Veena’s review of Fair Game (Alpha and Omega Series, Book 3) by Patricia Briggs
Paranormal Romance published by Ace 6 Mar 12

Fae, werewolves, witches, and vampires (not sure if they’re out) have revealed themselves to the human population of the world. It is now “Fair Game” for a serial killer to target werewolves. This urban fantasy by Patricia Briggs brings in Charles and Anna from the Alpha and Omega series of adventures as expert consultants to the FBI to help solve these murders.

Charles is second to Bran Cornick, Marrok (supreme alpha) over all the werewolf packs in North America. He is soul sick with guilt due to the number of wolves he has had to kill recently to enforce the pack laws. In order to give Charles some breathing room, he goes ostensibly as Anna’s bodyguard to help hunt the serial killer who is targeting werewolves.

Ably assisted by the local wolf alpha, the FBI, a Fae lord, and a witch, Charles and Anna work against the clock to find the latest victim, the fae lord’s daughter, who is in the hands of the serial killer. The suspense is masterful and the story moves at a very good clip toward a stunning conclusion.

Woven masterfully through the chain of events leading to solving the mystery and finding the serial killer is the relationship between Charles and Anna as they find their way toward dealing with the darkness in Charles and strengthening their relationship.

I believe this is one of Patricia Briggs’ best written books, certainly the best in the Alpha and Omega series. She delicately reminds readers of the links with the Mercy Thompson series by referring to events in her last book River Marked and also to the relationship between Bran, Adam, Mercedes, Charles and Anna. The world is certainly poised for great change at the end, so it will be interesting to see where she takes both series next. In the words of the author, “Changing times, as Coyote might say, lead to interesting adventures.”

Grade: A

Summary:

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can’t afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father’s dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack’s help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer’s sights…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, Book 5) by Ilona Andrews
Urban Fantasy published by Ace 31 May 11

Magic Bleeds is an almost perfect urban fantasy novel, so husband and wife team Ilona Andrews have a lot to live up to in Magic Slays.  But while Magic Slays falls short of its predecessor, it’s certainly not a step backward for the series.

Kate Daniels and Curran the Beast Lord are truly together.  Much of Kate’s past and connection to the mysterious Roland have been revealed.  Where do you go from there?  Survey says: her mother.  Kate’s mom has been a bit of a nonentity in the past, just a woman who died and barely managed to save her child.  Magic Slays casts what both we and Kate know in a different light.

Kate and Curran, meanwhile, are figuring out how they work as parents.  Kate’s foster daughter Julie is coming home.  At the same time, she’s now recognized as the female Alpha for Atlanta and expected to help keep the youngsters and other troublemakers in line.  In particular, Aunt B asks her to reform Arsenio, a werehyena teen who keeps having sex in public.  (Aunt B steals every scene she’s in, as always.)  Kate’s also expected to learn shapeshifter law and hear petitions.  It’s not a development she’s thrilled with.

She also gets a real case for Cutting Edge investigations when she learns a loose vampire is coming her way.  It’s not only the vampires who are running amok – werecreatures are going rogue as well.  It’s all orchestrated by a secret conspiracy.  Despite culminating in a huge, multi-species battle, it amounts to little.  Neither the world nor the characters are changed. Magic Slays is just a speed bump in the trajectory of the series.  The Lighthouse Keepers are fine as one-off villains, but it’s hard to forget that they have nothing to do with Big Bad Roland.

Plus, much of the emotion directed toward the villains feels false after the conclusion.  Pretty much, this is one of two books I’ve read recently with one serious, small flaw.  In this case, it’s Kate’s powers being a bit too super special.  She promises to never use her ability in that way again, but we’ll see.

Andrews’ worldbuilding continues to be excellent.  Kate’s new business is not an immediate success because her completion is more established and her reputation isn’t spotless.  The Lighthouse Keeper’s motivation makes sense given the changes in society caused when magic came to Atlanta.  There’s little new to explore in the alternate Atlanta, but it’s still important for things to remain consistent.

Little quibble aside, Magic Slays is fast-paced and fierce.  It’s less romantic than previous books, but I don’t feel that establishing the relationship damaged the chemistry between Kate and Curran.  Kate’s confrontation with her father is coming ever closer and until then she has a city to keep safe.  Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2013 for the next Kate Daniels adventure.

Grade: B

Summary:

Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be-now that the Order is disparaging her good name. Plus, many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. But it turns out that this is not an isolated incident. Kate needs to get to the bottom of it-and fast, or the city and everyone dear to her may pay the ultimate price…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Liviania’s review of Serpent’s Storm (Calliope Reaper-Jones, Book 3) by Amber Benson
Urban fantasy published by Ace 22 Feb 11

Serpent’s Storm is one of two books I’ve read recently that I loved aside from one element.  Amber Benson (yes, Tara of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) has been improving with each book in the Calliope Reaper-Jones series, so I’m hoping she’ll deal with it better in the fourth book.

Each book, Calliope has shown she can step up to the plate.  But she’s never taken responsibility – it’s always been forced on her.  In Serpent’s Storm, she finally makes that leap.  But before then, she’s once more thrust into the breach when she unexpectedly becomes Death during what was supposed to be a normal work day.  That is, she becomes Death apart from having to kill the other two heirs apparent – one of whom is her boyfriend.  She also needs to take on the people who killed her father, the previous Death – one of whom is her older sister.  It’s quite the tangle.

Calliope and Daniel don’t spend much time together, but their scenes are well done.  They get a particularly cute moment in the middle of the book, when they’re supposed to be fighting to the death.  Less cute?  Frank, who Calliope has sex with.  Frank, who Calliope has sex with after he uses magic to make her more receptive to his advances when she begins their meeting by fighting him.  It’s creepy and gross.  Calliope knows he coerced her, but everyone still treats the encounter as completely consensual.  That’s double creepy and gross.  I’m not saying that she needs to be crying and devastated after, but thus far it’s only played out as her willfully cheating on her boyfriend, which isn’t what happened.

But Serpent’s Storm is a good, action-filled urban fantasy with plenty of character development.  Several new characters arrive, some with unexpected revelations.  Several old characters make cameos, some with unexpected revelations.  It can be annoying when an urban fantasy heroine makes a power up, but this one makes sense since Calliope has been Death’s heir since Death’s Daughter.  It also works because she still needs to grow into her powers and learn to use them correctly.  She also needs to start thinking ahead of her opponents.  Her narration is irreverent, injecting the right amount of comedy to keep Serpent’s Storm from being terribly depressing.

I’ll be back to see what Calliope Reaper-Jones does next, but I’m hoping there are no more skeevy subway scenes.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Calliope just wants to make it big in the Big Apple like any other working girl. But Callie is also Death’s Daughter, no matter how much she tries to stay out of the family business. And now her older sister has made a deal with the Devil himself to engage in a hostile takeover of both Death Inc. and Heaven-once they get Callie out of the way.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Liviania’s review of Hellforged (Deadtown, Book 2) by Nancy Holzner
Urban Fantasy published by Ace 28 Dec 10

Hellforged does not start immediately after Deadtown, there’s little downtime between the two books.  Vicky may have just banished a demon, but that doesn’t mean her work is over.  She’s just created new problems for herself to solve as the only demon hunter around.  And demon hunters are needed when something is eating the zombies.

She also has a romantic dilemma.  She’s interested in nice guy police detective Daniel.  But her long-distance boyfriend Kane, a werewolf and a lawyer, is more on her mind since he became long-distance.  The love triangle, however, worked better in Deadtown.  Kane gets much more page space in Hellforged, making Vicky’s future decisions seem obvious.

I do like that both guys are good prospects.  Vicky isn’t attracted to the bad boys.  (Not that a bad boy doesn’t show up and try to tempt her.)  Kane crusades for undead rights and Daniel tries to uphold the law.  I’ve been reading a lot of YA lately, and it seems like way too many of the potential boyfriends are assholes.  Reading about two sexy good guys?  Now that’s a good time.

But Hellforged is an urban fantasy, not a paranormal romance.  So Vicky spends a lot of time away from both guys, doing small stuff like learning how to save the world.  She travels to Ireland, in fact, to train under her aunt.  Nancy Holzner wisely raises the stakes before the training sequences.  While reading Deadtown is not necessary, it makes the opening section of Hellforged sadder.  Likeable reoccurring characters are not safe.  It may hurt when it happens, but I do love an author willing to kill characters.  Without that willingness, the climax of Hellforged wouldn’t be as tense.

Vicky is a fine character on her own, as well.  The villain might not be impressed, but she thinks on her feet.  She improvises solutions, using what she knows about the undead and whatever weapons are on hand to keep herself and others alive.  Her trying to learn to be true to herself is a little hokey.  Aunt Mab mostly makes it sounds practical, but it’s a bit more sensibility than sense.

Holzner hasn’t managed to crack my favorites, but I’m definitely going to keep up with the series.  I like Vicky and enjoy reading about her adventures.  The Deadtown series is more straightforward than other stuff I read, but I do like a good action book now and then.

Grade: B

Summary:
After Vicky banished her demon nemesis to the fiery depths of Hell, she thought life would return to normal. But considering she has a werewolf lawyer boyfriend, a zombie apprentice who’s angling to become a pop star, and an eccentric vampire roommate, what is normal, anyway?

