Review: United States of Japan

UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas

Things I want from a summer read: action, fast-pace, action, intriguing world, action,well-rounded characters, and did I mention action?

Set in an alternate history where Japan and the AXIS powers won WWII, Imperial Japan controls the Western half of the former USA, criticism of the Emperor is a death sentence, and the George Wahingtons have been in rebellion since the end of the war, we follow two characters on a hunt for a missing general. 

Captain Beniko Ishimura is a censor, frequently passed over for promotion, but also knows more than anyone thinks he does. A complicated and tragic family history, a lackadaisical manner that belies his real intelligence, Ben is a survivor.

 Agent Akiko Tsukino is a member of the secret police, executing anyone who criticizes the emperor with extreme satisfaction. Unfortunately, she is a part of a government that would rather find a scapegoat than admit to any mistake or embarrassment. 

They are an extremely unlikely duo that does not meld into a buddy cop routine, but is no less fascinating to watch. So much tension all throughout, from external forces of the government, the shadowy criminal underworld, rebels, to Ben and Akiko's own motives and secrets.

Excellent pacing, lots of action. There is a mecha on the cover, and they are a part of the story, but leave any Pacific Rim dream battles aside for now, although the battles we do get left me thrilled.

The world is tech-filled, dangerous, and quite honestly, other than rooting for Ben and (some of the time) Akiko, I didn't really like the idea of a US ruled by either Imperial Japan or the George Washingtons. 

There is a conclusion, no cliffhangers, although much is left open. I'm glad for this. I will be on the lookout for more from Tieryas.

UNITED STATES OF JAPAN  Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Powell's | BAM | Indiebound

[received review copy]

Review: The Fifth Season

Whew - it's been a while. Time to get back into things and share some recent reads, that are also phenomenal summer reads. We'll start with my latest.

THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin

Book 1 of the Broken Earth Trilogy.

I don't even know if I am ready to write about this. Probably not. This is one of those books where I want to tell you as little about it as possible because so much of my enjoyment came from peeling back the layers, just immersing myself in this chaotic world that has "ended" more times than the surviving civilization can recall.

So, we start with the latest end of the world (which usually is the beginning of a new one, of course), a land where civilization has been "destroyed" many times over and rebuilt again, survivors (and all the myriad ways, pro and con that they survive), people who have magical control over geology, strange beings that look human but aren't, slavery, injustice, vengeance, conspiracies, and something very big that is missing....

And that's all you get. Even talking about the characters might give something away and I will not do it.

When I first started the book, it took a little while to familiarize myself with all the "players" and the timeline. Then I got to the "Oh shit" moments as I put it all together. Followed by a few more "Damns," "Oh shit," "Oh no!" "NO NO NO" right up to a big exhale and needing to read book 2.

Fantastic read. I'm glad THE OBELISK GATE comes out in August so I don't have too long to wait.

THE FIFTH SEASON ($4.99 for the ebook!) Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Powell's | BAM | Indiebound

Pre-order THE OBELISK GATE Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Powell's | BAM | Indiebound

The Transplanted Tales Tour Stop

Today Kate SeRine is here as part of the blog tour to promote her second Transplanted Tales novel, The Better to See You, out February 7. Amazon | B&N | Kobo. 

The blurbage: "Once upon a time, a spell went awry and Make Believe characters were cast into the ordinary world. And the results aren’t always happily ever after…

Everyone thinks fairy godmothers can do no wrong. But if not for a certain spell mis-cast by Lavender Seelie, Cinderella’s former fairy godmother, the Tales would not be stuck in the Here and Now. Fortunately for Lavender, she’s about to get a second chance at a happy ending…

The Refuge, a sanctuary for wayward Tales, seems like the perfect place for Lavender to start a new life—especially when she discovers an unexpected ally in Seth, the brooding werewolf who’s been typecast as a villain ever since his run in with Little Red Riding Hood. But when humans from nearby towns start turning up dead, their bodies mutilated with archaic Tale symbols, Lavender wonders if Seth’s deep sensuality has blinded her to the truth. And that distraction could put innocent lives in danger. Including her own…"

My take: I really liked SeRine's Red (see my review here). Where that one felt more UF with a heavy dose of romance, this second installment had the romance aspect front and center. It is still first person, as we see everything from Lavender's POV. We just get into the romance faster than in book 1. It surprised me at first, until we find out why everything happened so fast. I liked Lavender's dilemma, and it showed how far her character has progressed.

