Thursday, May 28, 2009

Chill Factor

This is the 3rd book in the Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine.

Book Blurb:

Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden - her specialty is air - so far she has helped protect the human race from monster storms, been killed, reborn as a Djinn, and then restored to her original form. She has been through a lot - and stuck her neck out many times - to save innocent lives. Now she's rolling the dice to stop an infinitely powerful, deeply disturbed kid from destroying the world.....

A teenager named Kevin has holed up in style at a Vegas hotel with the most powerful Djinn in the world, planning who knows what kind of mischief. The Wardens' senior leadership is dead, Djinn are disappearing, and a secret society wants to help Joanne destroy Kevin, even if doing so kills her (again). But everybody in Vegas has a game going, and Joanne has to learn the rules fast because stakes have never been higher - and all hell is about to break loose....

Despite some senseless (to me) weather jargon - I really enjoy this series. LOL

I like the Joanne character - she is tough and resourceful. She does what needs to be done to get the job done and she doesn't wait around for someone else to come up with a plan of action. Joanne is quick on her feet, often flying by the seat of her pants, and crashing head long into whatever nasty is heading her way. She would rather meet something head on than wait for it to come to her. :)

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. :)

M

Weather Warden


1. Ill Wind (2003)
2. Heat Stroke (2004)
3. Chill Factor (2005)
4. Windfall (2005)
5. Firestorm (2006)
6. Thin Air (2007)
7. Gale Force (2008)
8. Cape Storm (2009)
Ill WindHeat StrokeChill FactorWindfall
FirestormThin AirGale ForceCape Storm

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Grimspace

This is the first book in the Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre.

Book Blurb:

By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…
As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.



Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom—for a price.


March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel—and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing—grimspace—and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…


This is the first time I've read this author and I absolutely LOVED this book. :)


Jax is messed up - emotionally and physically. She has dedicated almost half of her life to the Corp - an establishment she fully believed in - and thought they believed in her as well.


I enjoyed how complex this character is - she is tough, yet vulnerable - looking out for number one - then learning to look out for others. Smart-assed and flippant - then wearing her heart on her sleeve. :)


I can't wait for the rest of this series. :)


I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.


M


Sirantha Jax


1. Grimspace (2008)
2. Wanderlust (2008)
GrimspaceWanderlust
Doubleblind

Saturday, May 23, 2009

The Sword

This is the first book in the Sons of Destiny series by Jean Johnson and the story of Saber and Kelly.

Book Blurb:

Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day - they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy.

To avoid tempting Destiny, they're exiled to Nightfall Isle, where females are forbidden. But when the youngest of the mage-brothers rescues a woman from another universe, their world is altered forever.

Kelly Doyle had wanted to get away from the world. Threatened, attacked, and accused of witchcraft, Kelly had enough of her narrow-minded small town. And now she has somehow landed in another, magical dimension-the only woman in a realm inhabited by eight men who are desperately in need of a woman's touch.

With Kelly in their midst, Saber, the eldest of the eight, is forced to confront the Curse that plagues them - if he falls in love, disaster is imminent. But in the aftermath of an attack, and despite the threatening Prophecy, Saber and Kelly's passion only grows stronger.

I loved this book. :) Kelly is smart and fun - independent to a fault and stubborn to boot. Saber is a grumble monkey - a hot one, but a grumble monkey none the less.

This book is full of witty banter - a little action, a little romance and characters that seem to come alive. :)

I have the 2nd and 3rd book on the TBR shelf and can't wait to get to them (and get the rest of the series).

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. :)

M

Sons of Destiny
1. The Sword (2007)
2. The Wolf (2007)
3. The Master (2007)
4. The Song (2008)
5. The Cat (2008)
6. The Storm (2008)
7. The Flame (2008)
8. The Mage (2009)
The SwordThe WolfThe MasterThe Song
The CatThe StormThe FlameThe Mage




Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Night Life

This is the first book in the Nocturne City series by Caitlin Kittredge.

Book Blurb:

Welcome to Nocturne City, where werewolves, black magicians, and witches prowl the streets at night.....

Among them is Luna Wilder, a tough-as-nails police officer whose job is to keep the peace. As an Insoli werewolf, Luna travels without a pack and must rely on instinct alone. And she's just been assigned to find the ruthless killer behind a string of ritualistic murders—a killer with ties to an escaped demon found only in legend…until now.

But when she investigates prime suspect Dmitri Sandovsky, she can't resist his wolfish charms. Pack leader of a dangerous clan of Redbacks, Dimitri sends her animal instincts into overdrive and threatens her fiercely-guarded independence. But Luna and Dimiri will need to rely on each other as they're plunged into an ancient demon underworld and pitted against an expert black magician with the power to enslave them for eternity…

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Kittredge and it was not bad. The book was a little slow going in spots and bogged down in others. I actually found myself skimming on a couple of occasions - but I made myself go back and read correctly. LOL

I am interested in the Luna character and anticipate reading the rest of the series. :) I am also curious to see if Dmitri makes an appearance in any of the other books.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

M

Nocturne City
1. Night Life (2008)
2. Pure Blood (2008)
3. Second Skin (2009)
4. Witch Craft (2009)
Night LifePure BloodSecond SkinWitch Craft



Sunday, May 17, 2009

At Grave's End

This is the 3rd book in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost.