Then the supposedly banished Hellion starts to trespass in Vicky’s dreams—just as several of Deadtown’s zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. When Vicky realizes she’s the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown’s living nightmare.

What she doesn’t know is that her old enemy brings with it a force more terrifying—and deadly—than anything she’s battled before.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Ghost of a Chance (Ghost Finders, Book 1) by Simon R. Green
Urban fantasy published by Ace 31 Aug 10

Simon R. Green began writing urban fantasy when the genre was still young. Thus, I’ve heard good things about his work for awhile. I bought one of his books before, only to discover it was the third in the series instead of the first. So I was very happy when I finally got the chance to read his work. Unfortunately, Ghost of a Chance is an unpleasant surprise.

JC Chance, Melody Chambers, and Happy Jack Palmer are a team working for the Carnacki Institute to exorcise bothersome ghosts.  Melody, the only girl on the team, is the techno-geek.  For most of the novel she has to leave her equipment behind, rendering her mostly useless.  (The techno-geek working for the Crowley Project, their enemies, much more wisely carries a laptop.)  JC is charming but gratingly arrogant.  Happy Jack is the telepath on drugs to deal with his abilities.  None of them really rise above their cookie-cutter roles.

The romance in the novel is central, which is kind of strange for a male-oriented urban fantasy.  When exorcising the Oxford Circus Tube Station, JC falls for the recently murdered Kim, who might hold the key to defeating the evil in the subway station.  Through the rest of the novel, JC and Kim are motivated by their instant true love.  (Kim, apparently, never notices that one of JC’s defining attributes is “annoying.”)  I could believe in the love at first sight if the relationship had ups and downs while forming, but it’s smooth sailing.  The only danger to the relationship is external.  JC manages to survive by deus ex machina halfway through the novel, which is very fortunate since that same deus ex machina saves the characters several times.

The human enemies are the best part of the novel.  Erik Grossman is a thug who uses cybernetic technology.  (Okay, he’s fairly flat too.  But you know what kind of flat character everyone is since they’re all introduced with two or more paragraphs of exposition.)  Natasha Chang is the gorgeous telepath with a suspiciously high number of ex-husbands.  She kind of admires JC and develops an interesting rapport with Happy Jack while trying to survive the horror in the tube station.

There’s a creepy horror story somewhere in Ghost of a Chance.  And flat characters wouldn’t hamper a horror story all that much.  But what actually happens is a bloodless adventure centered around a sugary sweet forbidden romance.  (Humans aren’t supposed to date ghosts, so JC will probably face fallout for that in the next book.)  Ghost of a Chance is more lame than terrible.  It feels like an amateur’s effort, rather than the newest release of a respected author.

Grade: D

Summary:

The Carnacki institute exists to Do Something About Ghosts. Lay them to rest, send them packing, or kick their nasty ectoplasmic arses with extreme prejudice.

The institute’s operatives are the best of the best. JC Chance: sharp, brave, charming, and almost unbearably arrogant; Melody Chambers: science geek, techno-wizard extraordinaire who keeps the antisupernatual equipment running smoothly; and Happy Jack Palmer: the telepath with the gloomy disposition, the last person anyone would want navigating through their head.

No excerpt found.

Liviania’s Quick Quack Reviews of one science fiction romance and three urban fantasy novels by Cameron Haley, Ilona Andrews, Katherine Allred, and Phaedra Weldon.

Mob Rules (Underworld Cycle, Book 1) by Cameron Haley
Urban fantasy published by Luna 1 Sep 10

I love the world Cameron Haley sets up in Mob Rules. Her sorcerers are LA gang members who get power boosts from graffiti. Domino Riley, an enforcer for Shanar Rashan, is investigating a murder. Riley soon realizes that there’s something odd about Jamal’s murder when she has trouble summoning his spirit. It also means that her outfit is going to war with Papa Danwe’s outfit.

There’s a strong cast of background characters, especially the piskie Honey. The romance with Adan is nice, but ultimately a non-starter. I’m excited for the next Underworld Cycle novel. Riley’s smart and tough and Haley’s worldbuilding is off to a good start.

Grade: B+

Summary:

As LA plunges into an occult gang war, mob sorceress Domino Riley must unravel a conspiracy that reaches beyond the magic-soaked mean streets into a world of myth and legend.

Domino investigates the ritual execution of a mob associate, a graffiti magician named Jamal. The kid isn’t just dead, he’s been squeezed — the killer stole his magical power or “juice.” Domino summons Jamal’s shade, and the ghost points to Adan Rashan as his killer. This is tricky, because Adan is the favored son of Domino’s boss, Shanar Rashan, a six-thousand-year-old Sumerian wizard. It’s even trickier because only a mobbed-up sorcerer could have squeezed Jamal and Adan isn’t a sorcerer.

As the corpses pile up, Domino must confront the killer and unmask an otherworldly kingpin with designs on her gang’s magic-rich turf.

MOB RULES is an urban fantasy novel of murder and magic, betrayal and redemption set in the supernatural underworld of Los Angeles.

Read an excerpt here.

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, Book 4) by Ilona Andrews
Urban fantasy published by Ace 25 May 10

I am extremely happy I finally read Ilona Andrews’ works. I read Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, and Magic Bleeds in quick succession. Thus, my memories are somewhat blended together. (I may also spoil parts of the previous novels.) Even with that handicap, I am convinced that Magic Bleeds is a highlight. Quite a bit is revealed about Kate’s mysterious past due to her adversary. Kate’s confrontation with her father is probably going to come soon, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.

In addition, Curran and Kate’s relationship is progressing nicely. In fact, Kate’s willing to fight to stay with him. Kate’s becoming more connected to her community in a variety of ways and it makes her a stronger person. I can see why this series is so hyped, and I must say that it’s living up to all the nice things people say.

Grade: A

Summary:
Kate Daniels cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to deal with-especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.

And now there’s a new player in town-a foe that may be too much for even Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Close Contact (Alien Affairs, Book 2) by Katherine Allred
Science fiction romance published by Harper Voyager 8 Jun 10

Science fiction romances aren’t that common, so I was somewhat excited by this one. Echo Adams is a Genetically Engineered Person with psi abilities. Now, instead of planning parties, she’s attempting to steal back a stolen crystal on a far-off planet and falling in love with the commander of the king’s army. But there’s something strange about Reynard and his fellow Madreans.

I found this one a little disappointing. I prefer hard SF to soft SF, and all the psi abilities being used might as well be magic. Echo and Reynard’s romance worked fine, but wasn’t overly memorable. The book is, however, better than the cover would lead you to believe.

Grade: B-

Summary:

GEPs just want to have fun . . .

A Genetically Engineered Person and self-proclaimed “party girl,” Echo Adams loves her diplomatic job entertaining alien bigwigs for the Galactic Federation. But the Bureau of Alien Affairs has discovered she’s much more than she thinks—that a rogue scientist endowed her with skills and psi abilities dwarfing those of common GEPs. And suddenly Echo’s luxury life is over, replaced with a far more dangerous one: a special agent expected to not only chase bad guys but eliminate them.

Echo hates being stuck on Madrea—a planet of technophobes off limits to Federation visitors—hunting for a stolen quartz crystal with a powerful alien life form embedded inside. She despises the Bureau’s restrictive rules—especially the one warning her away from the dangerously seductive commander of the king’s army. And if she doesn’t learn how to use her alleged super-psi powers soon, her partying days—in fact all of her days—will be over for good.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Revenant (Zoë Martinique Investigations, Book 4) by Phaedra Weldon
Urban fantasy published by Ace 1 Jun 10

Revenant is the fourth Zoë Martinique Investigation novel and an excellent example of why I like to start series from the beginning. The novel begins with a brief explanation of Zoë’s past. By the third page I was completely lost. She used a number of abbreviations and the timeline was quite confusing, plus it’s a totally made up system of magic. I may give Revenant another change if I can first read one of the earlier books. I’m not sure about the prose, however. It had a strong rhythm, with lots of staccato sentences. It seems like it would be jarring to read a full work written in Zoë’s voice.

Grade: DNF

Summary:

The smart, sassy, single, and “highly original” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs) Zoë Martinique is back- and she’s seeking clues on the other side…

Zoë Martinique’s life hasn’t been ordinary for quite awhile. First she developed the ability to travel outside her body at will-where she encountered some seriously weird things. Things that left her with powers that she didn’t really want or need. Still, a person can get used to almost anything- even being a Wraith. Though more often than not, it plays serious havoc with her love life.

But for once, Zoë is glad of her abilities. Bodies are showing up all over Atlanta, drained of blood. They’re beings from another astral plane, called Revenants-and they’re being stalked by her old enemy, the Phantasm. The Revenants are hardly the nicest of creatures-but to preserve the cosmic balance, Zoë will need to put everything on the line to save them…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of Bayou Moon (The Edge, Book 2) by Ilona Andrews
Fantasy romance released by Ace 28 Sep 10

Ever wonder where the term “redneck” comes from?  In Texas, it has a very different meaning than in other parts of the country. No matter where you live, though, being called a redneck is not usually a compliment.