When I first heard about book 2, I wasn't surprised that Seth was going to be the male lead. However, the choice of Lavender as the heroine did surprise me at first. Lavender is one half of the reason that the Tales are stuck in the Ordinary World. She made a lot of mistakes in the past, and in book 1 we see her as an alcoholic mess. At the start of book 2, a year has passed, Lavender is now friends with Tess, and she is trying to turn her life around. She also pisses off some powerful people and so Tess sends her to the Refuge to get away from the heat.

Being the reason the Tales are stuck in the real world doesn't endear her to many, but I like how she sticks it out and owns her part. 

Lavender is not a grandmotherly "bippity boppity boo" type. She's a little hottie and in the end I was very happy with how the romance came together. Both she and Seth have a lot of skeletons in their respective closets. They need someone who will accept them for who they are.

Having a hell of a lot of chemistry doesn't hurt, either.

And Seth? Seth was really endearing once we got to meet him in book 1. His life has been so tragic. I just wanted him to be happy. He can cook too. If you really dig romantic heroes, I think you will be quite satisfied with Mr. Wolf.

The overall conspiracy first unearthed in book 1 is still a big part of the problem in book 2. I was glad to see some parts solved, although there is still plenty left to explore. We also get to see a bit more of Trish Muffet, the heroine of book 3. That one involves Nicky Blue and I cannot wait to read it.

For those who really loved the world of the Transplanted Tales, this book fleshes it out more and gives us a peek into how the Tales who don't get along so well with the Ordinary World live. We also get to see one of my favorite literary characters: Puck. 

And now let's move on to a little Q&A with Kate SeRine:

Review - Legacy

Legacy (The League of Illusion #1) by Vivi Anna

Jovan, a magician, is called home to his dying father's bedside. His father is the head of The League of Illusion, a governing body of magic users. Jovan is the black sheep of the family. He and his brother Rhys have A HISTORY with much bad blood. His father tasks them with teaming up to find their older brother Sebastian who has been missing for several years. They bring in a Druid tracker who happens to be Jovan's former flame, Skylar.

Cue some angst and some action.

I liked the world with its mix of magic and a touch of steampunk gadgetry. The romance was all right. I felt the inevitableness of it all, but the coupling just sort of happened in the end. And the end was really quick.

Also, the main issue of the book is still ongoing, although the relationship issues have been settled. So romance wise, you're good, but story wise, you're kind of in the middle of things.

I have to say that I didn't think that Skylar and Jovan's issues were dealt with so much as they were done away with. There was a step or two missing there. It was a really quick read.

I felt like we got a good start to something. Like I mentioned before, I kind of dig the world and we haven't seen that much of it yet. I actually think that Rhys is more my type of hero, and his book is next.

[received an ARC to review]

Review: Broken

Broken by A. E. Rought

This retelling of Shelley's Frankenstein has lots of angst. I never felt that it got to New Moon levels, but still, there is a lot of angst.

Angst is of course inevitable when the new guy in your life shares so many characteristics with your boyfriend who recently died.

The whole book is told from Emma's perspective. She has been wallowing in grief and her friends and family want her to move on. Then new boy Alex Franks comes into her life. This brings out a lot of feelings she didn't think she would have again, and also brings a whole metric ton of danger in her life.

For the vast majority of the book, it is Emma and Alex and their burgeoning relationship. The last fifth of the book is all action.

I like Emma. She weathers the high school gossip train and is not helpless. I also like Alex. He's had a rough time. His dad's a mad scientist and an all-around a-hole, there's this girl he can't get out of his head, he has memories that aren't his own. That wears on a body. A part of me wishes we got to spend some time in his head instead of Emma's throughout.

