abilities, especially since no one really knows what she is, but she's come along way from the first pages of FULL BLOODED. She's not done yet, though, since there are at least two more Jessica McClain books in the pipeline.

Carlson's Jessica McClain series is definitely one that you'll want to check out if you haven't already given it a try. It's high-octane urban fantasy, packed with surprises, romance, and action!

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by Tynga at Monday, October 14, 2013

 Adult, Amanda Carlson, Hachette, Jessica McClain, Netgalley, Orbit, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  Leave your mark

✎

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

Charles & Anna are having a hard time right now. Charles can't deal with the guilt brought on by enforcing his father's new rules and his victims ghosts are literally hunting him. To try and protect Anna he shuts her out. What he doesn't know is that his desire to keep her safe might very well be the very thing that will kill her in the end.

I always love coming back to this world, may it be with Charles and Anna or with Mercy and this novel was no exception. At first, I did not realize this novel took place before Frost Burned (part of the Mercy Thompson series) and so I read the latter book first. I was a little fuzzy on a couple of details while reading it, and now that I've read Fair Game it all makes sense! It's always nice to find answers don't you think?

The dynamic between the two main characters is such an highlight of this series and they delivered once more. Charles is used to being the protector, and while he will get to do that, Anna finds herself in that role for the first time. Her beloved mate is in danger and she will step up her game to keep him sane. I loved her determination and the unique way she has to get to the otherwise impassive enforcer. I also enjoy his subtle sense of humor and secretive smirks. The pair of them is simply delicious!

Stuck in Boston to solve the case of a serial killer that remained unsolved for many decades, our heroes will be faced with an impressive challenge. The plot line remained engaging the whole time and I was hooked to Briggs' every word. In this novel, we get to meet a pair of FBI officers I particularly grew fond of and I really hope we'll see more of them. There seems to be more to Goldstein than we discovered and I have to confess, I am very curious about him.

The conclusion was breathtaking and simply shocking and it's killing me that there isn't an Alpha & Omega #4 planned as we speak. Patricia Briggs is under contract for 1 more Mercy book (Night Broken - To be released in 2014) and 1 more book in this world, but Patricia has other plans than a A&O book. I really, really hope Penguin will extend her contract and that Briggs will write another Charles & Anna book (s) because their story is far from being over. Yes, the end was satisfying for a novel, but definitely NOT for a series.

If you enjoy the Mercy Thompson series, you MUST read the Alpha and Omega series, you'll simply love it. You don't know Mercy? Than hurry my friend and get your hands on both series because you're in for quite an amazing ride!

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by Tynga at Friday, October 04, 2013

 Ace, Adult, Alpha amp; Omega, Patricia Briggs, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  5 People left their mark

✎

Twilight Hunter by Kait Ballenger

TWILIGHT HUNTER has gotten a lot of attention around the blogosphere -- in fact, it was seeing the cover everywhere that sparked my interest in the series. Having read TWILIGHT HUNTER, I can see why people are into it but the book is not without its flaws.

As always, let's start by accentuating the positive. The worldbuilding in TWILIGHT HUNTER is really well done. The idea of the Execution Underground -- this band of hunters of the supernatural -- really intrigued me. They basically vigilante their way through life and seem to be the bogeymen of the supernatural world. Members of the Underground are human, except for Jace, who's been hiding his supernatural heritage, with good reason considering how mean his boss is. (Damon easily wins the award for least favourite team member here.) They're basically Batman, complete with neat toys and a secret liar, but minus the butler. It's a great premise for a series and I really enjoyed getting to know Jace and his teammates. I have a real soft spot for Shane (got to love those athletic academic types!) and I was really touched by David's backstory.

There's also some cool werewolf mythology in TWILIGHT HUNTER. The bulk of the lore comes up in the latter half of the novel so I won't go into it in detail here but I was quite intrigued by Ballenger's take on werewolves. You'll see what I mean when you get there but it's almost impossible for me to write something that adequately describes it without blowing the surprises out of the water. So I'm going to leave it here, with this: the quotation at the start is there for a reason.