The authors of this book call it “redneck romance” – I call it a unique and captivating story.  No hint of redneckery involved.  Read on to see why…

“Ilona Andrews” is the husband/wife writing team of Ilona and Andrew Gordon.  I’d like to think that this combination of male and female perspectives is what makes the characters so rich and complex.  No matter the reason, the result is a book full of people you know, believe in, and want to spend time with.

The “redneck” or rustic overtone is not buck teeth, “aw shucks” type.  It’s used as an important story element, lending a sense of impoverishment and an edge of desperation to the characters and their actions.  It helps explain a lot of what happens in this very dense story.

And a lot happens in Bayou Moon – lots of very well thought out fight scenes, lots of fun dialogue, and good quality time spent in the heads of the hero and heroine.  It’s a well told story of some very interesting characters in a very believable alternate reality.  It was easy to read it and forget where I was for a while (literally startled out of the “book trance” a couple of times).

I can’t say enough good things about the way the hero was written.  William is a damaged, lonely man yearning for some softness in his life.  Then he meets a woman who is anything but soft – they don’t even like each other for much of the beginning of the book.  But the heroine, Cerise,  manages to bring to William that sense of family and belonging he craves.  You will have more fun being in his head than any other character in the book.

The world and the plot is delightfully complex.  It’s been a while since I’ve read such a believable alternate reality.  It’s easy to think “this could really be true” when reading it – nothing dragged me out of the story with a “wtf?” feeling.  I stayed fully engaged in the book until something or someone startled me out of it.  LOVE that.

The romance is believable and so wonderful when it finally happens.  I was really cheering for the couple by the time they got together.  However, I would have a difficult time classifying this strictly as a “romance” – there’s so much more to the story than the simple “boy meets girl” plot line.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good paranormal/fantasy book.  I didn’t read the first book and didn’t feel lost in this one.  You will enjoy the time spent in William and Cerise’s world. You may even feel like you should wash the swamp mud off your feet as you read it.

Grade: A+

Summary:

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Walmart and magic is a fairytale–and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…

Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

Ash’s review of Red Hot Fury by Kasey Mackenzie
Urban Fantasy released by Ace 29 Jun 10

Instead of the usual vampires and werewolves, Kasey Mackenzie has given us Furies and Warhounds. What could have been just another typical book turned out to be one that I didn’t want to put down. It isn’t without its flaws, but they are minor and I never thought of them after the fact. There is a bunch of things to like, though.

Riss is a Fury, which means if you are a bad guy, you wouldn’t like her when she’s angry. I find myself liking her all of the time, whether she is happy or on the verge of unleashing her Rage. It’s a relief to have a Fury as our main character, instead of the usual were or vamp.

She stands out and it’s exciting to read about what she is. Riss has people after her, loved ones betraying her, and an ex who might be more. It is the basis of tons of other urban fantasies, but this one stands out.

Since I am always looking for the romance in every book I read, I have to talk about Scott, the ex. They are still in love, and, of course, I found myself wanting more time spent on them. Still, I thought Kasey Mackenzie did a good job in making their relationship realistic.

The romance is not a big thing in this book, there are people missing and they don’t waste time on each other when they have things to do. It was actually nice to have them focus on what needs to be focused on while not ignoring their feelings either.

I did immediately suspect the person that ends up being the big bad. I kept hoping it would be someone else and surprise me, but it didn’t. Still, there are plenty of other twists and turns.

There’s never a dull moment, and I think there is a lot of potential in this world that has been created. So now I have another series to look forward to, and I hope it continues to deliver.

Grade: B-

Summary:

As a Fury, Marissa Holloway belongs to an Arcane race that has avenged wrongdoing since time immemorial. As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator for the past five years, she’s doing what she was born to: solving supernatural crimes.

It’s far from business as usual when the body of one of Riss’s sister Furies washes up in Boston harbor. Riss discovers that the corpse’s identity has been magically altered, but as soon as she reports her findings, she’s immediately—and inexplicably—suspended from her job. Then a human assassin makes an attempt on her life, and Riss starts to realize that someone may be trying to stir up strife between mortals and Arcanes.

When a Fury gets mad, she gets even, and Riss is determined to untangle this case. Without the support of the mortal PD, Riss turns to the one man she can trust to watch her back—shapeshifting Warhound Scott Murphy. But since Scott is also Riss’s ex, she’ll have to keep a tight leash on more than just the supernatural rage that feeds her power as they try to solve a murder—and stop a war…

Read an excerpt.

Liviania’s review of Inhuman Resources (OSI, Book 3) by Jes Battis
Urban fantasy released by Ace 25 May 2010

I’ve seen the OSI (Occult Special Investigator) novels on shelves and on blogs, but Inhuman Resources is the first book in the series I’ve actually read.  For people who like CSI and its ilk, Inhuman Resources is a good urban fantasy version of the forensic genre.  And for all the detecting urban fantasy heroines do, it’s fun to read about one who actually is a member of the magical law enforcement.

The main weakness for me is that I never caught on to how the magic worked.  Tess Corday, the protagonist, is half-demon and good with earth.  Her boyfriend, Lucian Agrado, is a necromancer.  Her roommate is also a half-demon and psychic.  Apparently this all works through materia, and different people have different affinities.  But while I assume Jes Battis explained how materia worked in the first book, he doesn’t repeat the explanation here.  At the very least, they seem completely unrelated to Final Fantasy materia, which are the only kind of materia I know anything about.

The second weakness is that Tess and Lucian are in a rough patch in their relationship.  It is very difficult to read about a rough patch and how the characters work through it without knowing about the relationship’s past and what makes it worth holding onto.  I can see why the relationship is having trouble.  Lucian is a secret keeper, used to the necromancers’ love of keeping everything under wraps.  Tess is a secret finder, used to ferreting out what people want hidden.  That comes to a head when a necromancer dies and Tess needs the help of Lucian and his community to solve the murder.

There’s some nifty sociological stuff going on.  Battis’s world is well-planned.  The necromancers, vampires, and so-on-and-so-forth each have different societies that only manage to get along through negotiations (which are currently ongoing).  It doesn’t help that Tess’s foster son, Patrick, has just become a vampiric leader despite his youth and inexperience.

The plot of Inhuman Resources was tight and the action scenes were well-done.  I liked Tess’s dreams about her demonic father and the implications of where the OSI series is going next.  But I do wish Battis had helped new readers out by giving at least a brief explanation of the magic system.  I may pick up the first two in order to find out the answer.

Grade: B-

Summary:
When a powerful necromancer is killed, Occult Special Investigator Tess Corday must handle the heavy politics in the occult community as carefully as she handles the scant evidence. But with her sometime lover Lucian Agrado representing the necromancers in the grisly matter, things are about to get out of control…fast.
No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of SpellCrash (WebMage, Book 5) by Kelly McCullough
Mythology/cyberpunk/fantasy released by Ace 25 May 2010

I somehow managed to not realize there existed a series that crossed mythology with cyberpunk. I managed to do this despite knowing that either my father or I bought or seriously considered buying WebMage, the first book in Kelly McCullough’s WebMage series.  Either way, I was excited to see that two of my favorite genres mated and produced offspring.

McCullough does a good job of summarizing the events of previous books.  While I was still catching up on the world’s rules, I felt like I had a grasp on the pertinent parts of the series arc before the first chapter ended.  The only problem I had starting with the fifth book was the relationships.  SpellCrash didn’t involve the main character, Ravirn, meeting new people.  Therefore, I had to take how he interacted with others at face value.  The relationships felt complex, but I don’t know if there were major changes to someone’s personality.  I did appreciate the variety of relationships.  (Being familiar with Greek mythology, since most of the characters are Greek gods, did help.)

According to Ravirn, his own has taken a turn for the worse since he became a Trickster aspect.  Now he’s obligated to make a smartass remark even when he prefers to shut up.  His ex-girlfriend Cerice has just become a Fury, which puts extra strain on any of their meetings.  (Just imagine, meeting up with your ex, and you have to say every smart thing that comes to your mind and she can’t control her temper. Ravirn is definitely the grandson of the bucolic muse, aka Slapstick.)

I think my favorite aspect of the novel, aside from having a plot that moved quickly, was the relationship between Ravirn and Persephone, described by the former as “courtly love.” In an earlier book, he rescued Persephone from her obligations to Hades.  She’s pretty grateful for that, as well as for the fact that he didn’t ask for a favor in return.  Ravirn just respects Persephone and did it because it was the right thing to do.  It’s interesting to read about an intense relationship between a man and a woman that doesn’t involve sex.

I enjoyed SpellCrash, but I am going to read it again after I read the previous four books.  I thought it was fun, but I did feel like I was taking quite a bit of the novel for granted, including Ravirn’s abilities.  Everything made enough sense that I could easily follow a long, but I still want to see the world-building develop from the beginning.  Even when I enjoy the experience, I’m not one to jump into a series in the middle.

For those wondering if they could read SpellCrash first, I would say yes, even though it’s clearly not my preference. It appears that the first three novels were an arc, and the fourth, MythOS, served as both a breather.  SpellCrash appears to tie up the loose ends. McCullough does a good job of introducing those ends, but I just feel I’m missing the full impact of the story.