I do give credit to the book for having parents who aren't completely clueless and are actually involved in their kid's life. This doesn't always happen in YA.

I also liked Bree, Emma's best friend.

If you have a knee-jerk reaction to high school romance stories, you should probably steer clear. However, if you don't mind some angst and you like retellings, you might want to give this a shot. I always thought Frankenstein's Monster got the shaft. It's kind of nice to read a book where he is the good guy.

[received an ARC]

Review: Grounds to Kill

Grounds to Kill by Wendy Roberts

This hit me as more of a cozy-ish mystery with a touch of the paranormal.

Jen is a barista and she's just found out that her boyfriend was cheating on her. She discovered this when her spirit guide told her through automatic writing (the paranormal bit). Then the other woman is murdered and the cops think they have a likely suspect: Jen;s dad, a schizophrenic homeless man who has been hanging out near Jen's coffee shop.

Of course, this means some amateur sleuthing with her two best friends, some help and maybe more from a concerned co-worker, and trying to figure out how to use her "gift" to keep her dad, and herself, out of jail.

This isn't my usual read. There wasn't a whole lot of action. Jen's love life is also a bit messy. However, I really enjoyed it. It was a nice diversion, a quick read, and although I already knew whodunnit, I still was happy after finishing.

If you prefer the police procedurals or need some heavy romance, you might not be so happy. This is a Carina book, but has considerable less steam than other titles I've read. At the same time, it was kind of nice that Jen didn't jump right into another relationship with all that was going on.

I'll keep an eye out for more from Roberts.

[received an ARC to review]

Weird Girls Tour Stop: Sealed With a Curse

Hi all! The very wonderful, charming, and funny Cecy Robson is back on the Book Pile! She stopped by in October to talk about The Weird Girls novella. It's out now, so if you like action-packed shorts go get it! Amazon | B&N

This time, we're talking about book 1, Sealed With a Curse. There's also a giveaway!

First, though, Cecy answered some holiday-inspired questions:

KA: What is one way you get in the holiday spirit?

CR: Shopping for my children. Their excitement fires up mine.

KA: Name something on your wishlist.

CR: I’m not going to lie . . . I’d love to hit the NY Times Best-Seller’s list with my series. A new pair of sneakers would also be nice. : D

KA: What was your favorite book/movie/TV show in 2012?

CR: The Avengers—hands down. Book? Catching Fire, but I’ll admit I had several that I just loved. I don’t watch much TV but I’ve really enjoyed Teen Wolf and Grimm.

KA: What book/movie/tv show are you looking forward to in 2013?

CR: I, Frankenstein sounds / looks cool. Books? A CURSED EMBRACE and THE BETTER TO SEE YOU. TV? I’m waiting for Teen Wolf to come back. I have to say, it’s a very well-written and fun show.

 

Thanks, Cecy! Now to the book in question:

 

I do love this cover.

The blurbage: "Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls-with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird...

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region-until one of them blows up a vampire in self- defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust- fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague?

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy-or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it's coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough."

 

My Take: I love the set-up of this series, the origin of the sisters powers, and the relationships between the sisters. I mentioned in my review of the novella that it is not often that you get a fantasy book that has strong relationships between female characters. I like the dynamic.

 

Where the novella was romance free, this one has quite a bit. There is tons of action, of course, but also a good amount of romance, especially as the sisters get introduced to the local werewolf pack.

 

Celia is an interesting character. She is very strong - her inner tigress intimidates pretty much everyone. However, this also makes her isolated and lonely. It almost got too much for me at a couple of points where I wanted Celia to buck up and be more confident romance-wise, but at the same time it was believable why she was so unsure.

 

It seems like there might be a triangle, but no my triangle-weary friends, do not fear.

 

A snowy sunrise in Tahoe.

I like seeing the various supernatural creatures who are now in the Wird Girls world. I also really dug the setting - I've been to Lake Tahoe and can believe the mystical pull.

 

There is a lot of setting the stage here, of course, but also an action-packed story. Looking forward to more Weird Girl, especially as the girls grow in their place in the supernatural community.

