Rise of Empire: By Michael Sullivan

RISE OF EMPIRE

SUMMARY

Royce and Hadrian have been called upon to aid the struggling kingdom of Melengar as it alone stands in defiance against the newly formed empire. As war approaches a desperate gamble behind enemy lines is their only chance at forming an alliance with the Nationalists to the south.

But Royce has plans of his own and uses this opportunity to discover if an ancient wizard is using Riyria as pawns in his own bid for power. To find the truth, Royce must unravel Hadrian's hidden past. What he discovers will lead them to the end of the known world on a journey rife with treachery and intrigue.

And so continues the second tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

REVIEW

Rise of Empire was amazing .

While the first two books (found in Theft of Swords) were fantastic books, they felt much more like stand alones that happened to contain the same group of characters. Now in books 3 and 4 of the series, Sullivan turns this fantastic series into a continuous series.

Readers finally learn more about the heir, we are introduced to new characters that play huge new roles (such as Modina, Amilia, Merrick and Wyatt). And older characters get to play bigger and more important storylines (especially Arista and Saulder).

That said my favorite new aspect of the books is the introduction to Royce and Hadrian’s pasts. Readers will get to visit the towns these two each grew up from, discover the source of Hadrian’s amazing fighting skills, and even see who put Royce in prison. Each of the two characters are much more flushed out, and we really get to see what makes each of them tick. They are tested in ways we never saw in the previous two books and I have to say they will be tested further in the last installments.

Of course I also loved Arista’s growth and discovery. Arista goes from becoming a smart yet pampered princess to something altogether more. She becomes a real character that readers will sympathize with. Fans of the series will root for as she defies the odds and feel sorrow for as the people in her life die around her. Through Arista readers are also finally introduced to magic. As her powers grow, so does her importance in the story, and lets just say she’s darn important by the end of book 4.

Of course while that’s all well and good, other things to keep in mind are that this book is chalk full of great action scenes, as Hadrian and Royce battle everything from mythical monsters, to religious soldiers, to goblins. All in all this book is fantastic. Sullivan has created quality characters who deepen the story, filled it with non-stop action, and thrown in a good deal of mystery and deception, to the degree that readers themselves wont know what will happen next. All in all a great book and I can’t wait for the last in the series.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: December 14, 2011

Price: $14.99

Theft of Swords: By Michael Sullivan

THEFT OF SWORDS

SUMMARY

THEY KILLED THE KING. THEY PINNED IT ON TWO MEN. THEY CHOSE POORLY.

Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles--until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom.

Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires in order to keep a secret too terrible for the world to know?

REVIEW

Sullivan’s Theft of Swords is absolutely fantastic. Its characters are humorous and robust, its plot dynamic, and its writing just plain well written. In fact if you’re looking for comparisons Theft of Swords reminded me of an interesting combination of Simon R. Green’s Hawk and Fisher series (with the mystery fantasy element with a witty back and forth between the protagonists) and Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series (with is strong band of characters and dynamic plot full of twists.)

Of course while I enjoyed the book, my favorite aspect of it had to be the characters. They were well written, and as readers go through books one and two (both are contained in Theft of Swords) readers will really get a feeling for Royce and Hadrian. Obviously these two are my favorite characters (especially Hadrian). They are humorous, honorable (yet still maintain the fact that they are thieves for hire), and relatable characters. Not only that but Sullivan has created rich back stories for them that he’s slowly revealing in order to impress upon the readers the importance of each these dynamic character’s histories.

That said, I also very much enjoy Esra (I didn’t like him in book one, but he grew on me by book two and feel like he could present some interesting situations in the rest of the series), the Pickering boys (they’re talented strong willed good natured boys who add a nice element to the story), and Myron (the lovable and hilarious monk.)