Grade: B+

Summary:
Ravirn is the best hacker around. But when the system controlling the multiverse needs a massive reboot, Ravirn must utilize all of his skills as a mage and prevent complete chaos-even if it costs him his life.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega, Book 2) by Patricia Briggs
Paranormal romantic suspense released by Ace 29 Aug 09

I love Briggs’ storytelling.  Her books are always these lovely tales that are full of interesting, unique, and oddly believable paranormal elements.  You sincerely feel as if her world could exist and she’s just telling you about it like a newspaper relates events.  I love that kind of confidence in an author – I have no trouble giving them several hours of my time because I know it won’t be wasted. 

The Alpha & Omega books are set in the same world as the Mercy Thompson books.  While Mercy is told in first person POV, the A&O books are in third (yay!).  We get to see into all of the characters’ motivations and heads. There are a few common characters, some common story arcs, and common species, but that’s where the similarities between the two series ends.  And Hunting stands alone fine – no need to read the first book in the A&O  series; but why deprive yourself, read it already.

Charles and Anna are set the task of negotiating the U.S. werewolves’ “coming out” to the public.  They’re negotiating the reveal with the other werewolf communities – helping some to stay hidden, helping others with public relations expertise and expense, and just generally making sure everyone knows what is about to happen.

As you can imagine, there are quite a few beings who are NOT happy about this upcoming event.  There are plots within plots and lots of gamesmanship involved – some of it deadly.  I had a lot of fun reading all the action and machinations.

The romance between Charles and Anna continues to be sweet.  However, I would have liked to read more about their one on one time and that’s the only reason I dropped the grade from an A to a B.  Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book.

I highly recommend the book to fans of the author and the series.  It stands alone fine, so if you haven’t read any of the related books, please pick this one up.  It’s a very fun story chock-a-block with lots of interesting action and characters.

Grade: B++

Read other reviews and information by following the series’ tag here.

Summary:

Mated to werewolf Charles Cornick, the son -and enforcer -of the leader of the North American werewolves, Anna Latham now knows how dangerous being a werewolf is, especially when a werewolf opposes Charles and his father is struck down. Charles’s reputation makes him the prime suspect, and the penalty for the crime is execution. Now Anna and Charles must combine their talents to hunt down the real killer -or Charles will take the fall.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Untitled Book 3, Aug 2010

Liviania’s review of Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4) by Patricia Briggs
Urban fantasy hardcover released by ACE 3 Feb 09

I discovered Patricia Briggs on accident.  I picked up Dragon Bones (possibly her best book) from the library and fell in love.  I couldn’t be happier with the success of the Mercy Thompson series because it means I’m getting even more of her a year, especially with the spin-off Alpha and Omega series.  At the end of Iron Kissed she made a plot point I wasn’t sure I was cool with, so I was eager to see how she dealt with it in Bone Crossed as well as to see what trouble Mercy gets into.

So here’s your warning: I cannot discuss Bone Crossed without mildly spoiling the plots of both Iron Kissed and Blood Bound.  I’m being as vague as I can, but most of Bone Crossed deals with the fallout of the events in those novels.  Let’s give Briggs props for continuity.  (One of my favorite continuity nods: Mercy asks Bran about the teenage werewolf girl he took in last book.  I’d been curious what happened to her.)

Mercy’s love life should be on track since she realized she loves Adam and only loves Samuel as a friend.  Of course, it would be easier if she didn’t still have panic attacks.  At the end of Iron Kissed it seemed a bit early for Mercy to be ready to have sex again, so I was glad Adam and her ended up taking things slow.  Mercy’s recovering from what Tim did to her and it doesn’t help that the incident made national news.  Adam’s temper could worry me in the hero but Briggs does a great job of displaying his self-control.  He accepts Mercy taking care of some things herself more in this book, and Mercy works on accepting the help others can offer.

One thing that makes me sad about this series is it shifts focus between creatures.  I love that Blood Bound and Bone Crossed focus on the vampires since Stefan is an incredible character.  He’s loyal, has a strong sense of humor, but is willing to kill innocents to further his agenda.  Wulfe is still an enigma but we get the teensiest glimpse more of what drives him. But focus on vampires means some other characters don’t get much screentime.  Jessie barely shows up in this book, but she’s quite funny whenever she does.

Briggs excels at characters.  It drew me to her traditional fantasy and serves her even better in the longer series format.  You come back to a series to see what the characters are doing now, because their lives absorb you and you want to know how things turn out for them.  Her characters a multi-dimensional, engaging people and I can’t think of one who I’d wish she’d kill off.

As for plot, Mercy accepts a former friend’s offer to examine a haunting since she needs to get out of town.  Unfortunately, she runs into the only vampire in Spokane almost immediately.  Even worse, the haunting is more than Mercy can handle and it’s centered on a great kid.  Chad is only ten, but he does very well considering his father doesn’t believe the ghost exists and he still has to deal with being haunted.  In addition to those troubles, things have to be worked out so that it’s safe for Mercy to return to her shop and home.  Briggs makes the politics interesting and indicative of the creatures involved without spinning those parts out long enough to get boring.

Briggs mixes the two plots going along well, with each getting a decent amount of focus and neither becoming overly muddled.  Adam and Mercy made good steps forward in their relationship and I really believe the two of them can make it together.  This isn’t my absolute favorite urban fantasy series, but it’s definitely up there.  I can’t wait for the fifth book.  Briggs proved herself worthy of the jump to hardcover with Bone Crossed.

Grade: A-

Read other reviews and info for this series by following its tag.

Summary:
In a world where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people” (Booklist), it takes a very unusual woman to call it home. By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic in Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shape-shifter with some unusual talents, Mercy’s found herself maintaining a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so- human on more than one occasion. This time she may get more than she bargained for.
Read an excerpt here

Other books in the series:

Shannon C.’s review of Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Science fiction released by Del Rey May 88, re-release by Ace 30 Dec 08

Every once in a while, I like to revisit my teenaged reading self. This is probably the only part of my teenaged self that doesn’t perpetually irritate me, but that’s neither here nor there. Anyway, in my teens, I read lots of science fiction and fantasy of the pretty girl has unusual powers, grows up, saves the world, rides a dragon and finds romance with a sensitive man that doesn’t exist in real life type. Reading Conflict of Honors, I was brought back to those stories, although Conflict of Honors has a surprisingly adult feel to it, all things considered. [Ed.: Mouse over the cover to see the original release cover.]

The plot of this novel goes like this. Girl gets exiled from her home world, falls in with the crew of a bad ship, including a psycho lesbian. She eventually escapes and winds up on a good ship, captained by our hero, who has a vendetta against the owner of the bad ship. The girl begins to heal from the horrible things that happen to her, and eventually falls in love. Things move swiftly, and I was never bored, nor was I stuck on too many scientific terms. There was the right amount of adventure and diplomacy to keep me interested, and no extraneous space battles and high-tech futuristic weapons descriptions.

To be honest, Priscilla Mendoza, our heroine, is a bit of a Mary Sue. She is pretty and special, and doesn’t seem to have very many character flaws, and people are drawn to her in order to cure her various issues. But despite all that, she worked for me, although I wasn’t really clear on exactly why it was that she was exiled in the first place.

Shan, our hero, on the other hand… Oh, Shan. How much do I love him? I am a sucker for characters who are smart, and who spend the book actually demonstrating superior intelligence. Shan comes off as a bit of a nattering fool, which seems to be what he goes for, but beyond his genial, talkative facade is a man with a quick mind and a big heart. Though there was no actual sex between Shan and Priscilla, they definitely had chemistry, and I believed the relationship.

The other secondary characters are well-drawn, as is the setting. This is one of the earliest books in the authors’ Liaden Universe series. It’s clear that they’ve thought a lot about their world-building, and I am left wondering about the Liadens themselves, and wanting to explore their culture, which is quite fascinating.

This book gets an automatic A from me because of the fact that I stayed up way too late finishing it. Even though it is not the first book chronologically, nor is it the first published, it was easy to follow and was a good starting point for me. Ace is reprinting this book in December, and I think it’s definitely something to order if you like science fiction. I am so glad that whoever it was who pointed this series out to me did so, and I intend to read the other books as soon as I can.

Grade: A

Summary:
Betrayed and abandoned by her shipmates, Priscilla Delacroix is left to fend for herself on a distant planet and joins forces with starship captain Shan yos’Galen to seek revenge on the sinister crew and to confront the demons of Priscilla’s past, in the third novel of the Liaden Universe. Reprint.

No excerpt available.

Gwen’s review of Spectre (Zoë Martinique, Book 2) by Phaedra Weldon
Contemporary urban fantasy released by Ace Trade 3 Jun 08

Attention authors! If you’re going to do first person, you may as well go all out and make it a conversation between the reader and your main character. Get personal, colloquial, and current.  I normally read first person POV with a very “hairy eyeball” (tm, Zoë Martinique) but Spectre won me over.  I felt like the character was sitting in the room telling me her story.  (Side note: Can anyone tell me why urban fantasies all seem to be first person POV?  Saintcrow, Harrison, Liu, etc., etc.  What’s up with that?) 