 

Sealed With a Curse is out December 31. Amazon | B&N

 

Now to the Giveaway!!! Leave a comment here or tweet me @kindleaholic with a book you hope to get this Christmas, or your favorite christmas tradition, or just to say "Hi!". The holidays are stressful enough, let's make this easy. :) And while you're at it, follow Cecy on twitter too.

 

You have until Friday, December 21. This giveaway is international folks!!! So everybody can try!

 

Thank you so much, Cecy!

 

More links for Cecy Robson:

Website: www.cecyrobson.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cecyrobson

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCecyRobsonAuthor

 

[received an ARC to review]



Review: Steel's Edge

Steel's Edge (Edge #4) by Ilona Andrews

The Edge series ends with another exciting installment. We've travelled the Edge world - from the Edge to the Broken, back to the Edge and now into the Weird. We've also had very different heroes and heroines in each story - something I have come to appreciate in romance series.

This go-round we have Charlotte and Richard, both trained from an early age in the mannerisms of the blueblood Weird elite. Charlotte is The Healer, very powerful and living in the Edge with Rose's grandmother because she is afraid of using the darker side of her ability. I love stories that focus on the destructive possibilities of a healing power. We first met Richard in Bayou Moon. Cerise's cousin, Kaldar's brother, and a father-figure to Lark/Sophie, Richard hunts slavers, the people who nearly destroyed Sophie when she was very young.

Richard and Charlotte team up to go after the head of the slavery ring, falling in love along the way. They are very evenly matched and fit well together. This isn't an angsty romance. It is more their mission than any insecurity that gets in their way. I liked that a lot.

Lots of action, some heartbreak for fans of the series, and lots of George, Jack and Sophie. We also get more of Spider and get to see what happened to some family members from previous books. The bits where Charlotte takes Sophie under her wing were really well done. Bayou Moon is still my fav book of the Edge, but as a whole I have really enjoyed this romance series.

I thought Steel's Edge was a good end to the series, although I hope some day the Andrews team will come back with the future adventures of an all growed up George, Jack and Sophie.

Review: Skies of Fire

Skies of Fire (The Ether Chronicles #1) by Zoe Archer

Christopher is the captain of an airship. He is also a Man O' War - fused with a metallic substance that gives him extra strength and energy (he's pretty much the battery for his ship, and he needs the ship in order to siphon off said "energy" - symbiotic relationship). He and his crew are behind enemy lines when they get a distress call from a nearby village. They find Louisa, an intelligence agent, who also used to be Christopher's lover. She has info on a munitions plant that needs to be destroyed to help turn the balance in the war.

And, of course, smexy good fun as they get reacquainted. It doesn't happen right away, of course. Christopher is still very angry she left (and how she left), and Louisa is working through her feelings as well.

This was a very quick, fun read. There isn't a ton of world explanation. I got a feel for the time and place, but there weren't any big history lessons. I kind of wanted some of that, as I find that aspect of world-building very interesting.

I did like Christopher and Louisa together. Given that Louisa left, it is easy to paint her in the villain role of the break-up, but I mostly just felt sorry for her. I thought that the pace of their reunion felt right. Not too rushed or drawn out.

There was a decent amount of action. Louisa more than holds her own, and I liked that Christopher respected it. He is alpha-ish, but doesn't try to put her in a cage.

I'll be checking out more in this series.

Heading Back Out on the Iron Seas

Meljean Brook's Iron Seas is one of my favorite romance series. In fact, the bar scene in Here There Be Monsters is near the top of my all-time favorite romantic moments. The world-building in this series is phenomenal. The action is intense. The women kick ass, and the men do as well. We've seen many different "types" of heroes and heroines in this series: Alphas (both male and female), adventurers, investigators, inventors, some experienced, some virgins (even the rare virgin hero). Each time I've felt like we've gotten a different kind of couple. It's not just the alpha-show 24/7, and I am thankful for that.