All in all this book is filled with pretty much constant action, it’s got great characters, and is just plain fun to read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, and am happy that Orbit is planning to release them in consecutive months. All in all there’s a reason this book was a Kindle Best Seller before it was published by Orbit.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: November 23, 2011

Price: $14.99

Broken Blade: By Kelly McCullough

BROKEN BLADE

SUMMARY

Once a fabled Blade of Namara, Aral Kingslayer fought for justice and his goddess alongside his familiar, a living shadow called Triss. Now with their goddess murdered and her temple destroyed, they are among the last of their kind. Surviving on the fringes of society, Aral becomes a drunken, broken, and wanted man, working whatever shadowy deal comes his way. Until a mysterious woman hires him to deliver a secret message-one that can either redeem him or doom him.

REVIEW

The Broken Blade series reminded me of a lighter version of the book Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick (a fantastic book if you haven’t read it.)

Broken Blade is perfect for a fan of political/hierarchal conspiracy in a fantasy series.

Aral is a fantastic broken character that readers will love to learn more about, in fact this was one of my favorite parts of the story. McCullough does a fantastic job creating an engaging yet realistic tale of how a once great assassin and religious follow could be broken made into the “jack” acting outside the law we see today. It’s fascinating hearing Aral’s stories how he killed the king, and how he grew up with his fellow followers of Namara. Not only that but the idea that if a religious follower’s goddess died, what the ramifications would be, is a fascinating premise.

Of course Aral isn’t the only interesting character in the book, I also enjoyed Triss. Triss is Aral’s shadow familiar who also looks a little like a dragon when he’s not impersonating Aral’s shadow. Triss has cool powers, and is definitely his own established character. The only issue I have with Triss is that Triss isn’t as complex as I’d want him to be. He’s strong and makes a great sidekick but sometimes I’d be nice if he was a little bit more, or if we knew more about his kinds back story. That said I realize this is an unreasonable expectation as detailing more of Triss’s back story and adventures could in itself be an entire new series.

That said, this book isn’t just great characters and intricate political plots, it’s also filled with some heart pounding action. As Aral is forced to confront great foes and powerful former friends, the story is positively bursting with excitement. McCullough also does a great job creating an interesting world of magic and ramifications. I’d have liked a bit more of a run through with what is possible in this world, but I’m sure readers will get a greater grasp on it as the series goes on.

All in all Broken Blade is a fun first book. It’s got action, appealing characters (especially the librarian), great back stories, and an interesting magic system. Because of all of these things I’d recommend this book, and I’m looking forward to the next in the series, Bared Blade.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Ace

Published: November 29, 2011

Price: $7.99

Legend: By Marie Lu

LEGEND

SUMMARY

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths-—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

REVIEW

Because of all the hype that was attached to it (it already had a movie deal, it was to be produced by the producers of Twilight, and the general reviews and rumors that had circulated about it) I was both hesitant and excited for Legend. I didn’t want it to turn out as just another hyped up poorly written romance novel.

I never should have worried.

Legend was fantastic. The action is both nonstop and captivating. Lu crafts a seamless story that weaves effortlessly between Day and June’s perspectives, creating an engaging world for readers to be drawn into. The plot is filled with surprises and twists that will keep readers glued to their seat. And the book itself is just well written in general.

That said, yes the action was exciting. Yes, there were twists and surprises in the plot. But most importantly were how well the characters were crafted. I found myself really getting to know Day and June. Readers will feel for both of them and understand why they are each acting they way that they are. Their inevitable love interest was not done in a cheesy manner, and each of their back stories were engaging, believable, and fit perfectly into the structure of the story. I would have wanted to know more about June and Day, but with the amount of time given to each of their stories Lu does a fantastic job really establishing each character. Further I wouldn’t be surprised if we discover more about each of them in the next two books in the series.

Of course June and Day weren’t the only well constructed characters, Day’s brother, John, and partner in crime, Tess, were also great characters that if time permitted could each probably have their own books about them.