Weldon’s style reminds me of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.  Naturally, the two books are dramatically different in temperament, but because of the pacing and style, I felt very connected to both the girl in Bones and to Weldon’s indomitable heroine, Zoë.  Of course, I would have liked to get more head hopping with Spectre to learn more about the backstory and WTF is going on with the twisty, convoluted plot – but I didn’t mind the lack of perspective so much.  I just enjoyed the ride Zoë gave me.  She’s a funny, natural, “normal” (as much as a Wraith could be), and irreverent character.  A kick-ass heroine who wears bunny slippers.

There is a love interest in the shape of a police detective named Daniel — a love interest that never really seems right for our heroine.  Then there’s another leading man in her life that she loves to hate and that she has some serious chemistry with, named Joe.  There’s a potential for an interesting love triangle  in the next book (Joe is also a cop and, interestingly, Daniel’s ex-partner as well as a witch).

The overall story arc is a bit muddled near the end.  Perhaps that’s because I didn’t read Book 1 of the series (yes, yet another series I caught on Book 2), but I was following everything fine up until the “big reveal” of who and what was behind the killings in Spectre.  The sheer number of organizations and characters involved in the craziness that tied off all the various sub-arcs was a bit bewildering.  I finally had to just go with it — it was either that or re-read large portions of the book and I didn’t feel like it.

If you’re up for a romping fun time with some urban fantasy kick-assedness, and a unique first-person approach, I highly recommend this book.  If you liked Book 1, I have a feeling you’re going to adore this Book 2.  I’m looking forward to Book 3, Phantasm, (perhaps released in June 2009?) and hope we hear more about it soon.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Zoë Martinique hasn’t been your ordinary still-single-but-looking twentysomething girl ever since she learned she has the extraordinary ability to travel outside of her body at will. As if that wasn’t weird enough, she gained additional powers that not only freak her out but have done damage to her budding relationship with Atlanta Homicide detective Daniel Frasier.

Zoë and Daniel are thrown back together when she’s drawn into the investigation of a series of bizzare murders (the sort where body parts are missing). She hopes to help Daniel stop the killer-one she’s sure is from the darkest levels of the astral plane-without letting him find out about her special abilities.

Then danger strikes close to home when Zoë’s mom disappears-and Zoë must use all the powers at her command to save her, even though she knows doing so miight permanently ruin her love life and turn her into something no longer entirely human…

No excerpt to be found.  (hint hint author – need to post an excerpt on your site)

Other books in the series:

Shannon C.’s review of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Fantasy humor fiction released by Ace 1 May 96, re-released by Harper in trade ppb 7 Aug 07

An embarrassing number of people have told me that I need to read both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I had read neither until I picked up Good Omens on a whim and consequently realized that I’d put off a very real treat.

The plot of this novel is convoluted, and I’m not sure I could do it justice. But basically it’s about Armageddon, and about an angel named Aziraphale and a demon named Crowley, both of whom kind of… like Earth. It’s also about a mix-up involving the Antichrist being switched with another baby and growing up in lower Tadfield in England without anyone noticing, and about the ranks of the Witchfinder Army, and the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter.

This book, obviously, doesn’t take itself terribly seriously, and is written in a droll, quintessentially British, style that I love. In fact, I’m pretty sure that the only way that I’d have enjoyed this book more would have been to actually *be* British, which, sadly, I’m not.

I suspect some may find the fact that Pratchett and Gaiman poke fun at all sorts of religions a bit offensive. Personally, I ended up smiling and nodding and laughing out loud in places. Which is the whole point, as I don’t think this book is meant to be especially deep. I found that I agreed with most of the observations the authors made about people, and I found the story itself to be a great fun-filled romp. I don’t think I’ll be rereading it, but I do think people who enjoy funny books, satire, and even tales of the apocalypse, should give this one a go. Plus, after you read the book, you can check out the line of Good Omens-inspired fragrances from one of my favorite eTailers.

Grade: B+

Summary:

According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter – the world’s only totally reliable guide to the future, the world will end on a Saturday.

Next Saturday, in fact.

Just before dinner.

Which means that Armageddon will happen on Saturday night. There will be seas on fire, rains of fish, the moon turning to blood and the massed armies of Heaven and Hell will sort it out once and for all.

Which is a major problem for Crowley, Hell’s most approachable demon and former serpent, and his opposite number and old friend Aziraphale, genuine angel and London bookshop owner. They like it down here (or in Crowley’s case, up here).

So they’ve got no alternative but to stop the Four Motorcyclists of the Apocalypse, defeat the marching ranks of the Witchfinder army* and – somehow – stop it all from happening.

Above all (or, in Aziraphale’s case, below all) they need to find and kill the Antichrist, currently the most powerful creature on Earth.

This is a shame.

Because he’s eleven years old, loves his dog even though it’s really a Satanic hellhound under all that hair, really cares about the environment and is the sort of boy anyone would be proud to have as a son. He’s also totally invulnerable, and a nice kid.

And if that isn’t enough, they’ve still got Sunday to deal with…

*All two of them.

Go here for a nice long excerpt.

If you click on the link to the fragrance site, she has a few small bits of the book quoted throughout.

LauraD’s review of Wanderlust (The Jax Series, Book 2) by Ann Aguirre
Science fiction released by Ace 26 Aug 08

Ann Aguirre debuted with Grimspace; the sci-fi page turner about a rag-tag group of space adventurers being chased by both sides of the law. Wanderlust continues the story of Sirantha Jax and her friends, immediately after the events of Grimspace have concluded. Once again, it’s a story that grabs you right off the bat.

Jax has been a “jumper” her whole career-she has a special genetic makeup that allows her, in close concert with a pilot, to navigate ships through space at faster than the speed of light. It’s all she’s ever known, and it’s provided her with a good life-but due to events in the previous book, that life is over. Jax has no job, no money, no prospects, no where to live. When she is asked to become an ambassador to another planet, she has little choice but to say yes. However, she smartly stipulates that her travel companions must be the crew from her ship, including her lover, the captain March. She will also be accompanied by Vel, who once hunted her as a bounty and then saved her life; their destination is Vel’s home planet. Along her way, she will face many enemies, both close and distant.

Jax is a very complex character. She is lonely down to her soul, and can’t quite believe that it’s worth risking the pain of loss when you let people in. She and March have formed a relationship, but it’s written with a lot of angst and second guessing on Jax’s part. In addition to her financial issues and the loss of her career, the author has also thrown another problem Jax’s way-she is sick and getting sicker all the time, and has no idea of what is making her ill.

One of the many things I loved about this book is how tightly written the main characters are, and there is some great dialogue. Ship’s mechanic Dina serves as Jax’s verbal sparring partner, Vel is there for discussions of philosophy and politics, March is emotion and work. Then there is Jael, a new shipmate who is something of an enigma to all of them.

In Aguirre’s world, humans have to deal with multiple species that see us as just a snack on the food chain. The Morgut and the Teras are two vile and terrifying examples, and both are featured prominently in Wanderlust. The Teras in particular affect the team; while visiting the planet Lachion, Jax and company get involved in a war that takes them deep underground to escape the flying Teras. They become separated by both space and ideals, and it’s this war that may split up the crew for good. Questions of love, debt, and honor come into play; but no character’s courage is ever in doubt.

It is not necessary to have read Grimspace before reading Wanderlust, but doing so will give you a much better understanding of not just the characters, but their experiences. March, in particular, is a much richer character for having read both books; I think each title on it’s own only shows one side of him. It also helps to know the back story on Lachion, but again isn’t necessary.

I am enjoying the way that Ann Aguirre is building her world slowly, layer by layer. The introduction of new characters like Jael, who feels like he will be a big player in the series, and Hit who provides such necessary comic relief, are done seamlessly. Then there is Constance-I have a feeling Constance is going to be my favorite character, she is genius.

Wanderlust is a great book, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing where Jax, March, and the rest of the crew end up next.

Grade: A

Summary:

Sirantha Jax doesn’t take chances…she jumps at them…

Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. Jax has worked for the Farwan Corporation her entire career. But now the word’s out that the Corp deliberately crashed a passenger ship, and their stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled-which means that Jax is out of a job.

She’s also broke, due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax takes it. Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithiss-Tor and convince them to join the Conglomerate.

But Jax’s payday is light years away. First, she’ll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens, and her own grimspace-weakened body. She’ll be lucky just to make it to Ithiss-Tor alive…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

Shannon C.’s review of Wanderlust (The Jax Series, Book 2) by Ann Aguirre
Science fiction released 26 Aug 08 by Ace

In Grimspace, Ann Aguirre introduced the reader to Sirantha Jax, messed-up space jumper extraordinaire, and March, her pilot-turned-lover. Readers seemed to be of two minds about that book — some of them loved it, as I did — and some found Jax to be too abrasive. I have a feeling that polarizing effect will continue for readers in Wanderlust, particularly since it veers more into straight SF territory than Grimspace did. The romance is still present, but it takes a back seat to Jax’s continued emotional development. I think this is a good thing, and I can’t wait to see what else Ms. Aguirre has in store for Jax in this series.

Jax has to deal with a lot in the book, as she is given an offer she can’t refuse to serve as an ambassador for the Conglomeration, which is trying to strengthen its position in the galaxy after the collapse of the corporation Jax worked for in the previous book. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t want Jax to succeed, believing that her tendency to fuck things up royally will weaken the Conglomeration’s already tenuous position. Plus, Jax seems to be suffering from some sort of illness, and thus, things are a little strained between herself and March.