It's steampunk (so this review fits well with my own personal Steampunk Week). There are mechanical "bugs" that the Horde used to control conquered people, but in the new freedom from the invaders, the bugs help to repair injuries, give strength, and enable the grafting of mechanical limbs. We've also got airships and all kinds of mechanical creations. Oh and zombies, but not any of those in Riveted, the third Iron Seas novel. Seriously, the world sets this series apart. If you are a fan of epic, expansive world-building (and you like romance) you should try the Iron Seas.

In Riveted, we're out of London and more in the New World, settled when the Europeans fled the Horde. Annika is a very "improper" young woman by New World standards. Of course, New World Social Rules make the Pilgrims look like swingers, so for the reader, Annika is a breath of fresh air. She wears bright colored clothes, speaks her mind, has an almost innocent view of the world (in the sense she isn't jaded), is searching for her sister, is a phenomenal mechanic. Oh, and she comes from a secret women-only village in Iceland.

We also have David, horrifically injured in a volcanic explosion that killed his mother, he has become a vulcanologist, an expert in volcanoes. He also has been rebuilt with mechanical legs, hand and eye. He is used to people, especially prejudiced New Worlders, shying away from him. He doesn't think he will be able to find someone who can see the man behind the mechanics. He is also searching for his mother's people. She also dressed and acted differently, much like Annika...

And there's your setup. We have an airship, madman (or two), a giant whale, and two people who are outsiders in the world, but kindred spirits.

I loved this book so much. The couple...it was just one of the most romantic Romances I've read that also satisfies my need for some action (not just of the smexy variety). Annika and David work so well. I also really enjoy that they become friends first. Brook hits all the right notes here.

That wasn't all, of course. Riveted even brings in LGBT issues and explores the need of being able to love freely without fear of physical violence or social condemnation. And this happened in a way that did not feel preachy. I am so looking forward to Scarsdale's book.

This also isn't an alpha-hero situation. Not that I don't appreciate the alphas, but I also really appreciate the male characters who exude strength, but don't necessarily need to be dominate.

I didn't feel there was as much focus on the world as we got in the first two books, but that felt right to me. The Iron Seas world is now established in my mind. There is still plenty of exploration, of course, and I can't wait for what we'll encounter next.

Review: How Beauty Met the Beast

How Beauty Met the Beast (Tales of the Underlight #1) by Jax Garren

This short novel is very, very tricky. I keep trying to think how to place it and the solution eludes me.

It's a bit of a fairytale retelling, a very much all growed up Beauty and the Beast. But I can't quite call it that. There are some steampunkish elements, but that label doesn't work either. There are some romantic elements, but if I called this a Romance it would imply certain traditional tropes that just aren't here. There is action as well as a bit of magic too, along with mysterious societies and a secret war. So, an Urban-Fairytale-Steampunkish-Romance-Fantasy.

Hauk is a horribly scarred veteran of Afghanistan, and is sure that no one will ever be able to look past his scars. He devotes his energy into helping the Underlight, a secret underground community, against the evil Order of Ananke (whose members control the media, governments, and in general try to take over the world).

Jolie is an heiress who is thumbing her nose at her family by working as a burlesque dancer. She is attempting to live her life on her own terms, and is in an open relationship with a musician. After her first show, she has a steamy encounter through a curtain with Hauk (although she never sees his face). Later, she is almost kidnapped when a monstrous looking man with a familiar voice rips her assailants apart. Soon she is in an underground community and is learning more about her family's ties to the evil Order.

There is some action, a little flirting, but not much else in the romance department, and we do have an annoying teenager (who is thankfully kept to a minimum). This isn't an "after a night Jolie can look past all of Hauk's scars and they are in love the end". Nope. She does get used to his scars and starts to appreciate Hauk, but there are still 2 books to go in this trilogy.

It's a really quick read, and I was intrigued by the world and the assorted characters. I like Hauk. I think most Romance fans will love the tortured Hero who feels he'll never have anyone love him. Jolie is a bit tougher to like in that respect, because Hauk is so sympathetic, but I did think her reactions were realistic, and she showed some growth. I wish we had seen more of the Underlight and its inhabitants. Hopefully in book 2 we will.