Book Blurb:

Some things won't stay buried . . . at grave's end

It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself - and Bones - from a fate worse than the grave.

I have to say that this is my favorite book in the series so far. We have humor, we have action, we have mystery and sorrow and then happiness and more action. LOL

I love the Cat and Bones characters and the way the interact with one another and the people surrounding them.

This book is a page turner!! I did not want to put it down and can't wait for the next installment.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

M

Night Huntress
1. Halfway to the Grave (2007)
2. One Foot in the Grave (2008)
3. At Grave's End (2009)
4. Destined for an Early Grave (2009)
Halfway to the GraveOne Foot in the GraveAt Grave's EndDestined for an Early Grave

Friday, May 15, 2009

Dead and Gone

This is the 9th book in Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris.

Book Blurb:

For mind-reading barmaid Sookie Stackhouse, the day-to-day activities of the supernatural communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest. She is blood-bound to the leader of the vampires, a friend to the local werewolf pack, works for a man who is a pure shapeshifter and has a younger brother who’s a werepanther. And she herself, though only some supes can detect it, has fairy blood in her veins.

Mainstream society has known about the Undead for years, but most humans aren’t up on the shifting power dynamics in the paranormal community. To them, the Vamps are mysterious seductive creatures—undead and nonhuman, but a recognized part of society nonetheless. They don’t even know about the Weres. But that’s about to change.

The Were community has finally decided to follow the lead of the Vamps and reveal their existence to the ordinary world. It all appears to be going smoothly, but tensions rise when the body of a werepanther is found in the parking lot of Sookie’s job. The human cops think that a human did it. The panthers think it was her Were brother, Jason. Sookie sets out to clear his name—a task made complicated when she finds out that her life, too, is in danger….


Another winner for Ms. Harris. :)

I don't see how Sookie can manage her day to day existence with all the baggage she is toting around - and I'm not just talking about all the men in her life. LOL

I absolutely love this series and look forward to each new installment. :)

I give this book and the entire series 5 out of 5 stars.

M

Sookie Stackhouse


1. Dead Until Dark (2001)
2. Living Dead in Dallas (2002)
3. Club Dead (2003)
4. Dead to the World (2004)
5. Dead as a Doornail (2005)
6. Definitely Dead (2006)
7. All Together Dead (2007)
8. From Dead to Worse (2008)
9. Dead and Gone (2009)
10. Cruel and Unusual (2009)

Dead Until DarkLiving Dead in DallasClub DeadDead to the World
Dead as a DoornailDefinitely DeadAll Together DeadFrom Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Fat White Vampire Blues

This book is by Andrew Fox.

Book Blurb:

Vampire, nosferatu, creature of the night - whatever you call him - Jules Duchon has lived (so to speak) in New Orleans far longer than there have been drunk coeds on Bourbon Street. Weighing in at a whopping four hundred and fifty pounds, swelled up on the sweet, rich blood of people who consume the fattiest diet in the world, Jules is thankful he can't see his reflection in a mirror. When he turns into a bat, he can't get his big ol' butt off the ground.

What's worse, after more than a century of being undead, he's watched his neighborhood truly go to hell - and now, a new vampire is looking to drive him out altogether. See, Jules had always been an equal opportunity kind of vampire. And while he would admit that the blood of a black woman is sweeter than the blood of a white man, Jules never drank more than his fair share of either.

Enter Malice X. Young, cocky, and black, Malice warns Jules that his days of feasting on sisters and brothers are over. He tells Jules he'd better confine himself to white victims - or else face the consequences. And then, just to prove he isn't kidding, Malice burns Jules's house to the ground.

With the help of Maureen, the morbidly obese, stripper-vampire who made him, and Doodlebug, an undead cross-dresser who (literally) flies in from the coast - Jules must find a way to contend with the hurdles that life throws at him ... without getting a stake through the heart. It's enough to give a man the blues.

I have been so looking forward to reading this book. I had it built up in my mind to be one of the best books I would ever read. And based on the above blurb - who could argue with that assumption?

Well it was not all that I had hoped. Honestly the book had funny moments - a lot of funny moments - but it was also offensive in some area's. Not quite PC.

I give this book 2 out of 5 stars.

M

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Red

This is the first book in the Dead World series by Jordan Summers.

Book Blurb:

Gina Santiago is a member of an elite tactical team in charge of protecting the world. She's devoted her life to apprehending the most heinous criminals that prey on society - and now she's after the worst one yet.