All in all I was very impressed with Legend. It was fast paced, well written, and full of interesting characters. I’d have no trouble recommending this book to anyone looking for a good book, and fully intend to recommend it to all my friends. All in all a great book and I can’t wait for the sequel.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Published: November 29, 2011

Price: $17.99

Last Breath: By Rachel Caine

LAST BREATH

SUMMARY

With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?

REVIEW

I've been a fan of the Morganville series since it first came out. I've enjoyed the range of excitement in the series from mildly high (the low setting) to blow your mind and glue you to your seat level of excitement (there are not a lot of down moments for these kids). And all the while Caine has done a fantastic job weaving the story and its characters masterfully through each installment, creating and destroying characters, bringing them back, and doing it all over again in a life or death race for time. Really it feels less like a book series and more like an installment of your favorite tv show (possibly something like heroes or lost, something with a cliff hanger ending each episode.)

Yet while I’ve enjoyed the other books in the series this is by far one of the best. Caine has pulled out all the stops. She (as she did in the previous book in the series) allows readers to not only see Morganville and the story through Claire’s eyes but now readers are able to experience other main characters including, Michael, Eve, Shane, and even Amelie! Reading Amelie had to one of my favorite new additions to the series. The writing is so different, and gives such a different perspective that it’s like gulp of fresh air, shocking the story awake and into the next level of enjoyment.

That said, while the characters are interesting, there is so much excitement and so many new threats that have to be dealt with that it’s amazing Caine was able to fit it all into 352 pages. I really can’t talk about these issues/threats without giving away key aspects of the story, but let me tell you that they are gripping, shocking, and will change the flow of the story pretty dramatically.

If you’ve been a fan of the series then you wont want to miss this book. It’s exciting, filled with great characters, and has so many surprises and twists that even I was shocked. I would have liked more perspective from Amelie, but I can’t complain with what I got (wishful thinking really). And I can’t wait for the next book in the series, because as Caine mentions at the beginning, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BOOK. (If this message doesn’t kick you in the pants to go get the book, then I don’t know what will.) But it’s definitely worth it, as you wont be able to put it down once you pick it up.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: NAL Hardcover

Published: November 1, 2011

Price: $17.99

The Always War: By Margaret Haddix

THE ALWAYS WAR

SUMMARY

For as long as Tessa can remember, her country has been at war. When local golden boy Gideon Thrall is awarded a medal for courage, it’s a rare bright spot for everyone in Tessa’s town—until Gideon refuses the award, claims he was a coward, and runs away. Tessa is bewildered, and can’t help but follow Gideon to find out the truth. But Tessa is in for more than she bargained for. Before she knows it, she has stowed away on a rogue airplane and is headed for enemy territory. But all that pales when she discovers a shocking truth that rocks the foundation of everything she’s ever believed—a truth that will change the world. But is Tessa strong enough to bring it into the light?

REVIEW

At some points in time I felt like The Always War was a little juvenile. At others I felt like it was trying to send a message to advanced for its readers. And yet throughout most it I found myself really enjoying it.

I credit this mostly to Haddix’s fantastic writing skills and her ability to maintain constant action and tension throughout the book. This book is great for readers in middle grades who want some fast paced action with short chapters that leave the reader wanting more each time.

While some of the characters leave a little to be desired in terms of complexity, they accomplish their goals in the story and move on. Some readers will enjoy this, and if looking at this in the eyes of a middle grade reader, this level will work fine. Further, while not all the characters are complex, they do deal with more advanced situations and lessons than one would expect, increasing the satisfaction gained from the story itself. In fact the story itself is appealing as it’s full of action, deception, and character realization.

All in all The Always War is like an action movie broken up into mine segments, almost like a soap opera. It is full of action and deception, and for middle grade readers looking for something quick and nonstop, this will be a great read.

INFO

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Published: November 15, 2011

Price: $16.99

Dark Inside: By Jeyn Roberts

DARK INSIDE

SUMMARY

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everday people into hunters, killers, crazies.

Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever. Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd.

