The 3rd book in the Parasol Protectorate series. Lady Alexia Maccon is pregnant but her werewolf husband (and just about everyone else) is sure that it isn't his so she has quit his house and moved in with her family again. As if that wasn't bad enough, she has been told her services of muhjah are no longer needed and her dear friend, Lord Akeldama, has gone missing and a swarm of mechanical ladybugs is trying to kill her. Determined to find a way of proving her faithfulness and getting away from those who are trying to kill her, she leaves England to head to Italy in the hopes that she can find better information abroad than at home.
Another fast-paced, riveting adventure. Just totally loving this series.
Page count: 374p/11,888p ytd
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
110:37 Changeless by Gail Carriger
The 2nd in the Parasol Protectorate series. Something has turned all the supernaturals in London fully human but after a few days, things return to normal there but it's apparent that whatever caused it is going north towards Scotland where Alexia's husband, Lord Maccon, has gone to settle some business with his former pack. The good news, Alexia gets to travel by dirigible. The bad, it certainly appears that someone is not happy with her errand and will stop at nothing to make sure she doesn't succeed.
Another fast-paced, riveting book. Really loving this series but OMG what a cliff-hanger. So glad I have the whole series so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next.
Page count: 388p/11,514p ytd
Another fast-paced, riveting book. Really loving this series but OMG what a cliff-hanger. So glad I have the whole series so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next.
Page count: 388p/11,514p ytd
Thursday, March 22, 2012
110:36 Soulless by Gail Carriger
Picked this one up on the recommendation of my local dealer, um I mean book pusher, I mean local bookstore owner. He's an evil one that man but back to the book.
I've never read anything even remotely steampunk before. I knew the genre existed (I'm not that deaf, dumb, and blind) but really was generally clueless as to what it was about other than gears and odd bits stuck onto old-fashioned clothing and why the heck anyone would want to write about that confused the heck out of me but not nearly so much as why anyone would want to read about it. I gradually figured out there was more to it but not by much and had resolved to try it "some day" and then stuck it to the back of my brain.
Then this was shoved into my hand. I admit, I like my urban fantasy. It's my bubblegum, my popcorn, my midnight bowl of ice cream all wrapped up in one without the fat content ending up on my hips. So when I saw that this had elements of urban fantasy that I liked thrown together with steampunk in 19th century London, well....it was kind of inevitable that it would end up coming home with me (well, this and all subsequent ones as I had a feeling it was bound to keep my interest).
It did not disappoint. A strong female character but trying to hold to the ideas and proprietary of the time but thrust into situations very outside the norm being courted by supernaturals for reasons unknown with a mystery very much underfoot. I loved the flamboyent Lord Akeldama and the all the attention to fashion, scenery, and the little details. So very glad I have the rest of the series already sitting on my shelf waiting for me.
Page count: 373p/11,126p ytd
I've never read anything even remotely steampunk before. I knew the genre existed (I'm not that deaf, dumb, and blind) but really was generally clueless as to what it was about other than gears and odd bits stuck onto old-fashioned clothing and why the heck anyone would want to write about that confused the heck out of me but not nearly so much as why anyone would want to read about it. I gradually figured out there was more to it but not by much and had resolved to try it "some day" and then stuck it to the back of my brain.
Then this was shoved into my hand. I admit, I like my urban fantasy. It's my bubblegum, my popcorn, my midnight bowl of ice cream all wrapped up in one without the fat content ending up on my hips. So when I saw that this had elements of urban fantasy that I liked thrown together with steampunk in 19th century London, well....it was kind of inevitable that it would end up coming home with me (well, this and all subsequent ones as I had a feeling it was bound to keep my interest).
It did not disappoint. A strong female character but trying to hold to the ideas and proprietary of the time but thrust into situations very outside the norm being courted by supernaturals for reasons unknown with a mystery very much underfoot. I loved the flamboyent Lord Akeldama and the all the attention to fashion, scenery, and the little details. So very glad I have the rest of the series already sitting on my shelf waiting for me.
Page count: 373p/11,126p ytd
Monday, March 19, 2012
110:35 Hidden by Kelley Armstrong
Novella set in the Otherworld series follows Clay and Elena as they take a vacation with the twins for Christmas. A mutt comes to introduce himself but it raises the hackles on both Clay and Elena and the start sniffing around to figure out what the real story is. Is this small town really safe for all of them or is there a danger lurking?
It was so nice to get a Clay and Elena story. I really love their dynamic and while I realize that the main series is about Savannah at this point, I really miss the other women and most especially Elena. I hope that the future will hold more of these novellas and short stories.
Page count: 193p/10,753p ytd
It was so nice to get a Clay and Elena story. I really love their dynamic and while I realize that the main series is about Savannah at this point, I really miss the other women and most especially Elena. I hope that the future will hold more of these novellas and short stories.
Page count: 193p/10,753p ytd
Friday, March 16, 2012
110:34 Tide of Souls by Simon Bestwick
Interesting take on zombies. The world gets flooded and the zombies rise from the depths, controlled by the sea. After thousands of years of people dying in horror and rage, those memories have imprinted on the sea and given it a sentience of sorts but one that only has those emotions. Can anyone figure out a way to stop it before the entire human race is wiped out?
I felt it took a long while to get really established and the majority of the interesting stuff happened in the second half. The first half was simply "How many zombie attacks can I throw in". Some character development but not enough for the slower plodding place. If you can't get enough zombies or enjoy them but really looking for something different, go for it but if you are only meh about zombies, skip it.