On her own, with no backup, the trail takes her to a dusty, tight-knit town on the fringes of society, where everyone's a suspect. Even the sexy sheriff, Morgan Hunter, isn't telling her everything. Gina knows he's trouble, but she's inexorably drawn to him.

The closer Gina comes to finding out the secret of this sleepy little town and its big bad sheriff; the closer she comes to catching the predator, the more scared she gets - because she's beginning to realize that she has a secret, too. A secret that will change Gina's life. and make her the killer's prey.

This was a good read - I think the series will probably get better as it goes along. :)

Set in the year 2160, we find Gina working more or less as a policeman's policeman. The United States is gone and in it's place are republics that are policed by sheriff's. Gina works for the International Police Tactical Team - they are the best of the best.

The boundaries of the Republics are strictly defended - from Unknowns that live outside the boundaries. These are people -or beings- that refuse to be tagged and recognized by the Republics. Unknowns are considered 'less than' and can be killed outright - no questions asked.

I would consider this book a 'paranormal thriller'. It is about a serial killer - the serial killer just happens to be of the supernatural kind. :)

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I will read the next books in the series because I really like the character Red and I am interested in what is going to happen to her next.

M

Dead World

1. Red (2008)
2. Scarlet (2009)
3. Crimson (2009)
RedScarletCrimson

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Curse the Dawn

This is the 4th book in the Cassie Palmer series by Karen Chance.

Book Blurb:

Cassandra Palmer may be the all-powerful Pythia now, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped trying to kill her. Most of the supernatural power players don’t want the independent minded Cassie as chief clairvoyant—and they’ll stop at nothing to see her six feet under.



The Vampire Senate does support Cassie in her position, but their protection comes with a price: an alliance with the sexy master vampire Mircea, who has claimed Cassie as his own.



But even the vampires will have trouble keeping Cassie alive now that the self-styled god Apollo, the source of the Pythia’s power, has it in for her in a big way. To save her life—and the world—Cassie’s going to have to face down her creator once and for all.


This is one of my favorite series. Cassie just can't seem to catch a break. Most of the time she has no idea what's going on - or her part in it either. :)


Now that Cassie is Pythia she has all these powers - but no idea how to use them - she catches flashes of visions - but doesn't know what to do with them. Basically she is flyng by the seat of her pants.


Trying to stay one step ahead of the War Mages that are trying to collect the bounty that the Silver Circle has placed on her head, Cassie jumps out of the frying pan and smack into the fire.


I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait for the next one. :)


M


Cassandra Palmer

1. Touch the Dark (2006)
2. Claimed By Shadow (2007)
3. Embrace the Night (2008)
4. Curse the Dawn (2009)
Touch the DarkClaimed By ShadowEmbrace the NightCurse the Dawn

Friday, May 8, 2009

Lover Avenged

This is the 7th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J R Ward and the story of Rehvenge and Ehlena.

Book Blurb:

Caldwell, NY, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society.

It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord at the notorious nightclub, ZeroSum, that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King, and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood, even though his sister is married to a member. Because he’s a sympath, his identity is a deadly secret- the revelation of which will result in his banishment to a colony for sociopaths. And as plots within and outside the Brotherhood take their toll against Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in a darkening world- Elhena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him- and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

J R Ward rocks!!! I could just leave it at that. :) But I won't. LOL

For those familiar with the BDB - this is the continuation of the stories surrounding the Brothers - but with a little more emphasis on Rehv.

We find out more about Rehv's background - what has driven him to become the person he is and how that makes him feel. We also see a different side of him - one he rarely, if ever, shows to anyone other than his Mother and Sister.

Elhena is a nurse who works in the clinic with Havers. Rehv comes in on a regular basis for his dopamain and antivenon and he is taken with Elhena - but only admires her from afar.

This book also touches on Xhex and John and Tohr. I hope that the next book is John Matthew's. :)

A new development with Wrath occurs.

Lash and the Lessening Society are still up to their tricks.

Payne makes a small appearance and I am really wondering where Ms Ward is gonna take us with Payne's story. Part of me wants Payne to end up with Tohr - but another part of me can't see that happening. I really can't see Tohr with anyone at all. Another part of me wonders if Payne is gonna end up with Qhuinn.....now that might be interesting.

I just wish Ms. Ward wrote as fast as we read. :) But the whole series is well worth the wait.

I give this book and the entire series 5 out of 5 stars.

M

Black Dagger Brotherhood

1. Dark Lover (2005)
2. Lover Eternal (2006)
3. Lover Awakened (2006)
4. Lover Revealed (2007)
5. Lover Unbound (2007)
6. Lover Enshrined (2008)
7. Lover Avenged (2009)
Dark LoverLover EternalLover AwakenedLover Revealed
Lover UnboundLover EnshrinedLover Avenged