This series reminds me of nothing so much as the TV show “Firefly”. We have the crew of disparate misfits who seem to attract trouble wherever they go who spend a lot of time wittily bantering back and forth. In this book we get a few new editions to the crew, from Jael, a mercenary with secrets of his own who will probably polarize readers as well, to Hit, about whom we know very little. March, Vel, Dina and Doc still play crucial parts in the story, and we learn more about Jax’s family.

Where the book doesn’t quite work for me is that Jax really does have the worst timing in the history of ever. And when other characters take pains to point this out, it ceases to be funny and starts to feel a bit like authorial intrusion.

I did like the SF aspects of the story, which were detailed enough to keep even me satisfied but didn’t overwhelm the story with too much technical jargon. And I finished the book with a keen anticipation for the next book, because Jax can only get more awesome from here.

Grade: B+

Read other reviews and information behind the Jax Series tag.

Summary:

Sirantha Jax doesn’t take chances…she jumps at them…
Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. Jax has worked for the Farwan Corporation her entire career. But now the word’s out that the Corp deliberately crashed a passenger ship, and their stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled—which means that Jax is out of a job.

She’s also broke, due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax takes it. Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithiss-Tor and convince them to join the Conglomerate.

But Jax’s payday is light years away. First, she’ll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens, and her own grimspace-weakened body. She’ll be lucky just to make it to Ithiss-Tor alive…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

Shannon C.’s review of Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Urban fantasy released by Ace 31 Jan 06

I know what you’re thinking. You are no doubt thinking to yourself, ‘What took you so long to start the Mercy Thompson books, Shannon?’ And you would be right. They have only been recommended to me on numerous occasions by lots of people, most notably Gwen, who, upon my random squeeing about this book over at Duckie Central, laughed and pointed me to her reviews of the rest of the series and implied that I might not have been paying sufficient attention to her great taste in books. Well, if they’re all this good, I will never doubt Gwen again. 

What works really well for me is Mercy herself. In a word, I love her. You know how in some books they tell you over and over that the heroine has a big heart? Yeah, well, we see that firsthand. Mercy is loyal to her friends, and is willing to do whatever she needs to in order to help them. And it’s that big-heartedness that made me a Mercy fangirl. She also seems fairly smart, and doesn’t just wade in with her size nines the way some urban fantasy heroines seem to. I even bought the love triangle, because I really did believe that Mercy cared about the two men she’s going to have to choose between, and there was no silly, “Oh, now why would you be interested in li’l ol’ me?” antics on her part.

I also felt the world-building was superb. I liked that the implications of how supernatural creatures would be treated if they came out of the closet were explored in greater detail. And the werewolf and vampire politics and maneuvering were fascinating.

This book wasn’t quite a keeper for me — I put it down fairly easily a time or two — but I did stay up way too late trying to finish it, and now I have the rest of the series to look forward to reading. Thankfully, there are only two other Mercy-centered books, so it’s possible I will actually manage to catch up before a new Mercy book comes out.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Urban fantasy/Contemporary paranormal romance released by Ace 29 Jul 08

I had been hearing the buzz about Patricia Briggs’ new novel, so I was thrilled to win a copy from Avidbookreader. I am one of the few readers who hasn’t yet read one of the Mercy Thompson books, so I went into my first Patricia Briggs experience with a completely open mind.

Anna Latham is a werewolf; as the book begins she is in the process of leaving her pack in Chicago where she has been the object of sexual abuse on a regular basis. The pack leader is dead, killed by Anna’s new mate Charles. Charles is an alpha by nature, but instead of leading a pack he works as an enforcer for his father who leads all werewolves as the Marrok. The Marrok had sent Charles to Chicago to solve problems within the Chicago pack; while there Charles recognized Anna as a rare Omega wolf, with the power to calm other wolves. He also claimed her as his mate and she is moving to Montana to be part of the Marrok’s pack.

The first couple of chapters of Cry Wolf are quite confusing if, like me, you didn’t know that these characters were previously introduced in a short story from an anthology called On the Prowl. If you don’t read it first, you will be doing some guesswork and making some assumptions, as this book starts immediately after that short story ends. It’s possible that more of Anna’s backstory was told there, but the very abrupt beginning to Cry Wolf made me put it down for several days.

Fortunately, I picked it back up again. Patricia Briggs does a nice job of building her werewolf society without dumping a lot of information on the reader at one time. Characters are introduced when it’s appropriate and when they have a purpose. Unlike most series, no one exists just to scream “sequel bait”. I especially hope to see more of Asil as the series continues, I found his character fascinating.

Anna and Charles are just lovely. She has been badly abused, and Charles understands that it’s not something that Anna is going to get over quickly or easily. He makes many small, caretaking gestures that show her he can be trusted; and at one point when he is badly injured he changes from wolf to human because Anna needs him to be human – even though it will slow his healing significantly. Forced to be judge, jury, and sometimes executioner for his father, Charles battles internal demons but keeps his morals and ethics intact.

On her part, Anna is brave and open minded; while she occasionally wants to obey her flight instinct she isn’t stupid. She understands the changes in her life are inevitable, and she approaches them head on.

Of course, there is a suspense plot. A rogue werewolf is in the Montana forests, and a human has seen it. Charles has to find the werewolf, and take care of the problem one way or another. Anna convinces him to take her with him into the woods, and they battle both the elements and genuine evil.

Cry Wolf is a great start to what is probably going to be a wonderful series. I wish the book itself had a better start; for me the abrupt beginning was what kept it from being an “A” read. I’m just hoping there’s not an anthology published between this Alpha and Omega book and the next one; I don’t want to start off behind again!

Grade: B+

Read other reviews by following the Cry Wolf tag.

Summary:

Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member-and as his mate.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Urban fantasy/Contemporary paranormal romance released by Ace 29 Jul 08

Patricia Briggs has been on my very short list of favorite writers ever since I read the first book in the Mercy Thompson series, Moon Called, in February 2006. I wait, very impatiently, for each new Mercy release. It looks like I’ll be waiting, equally impatient, for future releases in the “Anna and Charles” series. Yes, it was that good.

With the Mercy Thompson books, Briggs created a world where the paranormal is beginning to take hold in everyday life. “Normal” people are slowly being introduced to the not so normal – fae, vampires, etc. And, soon, werewolves will be part of the known universe. Unless those opposed to the revelation get their way. Cry Wolf is set in Mercy’s world and focuses on the leader of all the American werewolves – the Marrok – and his pack, of which Charles and Anna, our hero and heroine, are part.

(First – sincere apologies for the grammar in this paragraph, but I just can’t force myself to adhere to The Rules tonight.) One of the things I like the most about Briggs’s writing is how rich in detail it is. Her world has a smell and taste, and I can feel the characters’ environment on every page. The writing isn’t bogged down one bit by this attention to detail – in fact, it is all dovetailed with extraordinary emotional development. Briggs has an elegance to her pacing and phrasing that delivers a punch in every sentence. And, thankfully, Briggs has not written Cry Wolf in first person – unlike Mercy’s books.

The lead characters in Cry Wolf, Anna and Charles, share large portions of the stage with Charles’s father and other members of his pack. Even so, we get to know Anna and Charles very well, and they’re more than one dimensional characters in this book. The beginning of their relationship is in the short story “Alpha and Omega”, however, so be aware that if you pick this book up without reading it, you may feel a bit at sea with some details. I recommend reading it before read Cry Wolf, though I think someone familiar with Mercy’s world could skip it.

Where the Mercy books are strictly urban fantasy with really no HEA’s, this book definitely has one. The emotional development is very satisfying and the action is gripping. I can’t say enough good about this book without gushing very unbecomingly.

I highly recommend this book to any fans of paranormal romance. I highly recommend the Mercy books to anyone who loves urban fantasy, as well. I also highly recommend Briggs’s writing to anyone who simply likes an elegant turn of phrase.

Grade: A

Summary:

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack… and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer – and son – of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf – a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

• The prequel to the Alpha and Omega series is the short story “Alpha and Omega” in the anthology On the Prowl. Read my review here.

What’s next for Briggs:

• Briggs’s short story, “Star of David,” is in the Christmas anthology Wolfsbane & Mistletoe and is in Mercy’s world. Excerpt here. Releases in Dec 08.
• Book 4 in the Mercy Thompson series, Bone Crossed, releases 3 Feb 09. There’s an excerpt in the back of Cry Wolf. Squeee!

Shannon C.’s review of A Red Heart of Memories by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (no author site found)
Urban fantasy released by Ace 1 Oct 99

Before there was Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, et al, there were authors like Charles de Lint and Emma Bull writing what I’ve always thought of as urban fantasy. Their stories are set in our world, only with extra touches of magic hidden around every corner. Nina Kiriki Hoffman writes in this style of urban fantasy, and actually, this book came recommended to me through a review Charles de Lint did for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Since Charles de Lint is one of my favorite authors of all time, I was hoping that I would really like a book that he did.