Another great aspect of the novel is Frankie. She's a kick-ass heroine and I loved her loyalty, her smarts, and her determination and commitment to doing right while being true to herself. She's a modern woman in a traditionally male role as leader of her pack and there was never a question in my mind about her ability to run her wolves properly. It's just a given -- Frankie is awesome. She doesn't want to bow down to tradition that would see her mated with someone she doesn't feel romantically about, which is a strong stance to take when she physically and socially must mate once a year. Luckily, she happens into Jace and, as a part-shifter, he qualifies for the Mate for the Year award, even though he doesn't know it.

As a side note: I really didn't enjoy this part of the story. Female werewolves in Ballenger's world have this estrus cycle, which means that, once a year, Frankie turns into a super horny chick who MUST. HAVE. SEX. Doesn't matter who's there, as long as it's a werewolf. Biology takes over and she must do the deed. Jace, to his credit, asks her if she means it when she says she wants him, even when he's succumbing to the pull, but this part of the story (and this is in Chapter 4 so I don't think it qualifies as a spoiler) wasn't my favourite. Frankie's rational mind has been overtaken by her need to have sex and it's one of those blurry lines in romance that make me very uncomfortable. She's very clear about the fact that she has no interest in a mate -- and has left town every year to avoid it -- and so it was hard to get past the fact that Frankie was out that night specifically to avoid mating, and she ends up doing the deed with a stranger.

In fact, there's a lot of angry sex in this one. I mean, (a) there's a lot of sexual content in TWILIGHT HUNTER but (b) Jace is an angry dude. He has a lot of issues stemming from his family background and it sometimes manifests in some very ugly ways. If you prefer romance novels that fade to black, you should avoid this one.

Before I wrap up, I do want to say that the cover is really eye-catching. It's got an instantly iconic feel and I want to send a shout-out to the creative team at Harlequin, who did an amazing job with this cover!

The take-home message of this post: TWILIGHT HUNTER is the first novel in what could be an excellent series. There's a lot of promise in the characters and the worldbulding and I definitely want to see where Ballenger takes us next, even though there were aspects of the story that didn't work for me. You should try the excerpt and let me know what you think.

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by Tynga at Monday, September 16, 2013

 Adult, Execution Underground, Harlequin, Kait Ballenger, Netgalley, Paranormal Romance, Review, werewolf  Leave your mark

✎

Keeping Secret by Sierra Dean

The fourth Secret McQueen novel takes us out of New York City and into Louisiana, the seat of Secret's family's domain. (Her uncle Callum presides over the territory neighbouring Lucas' domain.) It's the first time we get to see where Secret could have grown up, if her mom wasn't such a crazy lady. It makes for a really interesting experience for Secret since she seems what life as a werewolf princess might have been like -- the good and the bad. Mostly, there's bad in the neighbourhood but there are also some great moments. We get to meet an interesting new group of werewolves, including some siblings that she never knew existed. She also has a little swamp adventure as part of her getting-to-know-them phase, which is quite a hair-raising trip.

On the romance side, Secret is buying wedding dresses, choosing flowers, and all that good wedding stuff. Unfortunately, she's still conflicted. She feels a sense of duty and will marry Lucas but she's still soul-bonded with Desmond and actually loves him more. It's a really neat love triangle, which is something I don't say very often since love triangles can so often be a device rather than a really interesting plot point, but the Lucas-Secret-Desmond is one that really resonates for me.

There's also a really great line about Secret Rain and it made me nearly laugh myself out of my seat.

Holden fans won't be disappointed by KEEPING SECRET since there are also some great scenes between Holden and Secret. Their relationship is quite complicated and it seems to get more twisty with every novel. Some of the other great characters in the series also have some nice moments, like Mercedes, Sig, and Shane. I won't say too much about them since some of them are in the latter part of the novel but I will say that KEEPING SECRET is a real treat and sure to please all of the Secret McQueen fans out then. It's also another strong instalment in a stand-out urban fantasy series. People, you need to read these books!

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by Tynga at Monday, August 26, 2013

 Adult, Purchased, Review, Samhain, Secret McQueen, Sierra Dean, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, werewolf  2 People left their mark

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