When I say quick read, I mean quick. This is a short novel, and there will likely be folks saying, "Where is the rest?" You know I'm good with short stories, and since I knew going into it that there would be more than 1 book, I'm OK with the short installments.

[received an arc to review]

Review: Three Parts Dead

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone

I can honestly say that this book was nothing like what I expected.

The trickiest part about writing this review is that no matter what I say, I don't think I can adequately describe the utter uniqueness of the story. I'll try, though.

Let's look at the cover: knife, shiny, magicky looking mark on arm, shrouded city. I'm thinking: action and magic, with a dark tone. Looks like an Urban Fantasy maybe.

Kind of.

There is magic. And there is action. It takes place in a city. But the whole style, world, plot, problems, characters were not what I was expecting.

It all was a bit more corporate, and lawyer-ey (I don't care if that isn't a word, it totally fits).

In Tara's world, the Craftspeople (human magic users) battled with the gods. And the Craftspeople won.

There are still gods and goddesses, but the world is run according to Craft law. The Craftsmen and women are the ones who draft contracts and handle disputes. Life essence is currency. Of course, in a magic court, the truth is relative to whoever has the most power.

Tara is a novice who was thrown out of Craft school for some reason. She gets a job under Elayne Kevarian, a very powerful Craftswoman. They are needed to resurrect a god. But why did the god die in the first place? And what is with the gargoyles in the city? And why oh why did the opposing counsel have to be her enemy? What kind of f'ed up world is this anyways?

Here's the thing - this isn't what I expected, but I still really liked it. I had a bit of "What is going on here" in the beginning, but I still kept turning the pages, wanting to see how it all turns out.

There isn't any romance, and while there is some action, Tara is not throwing punches right and left. She has power, but she also is very, very smart. Her counterpart, Abelard, a devotee of the dead god, was very interesting to follow as well. Don't think think this is a "get the team together and go on a quest" story either. We have a team, of sorts, with varying levels of trust.

If you have strict lines where your fantasy must fall, you might have some issues getting into this one. However, if you want something different on your fantasy shelf, give Three Parts Dead a try.

[received an ARC to review.]

High Action UF Reads

Here are 2 action-packed UF reads. There's vampires, mages, demons and assassins in one, and an interesting new mythology in another. Also, I celebrate the eBook release of one of my favorite novellas with a heroine who kicks ass in her own way.

4 YA Fantasy Reads

There's fantasy aplenty in these four YA reads. I'd put these in the older YA category. There's a fantasy with thieves and gods, the start of a trilogy where a girl discovers her magic, a werewolf romance, and a retelling of a popular tale from a woman's perspective.

A Cozy Little Fantasy

In the last post, I talked about some books I loved that were on the dark side. Ones that slap your emotions around for awhile.

However, sometimes I also want to just curl up with a story where I'm not worried that someone's getting tortured in the next room. A nice, cozy read where you don't need to leave the lights on at night.

Some UF on the Dark Side

I like dark and gritty. Life ain't all rainbows and unicorns and I do enjoy a good read that jumps on that fact and rides it to the end. This time I've got a Noirish UF set in Vegas, and a road trip book that is not a pleasant excursion to the beach.

Reviews: 3 Short Stories

There's going to be quite a few reviews posted over the next week or so. I've got a backlog, but I'm finally getting my review groove back. Today I have 3 short stories, 2 from existing series, 1 that is a standalone.

Passing the Narrows by Frank Tuttle
This was a good short story. It's one of those shorts where you are thrown into a situation and get to live through this one particular night with the characters.

Set in the South after the Civil War (in a world where magic was and is in use) where hard feelings run deep and a Yankee sorceress is pressing a steamboat captain to continue on to Vicksburg, even if it means encountering something very very bad and angry.

Loved the atmosphere and really enjoyed the characters.

Blindsight (Mirus #1.3) by Kait Nolan
I haven't read any other books in the Mirus series, so that's my caveat.

This felt more like a snippet than a complete story. That doesn't mean I didn't like it, and it did it's job as I was left wanting more. It just didn't have the same feel as a complete short story.