I wasn’t disappointed. After slogging through some books that were nothing if not grim and depressing, this story, which is about friendship, the transformative power of love, and overcoming one’s past, was a really nice palate-cleanser. It centers around Matt Black, (the Matt is short for Matilda, but I still think that’s an awesome name) who is just kind of drifting along. Matt talks to inanimate objects, and fixes them where she can. Then she meets Edmund, a sort of shaman, who is instructed by Spirit, to help Matt. The two of them then begin a journey up and down the West Coast, a journey of self-discovery and magic that will leave both of them forever changed and introduce them to a large cast of amazing characters.

I really liked both of these characters. Matt in particular is wonderful. She’s well on her way to moving on from the things that have happened in her past, but she’s not there. She’s kind of interfering and definitely something of a busybody, but she means well and I loved the way her relationship with Edmund evolved.

Edmund, though he seems very focused and serene, is troubled by a lot of things. His past is even more troubled than Matt’s, and his abilities are stranger. He’s wrestling with a lot of stuff, but he never manages to be annoyingly emo about any of it. Both he and Matt teach each other a lot, and it’s fun watching them.

The other characters are great, too, and some of them are fairly unlikely. My favorite was Gold, a bunch of sensual creative magic that tends to bond with people around it. I want something like Gold, which seems quite useful and practical.

The plot moves along from one thing to another, revealing quite a lot of complexity. I really liked the way the book was set up. I also found the prose vivid without being purple.

I like this kind of urban fantasy. I don’t need kick-ass chicks who fight bad guys without ruining their nail polish. I just need a quiet sense of wonder and some small, personal magic in order to make the story one I’ll enjoy.

Grade: A

Summary:
Matt (Matilda) Black possesses the unique ability to speak with inanimate objects and witness the dreams of other people. Alone, yet never lonely, she’s now found a kindred spirit in Edmund Reynolds – a wandering witch on a spiritual quest to help those in need. Together, these two special people who live outside of ordinary reality will embark on an odyssey of the imagination. They will look into the darkest depths of the past. And they will encounter things both wonderful and terrifying…

No excerpt could be found.

Gwen’s review of Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross (not a traditional author’s site)
Science fiction adventure hardcover released by Ace 1 Jul 08

The author calls this book, “A space opera and late-period Heinlein tribute…” I think Robert A. Heinlein is my favorite author of all time, with my favorite book of all time being his The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.  This makes me picky when it comes to Heinlein – if someone is going to reference him, or be compared to him, I get the microscope out because that is one VERY high bar to meet, in my opinion.  Tom Clancy has said of Heinlein, “We proceed down the path marked by his ideas. He shows us where the future is.”  So, let’s see how well Stross does, shall we? 

This book alternates between brilliant and muddled.  The plot unravels very slowly and it’s not until the very last 50 or so pages that the reason we’re there becomes clear.  I don’t normally mind complex plotting, but I do like to have a signpost now and again telling me where I’m going.  I feel like Stross’s plotting was unnecessarily abstruse for much of the book and what could have been elegantly simple was often made overly complex.  We’re given indications here and there but left in the dark for much of the book.  I would have liked to have seen more “revelatory” moments earlier in the book.

In addition to the extraordinary plotting, I think the author used overly complex terms – I (me, Gwen, Queen of Vocabulary) had to drag the unabridged dictionary out TWICE while reading it.  Stross used scientific terms for simple things (e.g. at one point “otoreceptors” instead of “ears”), then he used his own terms (“pink goo” for animals and “green goo” for plants) for many things.  Add in we’re talking about a universe populated by humanoid and non-humanoid androids – some autonomous, some not – and you have a very complex, very foreign world to navigate. It’s all enough to make a casual sci-fi reader’s head hurt.

And it doesn’t get much easier the more time spent in Stross’s world.  The plotting and terminology are twisted to the end.

Despite the flaws, the heroine, Freya, is very compelling.  She’s just trying to get by with her “soul chip” in tact.  She’s an “ogress” – a humanoid sex robot in a world of androids built for volume-conscious space travel.  Her creators (mankind) died out, leaving her with no purpose and an unfashionable, obsolete body.  Her bouts of depression are completely understandable and her desire to find a place in the world is very “human” (for lack of a better word).

The secondary characters were less compelling, but that may be because the book is narrated by Freya (you know how I feel about first person in fiction – not a good thing in most cases).  In this tech-heavy book, the first person narration wasn’t horrible, and as it turns out at the very end of the book, we find there’s a reason it’s being told that way.

I understand that Stross has quite a bit of sci-fi published – I’ve probably read him at least once in my travels thru that genre, but it’s been years since I delved deeply.  I’ve read everything Heinlein ever published and, while I can say Stross has moments of brilliance, he doesn’t quite meet the RAH bar.

I can recommend this book fans of Stross, but wouldn’t recommend it to casual sci-fi readers.  At least, not without your trusty unabridged dictionary close at hand.

Grade: C+

Summary:

From the author’s site: Freya Nakamachi-47 has some major existential issues. She’s the perfect concubine, designed to please her human masters; there’s just one problem: she came off the production line a year after the human species went extinct. Whatever else she may be, she’s gloriously obsolete. But the rigid social hierarchy that has risen in the 200 years since the last human died, places beings such as Freya very near the bottom. So when she has a run-in on Venus with a murderous aristocrat, she needs passage off-world in a hurry — and can’t be too fussy about how she pays her way. If Venus was a frying pan, Mercury is the fire — and soon she’s going to be running for her life. Because the job she’s taken as a courier has drawn her to the attention of powerful and dangerous people, and they don’t just want the package she’s carrying. They want her soul …

From amazon.com:  Sometime in the twenty-third century, humanity went extinct-leaving only androids behind. Freya Nakamichi 47 is a femmebot, one of the last of her kind still functioning. With no humans left to pay for the pleasures she provides, she agrees to transport a mysterious package from Mercury to Mars. Unfortunately for Freya, she has just made herself a moving target for some very powerful, very determined humanoids who will stop at nothing to possess the contents of the package.

Read an excerpt. 

Isn’t this the song from Lost Boys? I like it. Upcoming ACE and ROC titles bought to you from Penguin

Shannon C.’s review of Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Series, Book 1) by Charlaine Harris
Urban fantasy published by Ace 1 May 01

I don’t read very much urban fantasy, mostly because a lot of the ongoing series seem a little bit repetitive. But UF pops up all the time in my Librarything suggester, which informed me that I would love Dead Until Dark. The suggester wasn’t wrong, though it wasn’t entirely right either.

This book is the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series, featuring mind-reading waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who works at a bar called Merlotte’s. The people in Bon Temps, Louisiana, think she’s a little bit nuts, but mostly she doesn’t mind. Then Bill, a sexy vampire who wants to try to be human, shows up and immediately stirs up people’s suspicions and prejudices.

OK, so I’ll start with what I liked, which was quite a lot. I really liked the town of Bon Temps, and I like Sookie’s charming voice. The world-building here also worked beautifully, and I believed the world that Ms. Harris set up for us. And boy are the supporting characters fun, from Sookie’s immature, irresponsible brother Jason, to Bill the vampire, to Sam, Sookie’s boss, who has secrets of his own.

My problem, unfortunately, was with Sookie herself. She starts off by telling us that her mind-reading gift is a disability, and that just kind of rubbed me the wrong way, given that I am a person with a more recognized disability. I also thought Sookie was terribly TSTL at times, even though, yes, her heart was in the right place. But mostly, I was bothered, toward the middle of the book, when the “everybody wants to dip their wick in my vajayjay” trope showed up. I hate that particular urban fantasy cliche with an all-consuming fiery passion. It’s not a symbol of girl power “yay look how much I kick ass!” to me. Instead, it reads like the woman in question is a willing receptacle who just can’t help herself.

Will I continue the series? Maybe. The book was good enough, but I’m not sure the folksy charm is going to be enough to keep me, personally, interested in reading more about Sookie’s complicated love life.
Grade: C+

Summary:

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. Its just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability.” She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome — and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life….

But Bill has a disability of his own: He is a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of–big surprise–murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next…

Devon’s review of Dead to Me by Anton Strout
Urban fantasy released by Ace 26 Feb 08

Simon Canderous possesses the power of psychometry. That is, he can touch an object and see visions, like scenes from the lives of the object’s previous owners or maker. This ability has led to a successful career in petty thievery, and an unsuccessful one in love. It’s not too cool to pick up a girl’s cell phone and get an image of her having sex…

 …with someone else.

Having decided to go on the straight and narrow, Simon has recently joined the New York City’s Department of Extraordinary Affairs, which takes care of the city’s paranormal and magical issues. He’s still a bit green, and when his partner calls him in the middle of the night to help with a rampaging spirit, Simon finds himself plunged into a crazy world of ghosts, cultists and good old governmental bureaucracy.

Dead to Me is an entertaining beginning to a new Urban Fantasy series. It was fast moving and kept my interest. I polished it off quickly. Simon is sweet, well-meaning and impulsive — pretty much your standard TSTL hero(ine). He rushes into situations, and behaves pretty unprofessionally, and there were times when I was just like, “Oh Simon. No. Just…no.” But that’s okay, because Urban Fantasy heroes and heroines often start off as knuckleheads. We have to give them time to mature and get used to the crazy world they are thrust into.