REVIEW

Some people may like this book, but I couldn’t get through it. Not because it was poorly written, but because it somehow struck a nerve of fear/disgust that resonated through my entire being, making me physically ill.

Take that as you will. If you are looking for a book that is written with such strength on subjects such as rape, mass murder, bombings, and mass hysteria, that it makes some readers sick. Then this could be the book for you. Personally I’ve ream more gruesome books, and even on related subject matter, but for some reason the combination of the characters, the subjects, the writing, and the vividness of the details struck home with me and I wasn’t able to finish.

Overall not my cup of tea, but because I didn’t finish I’ll refrain from giving a rating.

INFO

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Published: November 1, 2011

Price: $17.99

Eyes to See: By Joseph Nassise

EYES TO SEE

SUMMARY

In an urban fantasy that charts daring new territory in the field, Jeremiah Hunt has been broken by a malevolent force that has taken his young daughter and everything else of value in his life: his marriage, his career, his reputation. Desperate to reclaim what he has lost, Hunt finally turns to the supernatural for justice.

Abandoning all hope for a normal life, he enters the world of ghosts and even more dangerous entities from beyond the grave. Sacrificing his normal sight so that he can see the souls of the dead and the powers that stalk his worst nightmares, Hunt embarks upon a strange new career--a pariah among the living; a scourge among the dead; doomed to walk between the light of day and the deepest darkness beyond night.

His love for his departed daughter sustains him when all is most hopeless, but Hunt is cursed by something more evil than he can possibly imagine. As he descends into the maelstrom of his terrifying quest, he discovers that even his deepest fears are but prelude to yet darker deeds by a powerful entity from beyond the grave...that will not let him go until it has used him for its own nefarious purposes.

REVIEW

Fans of Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim novels and Mike Carey’s Felix Castor novels will love Joseph Nassise’s Eye’s To See.

Nassise’s novel is dark, gritty, and full of interesting, well written characters. In fact this was one of my only complaints about the book, was the fact that readers are not able to learn more about these characters. I wanted to know more about Demitri, Denise, and especially Scream and Whisper. But while readers might be left wanting more from the supporting cast, the protagonist, Hunt, is really given the spotlight of the story. Readers are exposed to everything about Hunt from his obsession with finding his daughter, to the way his life deteriorated around him, to how the paranormal world was thrust upon him forever changing and scarring him.

Yet all of this is not too much. Nassise does a fantastic job creating a sympathetic yet fascinating character who gave up everything from his marriage, to his job, to his sight to try to rectify the mistake that was made 5 years before.

Of course none of this would matter if Eyes to See wasn’t such a well written engaging book. Yes, it is dark. No, it’s not happy. But it IS well written, full of interesting characters (that I hope to learn more about later), action-packed, and just plain captivating. I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, but to those looking for something interesting and dark, following in the veins of Kadrey or Carey, then look no further. Certainly a good book.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Tor

Published: October 11, 2011

Price: $22.99

The Future of Us: By Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

THE FUTURE OF US

SUMMARY

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

REVIEW

Have you ever wanted to know the future?

In The Future of Us, Asher and Mackler do a fantastic job creating an engaging novel revolving around today’s present fixation with Facebook, while at the same time creating an almost nostalgic world before the internet.

Readers are reminded of things such as, CD players, calling each other on the telephone (before caller ID), playing outside, and really having a life outside of Facebook and the internet. The authors do a fantastic job showing how Facebook can envelop ones life, constantly forcing one to stop living life and to instead post personal details of ones life and constantly discuss. Of course this book is not just about facebook, it is really about the consequences of trying to change one’s fate. Of trying to deal with the problems of tomorrow without the facts, and by living your life under the constant rules of the future.

The authors do a great job creating engaging and realistic characters that deal with everyday problems (with the exception of a future facebook account.) Josh and Emma must deal with sexual tension, an evolving friendship, surprising knowledge about loved ones, and other teen issues that are both realistic and relatable.