The world is very interesting, I liked the characters, and there is a setup here for a very good action-romance.

Nolan has a good narrative voice and I'll be checking out more from her.

The Abandoned (Graveyard Queen #0.5) by Amanda Stevens
Prequel to The Restorer, but honestly, I think it's better I started with The Restorer and then read this one. It was a bit too short for me, but does introduce some of the side characters/groups in The Restorer, and includes a little bit of Amelia (MC of the Graveyard Queen series) seen from other characters' POV.

Stevens does creepy well, and the atmosphere is fantastic. Her ghosts are not ones to mess around with, either. It is a good taste of what you'll get with the series.

Recent Reads - Fantasy & Romance

I have a couple of UF reads, as well as the third in a Romantic-suspense trilogy.

Grave Dance (Alex Craft #2) by Kalayna Price

I was trying to figure out my next read and I tried the opening chapters of a couple of different books. Then I popped this one open and the next thing I knew I was halfway done. I love it when a book just sucks you in. I'm talking about a book 2 here, so if you haven't read Grave Witch yet, stop here. And then go get it because this series is very good.

Alex is dealing with all of the revelations that happened in book 1. A lot of the book deals with her family's secret heritage. On the romance front, she is unsure what to do about Death, who loves her, but, well, he's Death so how is that going to work out? And Falin has disappeared without a word. Then there is a problem with a bunch of feet that have been discovered, so it looks like a serial killer is on the loose. Add in the unwanted attention of the Faerie courts and Alex is in over her head in no time.

New Mid School/YA Reviews

Here are a couple of Middle School/YA reads. One is a hauntingly beautiful story. I'm hoping I can come up with the words to do it justice. The other is a time travel with some romance.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd, illustrated by Jim Kay

Cried like a freaking baby.

I knew I would love this book when it opens with the yew tree outside 13 year old Conor's bedroom turning into a monster that drags him out of his room, but he is nonplussed because this monster is not the scariest thing he has to deal with. Conor's mother has been fighting cancer, and everyone around him is waiting for the end, while she is trying everything she can to fight. Conor is haunted by nightmares that make giant clawed trees tame. He feels isolated, because no one around him knows how to talk to him. Except for a Monster.

Beautifully written and illustrated, it's also heartbreakingly real and true. I've been Conor and this story just resonated deep within. Also, the illustrations are not "beautiful" in the sense of full color glossy portraits, but that they fit so perfectly in the story and enhance it.

This book illustrates what happens when you learn that life is not fair, that the truth hurts, that sometimes we need lies to deal with the truth, and that healing has different meanings.

The obvious person in need of healing (in this case a dying parent) is not the only one. 

This is not an easy read, but it is one that I believe should be read.

Ruby Red (Edelstein Trilogie 1) by Kerstin Gier, translated by Anthea Bell

I'm kind of happy that the last two time travel books I read did not give me visions of unspeakable paradoxes, nor did they make my head hurt. Gives me hope for finding more time travel stories.

As far as Ruby Red, the pacing was fairly quick, although it still seemed to take a long time to get anywhere. For the most part I liked the side characters, especially Lucy and Paul, and I hope they get fleshed out more. I thought that the main character, Gwyneth, was pretty realistic (almost annoyingly so), but her reactions felt natural. It was an easy book to get into and finish.

However, I felt like it ended just as it was starting to get good. I realize it's a trilogy, but I think I wanted a bit more oomph in the action or the conspiracies. The romance angle felt off to me, to the point where I almost hope in the next book we find out it was a lie. Gwyneth did annoy me a bit in places, but I think that is more the adult in me talking, so younger readers will likely not have the same issue. I also thought the male lead was too 1-dimensional. I hope he gets rounded out a lot more in the next book.

And when I get down to it, yes, I will read the next one. Although I'm really hoping that Lucy and Paul play a bigger role in the next one.

Some New UF/Fantasy Reads

We have a new UF series, a Middle Eastern fantasy from a new author, I finally read book 1 of a fairytale-inspired Princess series, and there is the final book in a favorite paranormal steampunk  series.