Simon is backed by a colorful cast of colleagues, allies and enemies. I enjoyed the NYC setting, and it wouldn’t surprise me if New York City’s byzantine and bureaucracy-happy government actually harbored a paranormal division. There is quirky humor throughout, sometimes labored, but mostly amusing.

Although I enjoyed the depiction of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs (DEA), there were certain things about the world that I wish had been made more more clear. The DEA fights for “Good” against “Darkness”, but these seemed to be vague concepts. The villains of the book were “cultists” or “sectarians” as they prefer to be called, and they are violent, and we are told they are evil, but I would’ve liked to know what they worshipped. Ditto for another group introduced late in the book. I would’ve liked to know more about who they were and what they did.

Overall, the book lost a bit of steam towards the end. The search for a particular object drove much of the plot, but its actual purpose was explained in one sentence. Which I missed the first time around. I had to go back and look for it, because I didn’t think that the object’s significance had been explained.

While the ending felt rushed and I would’ve preferred more explanation on certain details, Dead to Me was still a rollicking good read. Urban Fantasy fans should give it a try, particularly those who are weary of vampires and shapeshifters.

Grade: B

From the back cover:

     A new urban fantasy featuring a man working on the right side of law-with talents that come from left field.

     Psychometry-the power to touch an object and divine information about its history-has meant a life of petty crime for Simon Canderous, but now he’s gone over to the good side. At New York’s underfunded and (mostly) secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, he’s learning about red tape, office politics, and the basics of paranormal investigation. But it’s not the paperwork that has him breathless.

     After Simon spills his coffee on (okay, through) the ghost of a beautiful woman-who doesn’t know she’s dead-he and his mentor plan to find her killers. But Simon’s not prepared for the nefarious plot that unfolds before him, involving politically correct cultists, a large wooden fish, a homicidal bookcase, and the forces of Darkness, which kind of have a crush on him.

     Read an excerpt.

Loonigrrl’s guest review of Grimspace (The Jax Series, Book 1) by Ann Aguirre
Sci-Fi romance released by Ace 26 Feb 08

This book was a very pleasant surprise. Ok, it was more than that. It was awesome. Sure, I enjoy sci-fi just as much as the next Star Trek-Star Wars-Firefly/Serenity-Battlestar Galactica fan.  But when it comes to books, I usually choose to read fantasy or romance. In fact, Grimspace is one of the very few science fiction books that I have absolutely loved.

Sirantha Jax is an extremely compelling heroine. A J-gene carrier and the only survivor of a shipwreck that killed 82 people, Jax is a nearly broken woman when the story begins. Facing charges that may have her thrown in prison, a psych ward, or killed, she barely hesitates when an unlikely hero comes to her rescue.

March, a powerful Psi, is equally damaged, although that’s not immediately apparent. He’s strong, dominant, a little mean, and a little uncivilized. Despite having done some mysteriously monstrous things in his past, he’s completely loyal to those in his care, and would risk his life to save one of his own. Breaking Jax out of jail is just the beginning. March’s and the crew’s ultimate goal is to break the Farwan Corporation’s monopoly on Jumpers and Faster than Light Travel.

Some of the sci-fi details in Aguirre’s world were somewhat challenging concepts about travel, and I just let it go. I accepted that I wasn’t going to totally understand “jumping” and “Grimspace.” And I was ok with that because as integral as jumping is to the story, it’s supposed to be a little complicated. Jumpers can’t even describe the mysteries and the wonder of Grimspace despite devoting their lives, and often losing them, to jumping.

I’m not really sure how to describe Sirantha and March’s relationship, and I can’t do it justice. It’s complicated and it’s not easy. March was all too willing to hate Jax upon first meeting her. Jax, upon realizing March could read her thoughts, was all too quick to bait him. It doesn’t take long for each to realize the other was more than they seemed. Their relationship is simply… fascinating, and actually, quite sweet.

As much as I liked both Sirantha and March, and their complicated love story, I was equally as intrigued by the secondary characters.  All were varied and unique, and entirely real. In fact, one character - an insect-like bounty hunter named Velith, who doesn’t even make an appearance until the very end of the story –  quickly became one of my favorites after just a few pages.

The only aspect of Grimspace that I wasn’t absolutely thrilled about is the ending. It is intense.  Seriously intense, which isn’t a bad thing. However, I just felt like too much was rushed in the last few pages. I also felt like the resolution was a little too tidy. I liked the ending, but after everything that had happened, it felt a little easy.

Regardless, I can definitely recommend Grimspace. Just a warning – it’s told in first-person, which may be jarring for some readers. Please don’t let that dissuade you from checking this out. It’s not just a great sci fi/romance book, it’s a great book. Period.

Grade: A-

From the back cover:

     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…

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 3) by Patricia Briggs
Contemporary paranormal fantasy published 2 Jan 08 by Ace (Penguin)

Briggs’s Mercy Thompson books have consistently delivered several things:  well-developed and interesting characters, complex and compelling plots, unique details, and some good sexual tension.  Iron Kissed is no exception – it delivers all of the quality I’ve come to expect and entertains beyond all expectations. 

In Iron Kissed we learn more about Mercy’s former boss, Zee, and the fae.  She feels compelled to be Zee’s champion, contrary to all common wisdom and warnings.  She gains the support of an inanimate fae object along the way – something that helps her in the clinch.  She also gains the attention of the fae’s Gray Lords – something that definitely isn’t desirable.  This is all deliciously twisted and convoluted and oh so interesting to read.  Very fun paranormal/fantasy elements.

Also in this book, Mercy has an epiphany about her love life.  How she reaches it and what she does with it is so worth the wait in the previous books.  I bemoaned Mercy’s lack of “busy-ness” in the previous books.  Briggs’s resolution to that lack is very satisfying.  We actually get a sort-of-HEA in this book, unlike the others.

Read my review of Blood Bound here, and On The Prowl – Alpha and Omega here.  This book stands alone, but you will enjoy it a lot more if you read the previous entries.  Briggs doesn’t belabor details and doesn’t rehash a lot of previous plot points, so some things may be confusing, though you’ll still enjoy the story.

If you’re a fan of paranormal, contemporary/urban fantasies, you will love this series.  If you’re simply a fan of excellent writing, you’ll love this series.  If you’re a fan of strong female characters, you will adore this series.  This book is icing on the Mercy Thompson cake.  I cannot wait for the next entry.

Grade: A

Blurb:

When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it’s up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. And she’ll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Same world, but different story line:

What’s next for this author :

[Taken from Briggs' website] The first “Anna and Charles” book is finally done, and is tentatively titled Cry Wolf…  Cry Wolf picks up the story of Anna, an omega werewolf who spent several years in a dysfunctional pack, and Charles, a powerful werewolf sent to clean up the mess. Their story began as a short story, Alpha and Omega published in On The Prowl, an anothology of urban fantasy stories… [note from Gwen - these characters are related to and live in Mercy's world, but it's a separate story line.]

Gwen’s Review of Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 2) by Patricia Briggs
Paranormal/Fantasy romance published 30 Jan 07 by Ace Books (Penguin)

Blood Bound is book 2 of Briggs’ novels surrounding a mechanic named Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson and her world. Book 1 was Moon Called  is not a prerequisite, but is a fine book on its own. 

Briggs surprised me again by how she’s able to completely suspend my disbelief – making me believe in her characters and the story. I never had that moment of “yeah, THAT can happen.” These two books are less love story than action-adventure, though, so read them if you’re ready for a change. I think the character relationships are involved and complex enough to satisfy any but the most demanding romance reader. They’re just not the conventional HEA.

Mercy Thompson is a coyote walker (can shift to the form of a coyote at will).  Her friends are vampires, werewolves, and fae. The world Briggs creates in these two novels is rich with interesting, diverse characters, complicated relationships, and normal concerns (getting up for work and dealing with the mundane). I really like Mercy and would love to find myself having coffee with her one day, laughing about the heap she keeps in her yard to annoy her neighbor (you have to read it to understand). The overall story arc is well conceived and very satisfying – and she leaves us wanting to know more about Mercy and her world.

I really enjoyed this book. The pages kept flipping, and I kept laughing at the dialog or something the characters did. I was also left on the edge of my seat with some of the action and suspense. It’s a rich, complex world that Briggs has wrought and one I want to visit again. Here’s hoping we see Mercy soon and that she gets busy with one of the seriously steamy guys she hangs with.

Grade: B

Blurb:

A sorcerer-turned-vampire wreaks havoc on Washington’s Tri-Cities, causing death, destruction and a paranormal faceoff in the second of Briggs’s series featuring Mercy Thompson, a mechanic and “walker”: one who can turn into a coyote at will. After attempts by the paranormal community to destroy the malevolent sorcerer fail, Mercy finds herself pulled into the fray: though her werewolf and vampire friends are stronger than she, it turns out that Mercy’s abilities make her the only one in town who can save them all. While she discovers the truth about her powers, she also learns more about her past, and the werewolves who raised her. Though the romantic subplot-involving two rival werewolves, Alpha wolf Adam and Mercy’s roommate Samuel-fizzles, Briggs has a refreshing knack for imbuing her characters (even non-humans) with lived-in human qualities. When it gets going, this paranormal adventure story is engaging, but a flabby first-person narrative stunts the suspense.

Read an excerpt.