Of course this isn’t just another teen book, it has engaging characters, a fast paced plot, realistic dialog, an interesting premise, and is just overall well written. I thoroughly enjoyed The Future of Us and would easily recommend it for anyone looking for a good read.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Razorbill

Published: November 21, 2011

Price: $18.99

The Business of Death: By Trent Jamieson

THE BUSINESS OF DEATH

SUMMARY

Steven de Selby has a hangover. Bright lights, loud noise, and lots of exercise are the last thing he wants. But that's exactly what he gets when someone starts shooting at him.

Steven is no stranger to death - Mr. D's his boss after all - but when a dead girl saves him from sharing her fate, he finds himself on the wrong end of the barrel. His job is to guide the restless dead to the underworld but now his clients are his own colleagues, friends, and family.

Mr. D's gone missing and with no one in charge, the dead start to rise, the living are hunted, and the whole city teeters on the brink of a regional apocalypse - unless Steven can shake his hangover, not fall for the dead girl, and find out what happened to his boss - that is, Death himself.

THE BUSINESS OF DEATH includes the first two volumes of the Death Works trilogy, Death Most Definite and Managing Death, as well as the third volume.

REVIEW

I had mixed feelings when I saw that Orbit wasn’t releasing the third book in Trent Jamieson’s Death series as its own novel, but was combining all of the books into an omnibus edition of all three books in the series. While it does allow new readers a chance to get into the series in one fell swoop, it does certainly offer a disincentive (in both the price and the size, considering many followers of the series would most likely own the previous two books already). But after thinking it over this size/cost impediment is insignificant when compared with the benefit of getting to read and enjoy the final book in the series.

If you couldn’t tell in all that preamble, I thoroughly enjoyed the Business of Death series. I felt like the first book, acted almost as a prequel, establishing the characters and the story. The second book in the series, is really where the tires meets the road (if the road was the plot in this example, and the tires are the excitement, meat, and pace of the story). Finally in the third installment, Jamieson does a fantastic job dealing with the issues of both the first and second books in the series, as well introducing some new twists and turns that really surprised me.

I mention all of this in vague details because since this omnibus contains the entire series, I’m a tad unsure what I should include so as to not ruin the story in later books for readers. What I can mention though is that if you enjoy action, creative and interesting characters (especially Mr. D and Wal), and a book jam packed with twists and sabotage then this is the book for you.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: September 19, 2011

Price: $15.99

Bloodstone: By Nancy Holzner

BLOODSTONE

SUMMARY

They call it Deadtown: the city's quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders - but Victory Vaughn, Boston's only professional demon slayer, isn't exactly human...

Boston's diverse South End is known for its architecture and great restaurants, not its body count. So when mutilated human corpses begin turning up in the area, the entire city takes notice. The killer-dubbed the South End Reaper-uses a curved blade for his grisly work. And even though there's no real evidence pointing to a paranormal culprit, the deaths are straining the already-tense relations between Boston's human and inhuman residents.

As the bodies pile up, Vicky, her formidable aunt, Mab, and her werewolf boyfriend, Kane investigate, only to find that the creature behind the carnage is after something much more than blood...

REVIEW

Are you a fan of chicks kicking ass?

Are you a fan of teenage zombies, with ironic senses of humor?

What about a sword wielding shape shifter who cuts down demons?

Well if the answer to these questions is yes, then you’re in luck because Nancy Holzner’s third Deadtown novel, Bloodstone, is out in stores now.

Deadtown is the sectioned off part of Boston that houses the paranormal creatures that the norms are afraid of. Zombies, vampires, werewolves, witches, and even the odd troll. Of course with the humans scared of these “monsters”, they have to check in and out of appointed check points before leaving, and some, like the zombies, can’t leave at all.

The Deadtown series is part paranormal suffrage movement, part demon killing action, and a touch of romance thrown in for good measure (don’t worry it’s neither done poorly nor overwhelming, just a tad thrown in to move the story along.) The series is fun and addictive and I personally am always waiting for the next book in the series to come out.