Page count: 263p/10,560p ytd
I felt it took a long while to get really established and the majority of the interesting stuff happened in the second half. The first half was simply "How many zombie attacks can I throw in". Some character development but not enough for the slower plodding place. If you can't get enough zombies or enjoy them but really looking for something different, go for it but if you are only meh about zombies, skip it.
Page count: 263p/10,560p ytd
Monday, March 12, 2012
110:33 Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
The 3rd game in the Alpha & Omega series. Charles is normally closed and reserved and has been his father's enforcer for years and years but things are starting to wear on him and Anna is worried enough to get in Bran's face about it. So when Bran is approached for a werewolf to help in an FBI serial murder investigation since the killer is now targeting werewolves, he sends Anna as his envoy since by her presence she calms others which leads to good PR and Charles can be there in the background as her bodyguard. And maybe while they are gone, Anna can get Charles to open up their link again and get restore their relationship.
Another fabulous book by Patricia Briggs. I like the contrast between Mercy in her other books who is strong and kick-ass and Anna in these books who is calmer and has to work to not be a victim. It's so rare to find authors who can write both well. This series has grown on me and the ending of this one is a total cliff-hanger. I can't wait to see how this evolves in both this book and in Mercy's.
Page count: 293p/10,297p ytd
Another fabulous book by Patricia Briggs. I like the contrast between Mercy in her other books who is strong and kick-ass and Anna in these books who is calmer and has to work to not be a victim. It's so rare to find authors who can write both well. This series has grown on me and the ending of this one is a total cliff-hanger. I can't wait to see how this evolves in both this book and in Mercy's.
Page count: 293p/10,297p ytd
Sunday, March 11, 2012
110:32 Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
Ms. McGuire has done it again. The first in what will hopefully be a long lived series, Discount Armageddon is fresh and vibrant, a nice change from the typical werewolves and vampires that have been in vogue in urban fantasy lately. Enter the Price family, cryptozoologists who's goal in life is to learn more about the other creatures that inhabit our world and protect those who are generally harmless from the Covenant of St. George. Then there's Verity Price who does that between ballroom dancing competitions.
Incredibly swift-paced, tons of action, lots of funny little throw-ins for the seriously geeky (but that don't detract if you aren't)...it was absolutely fabulous. I'm now bummed that I have to wait for the sequel because based on Ms. McGuire's October Daye series, this will likely only get better and better.
Page count: 344p/10,004p ytd
Incredibly swift-paced, tons of action, lots of funny little throw-ins for the seriously geeky (but that don't detract if you aren't)...it was absolutely fabulous. I'm now bummed that I have to wait for the sequel because based on Ms. McGuire's October Daye series, this will likely only get better and better.
Page count: 344p/10,004p ytd
Friday, March 9, 2012
110:31 The Bride Wore Black Leather by Simon Green
The 12th book in the Nightside series. It's the night before John and Suzie's wedding and John wants one last case as a PI. Nothing too exciting, nothing that would make him late for his wedding, just one last case to work before settling down as Walker. But when the case takes a wrong turn, everyone starts gunning for him, even his bride-to-be.
Now here's the problem. That's the basic blurby thing they give you on all the reviews. I kept waiting for it to happen. 2/3 of the way through the book she tells him that he's the biggest bounty yet and she can't turn that down and then we don't see her again until the end. It was really misleading and while I think the general story was fine as written, putting that in the blurbs led to a certain expectation that wasn't met. So there's my spoiler for you, it's not a big game of cat & mouse or hide & seek between John and Suzie. It doesn't happen like that. There are tons of other people gunning for John but she's not hot on his heels at any time, until the end.
Page count: 310p/9,660p ytd
Now here's the problem. That's the basic blurby thing they give you on all the reviews. I kept waiting for it to happen. 2/3 of the way through the book she tells him that he's the biggest bounty yet and she can't turn that down and then we don't see her again until the end. It was really misleading and while I think the general story was fine as written, putting that in the blurbs led to a certain expectation that wasn't met. So there's my spoiler for you, it's not a big game of cat & mouse or hide & seek between John and Suzie. It doesn't happen like that. There are tons of other people gunning for John but she's not hot on his heels at any time, until the end.
Page count: 310p/9,660p ytd
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
110:30 Chaotic by Kelley Armstrong
A novella set in the Otherworld universe, we finally get to see the backstory on how Hope and Karl first met. It has a very young and naive Hope thinking she is working for the council when in fact she is working for another organization entirely and Karl being Karl, thief and playboy and all around bad-ass. Fun story and is making me impatient for the next book.
Page count: 60p?/9,350p ytd
Page count: 60p?/9,350p ytd
110:29 A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
All I can say after reading this is Wow! An intricate world is built in these pages and you can tell that there is much, much more to learn about it in future books. I love how we don't get a lot of expose in the beginning but instead are put right into the story and the world and characters are allowed to unfold more naturally as we go. The characters are intense and there is always something more to learn about them as well. I truly don't want to say much about any of it for fear of giving anything away but let's just say there is a magically hidden book, a forbidden romance, magic, and of course witches, vampires, and deamons (oh my!) but even more interesting is the scientific bent overlaid on top of it all...until the magic covers it over again.
A fantastic book and I'm anxiously awaiting the second book in the series.
Page count: 579p/9,290p ytd
A fantastic book and I'm anxiously awaiting the second book in the series.
Page count: 579p/9,290p ytd
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