In Bloodstone, readers finally get to know what happened to Juliet, Vicky’s vampire roommate (and THE Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.) Vicky has to deal with the aftermath of the Pryce situation (with him disappearing in Hellforged). And readers even get to see Vicky and Kane’s relationship evolve some more. Of course all of those pales in comparison to what we learn about the mysterious Aunt Mab, as readers finally get a chance to see her back story and answer some questions that have been gnawing away at them from the previous books.

All in all Bloodstone is a fun book. Its action is fast paced, its characters are well developed and interesting to read about, and its plot and dialog are well written and attention-grabbing. I’d definitely recommend going back and reading the previous books in the series before starting this one, but it’ll definitely be worth it.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Ace

Published: September 27, 2011

Price: $7.99

Aloha From Hell: By Richard Kadrey

ALOHA FROM HELL

SUMMARY

In Sandman Slim Stark came back from hell for revenge.

In Kill the Dead he tackled both a zombie plague and being Lucifer’s bodyguard.

Once again all is not right in L.A. Lucifer is back in Heaven, God is on vacation, and an insane killer mounts a war against both Heaven and Hell.

Stark’s got to head back down to his old stomping grounds in Hell to rescue his long lost love, stop an insane serial killer, prevent both Good and Evil from completely destroying each other, and stop the demonic Kissi from ruining the party for everyone.

Even for Sandman Slim, that’s a tall order. And it’s only the beginning.

REVIEW

I loved Sandman Slim. It was gritty, fast paced, and full of all the magic and mayhem anyone could want. Then in its sequel Kill the Dead I liked some of the new elements and characters introduced (especially Lucifer) but felt like it went a little off point. Now in the third installment in this series we finally get back to the main story arc we were introduced to in the first book, Starks revenge with Mason.

Mason is the reason Stark became Sandman Slim. He trapped him in hell and from there Stark was forced to become the monster we see now. Of course in Aloha From Hell we are shown the inner workings of Mason’s past to final understand a little better why he wanted to go to hell in the first place. Kadrey does a great job introducing this new information and making Mason into a much broader character from it.

Of course, one thing that I dearly missed in the series were the supporting characters (especially Lucifer from Kill the Dead). Aloha From Hell is about Stark and Mason’s pasts and their reunion in Hell. There were new characters introduced (such as Jack the Ripper) but they didn’t have the same oomph or charisma that Lucifer or Candy had.

That said this book is pretty darn fun to read. It has everything it promises (action, magic, Hell, and revenge) and it moves at a fast clip. I would not recommend reading this book when you have something else due the next day, as your wont be able to put it down. But if you are free from imminent obligations for the next few days then I’d easily recommend this dark and gritty third installment in the Sandman Slim series.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Published: October 18, 2011

Price: $23.99

The Goblin War: By Hilari Bell

THE GOBLIN WAR

SUMMARY

Tobin has finally crossed back from the Otherworld, where he was trapped in mortal peril for months—only to be captured by the dreaded, bloodthirsty barbarians the moment he enters his own Realm. Meanwhile, the pretty hedgewitch Makenna and her legion of goblins are still trying to find a way out of the Otherworld before it fatally drains their magic and life force. To escape, they will need help from the spirits that live there—but that aid will not come freely.

Now the barbarians are out to take over the Realm, and only Makenna, Tobin, and his younger brother, Jeriah, know what is needed to stop them. They’ll need to work together—and with the goblins—to formulate a plan. The answer lies with the Otherworld spirits and also with the blood amulets that give infinite power to the barbarians. The question is: Can they band together and save the Realm in time?

REVIEW

Around this time last year, I mentioned that I was both surprised and giddy by the fact that Hilari Bell had revisited an old stand alone novel that I absolutely loved, The Goblin Wood.

The Goblin Wood is one of those books that sticks with you when you read it. Its characters, (especially Tobin and Makenna the protagonists) are fantastic, realistic, and fun to read about. The plot is engaging and fast paced. And the writing captivating, and just plain well written.

It's follow-up, The Goblin Gate, was just as enthralling as The Goblin Wood, but focused on (Jeriah and Cogswhallop), smaller characters in The Goblin Wood. The action packed follows up with the aftermath of the war and escape of Makenna and the Goblins, and introduces entire new aspects of the story readers were not aware of in the previous book. Of course like The Goblin Wood, The Goblin Gate is captivating, fun, and well written. But unfortunately it does contain the curse of the second book in a trilogy, as it leaves readers on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next.

And now we finally get to The Goblin War. The Goblin War takes all the pieces of the first two books and puts them together. All of the main characters are given signifigant time to shine and Bell does a fantastic job tying together and weaving these two stories into an exciting and action packed ending.

The story focuses on the issue of the invading barbarians presented at the end of The Goblin Gate. Each of the characters takes a substantial role in the outcome of the issue, each contributing in their own unique way. By the end of the book readers will feel both sad at the ending of the series, and satisfied with the resolution reached.

Like its predecessors, The Goblin War contains fantastic dialog, wonderful characters, fun magic, good writing, and a fast paced plot. If you haven't read Bell's previous books in the series, make sure that you do, for while you would probably be able to follow along (Bell does a good job reminding and explaining certain circumstances that characters are in, because of the large time gap between the books), these books are wonderful and need to be read in sequence to get the utmost enjoyment out of them. All in all, I loved this series and am sad to see it end. Bel does a fantastic job and I'd certainly recommend them to anyone looking for a good book.

RATING

10 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: HarperTeen

Published: October 11, 2011

Price: $17.99

The Dragon's Tooth: By N.D. Wilson

THE DRAGON'S TOOTH

SUMMARY

For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a sagging roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room.

Less than 24 hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the world for millennia.

REVIEW

When I was given The Dragon’s Tooth, I was more than a little skeptical of it. It looked much more juvenile than I usually like, what with its explorer like society, the magic that it describes, and the age of the characters. That coupled with the cover made me think this was not going to be something that was going to be for me.

I was thoroughly surprised.

Wilson does a superb job creating intelligent interesting characters (especially the protagonist Cyrus), that I really felt acted in a much more realistic (and enjoyable) manner. Of course it wasn’t just that Cy acts more grown up than you would expect for a middle grade reader, it’s that Wilson obviously treated the reader’s intelligence with respect when creating this character, in that he isn’t dumbed down, which I find quite a lot of middle grade books do to their characters. Of course not all the characters are quite as interesting as Cyrus, I was a little disappointed with Maxi (a black and white villain), and some of the other supporting characters, but overall I was still impressed with the lineup.

As for the plot itself, that too surprised me. There was much more action than I was expecting, and while some of it seemed to jump about a bit, overall I was very impressed. Wilson also throws in some interesting twists with the Smiths background that I hadn’t fully expected, but found quite enjoyable. Not only that but Wilson makes the smart move and doesn’t expect the readers to believe the Smiths just learned everything in a short period of time. Yes, it is still fast, but I felt the way Wilson handled it was very apt.

All in all don’t let this cover fool you. This is a great middle grade book that will entertain and captivate readers as they get to know the world of the Order and the Smiths. The protagonists are well written, the action fast paced, and the story interesting. Plus Wilson leaves some intriguing mysteries for the readers to wait on until the next installment of this interesting series, that I will certainly read.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Published: August 23, 2011

Price: $16.99

Blood Rights: By Kristen Painter

BLOOD RIGHTS

SUMMARY

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarré -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

REVIEW

I know that vampires have been done a lot. Doesn’t matter.

I know sex in vampire novels has been done a lot. Doesn’t matter.

I also know balancing that line between romance and urban fantasy is an incredibly hard position to be put in. Doesn’t matter.

All of this doesn’t matter because Painter does such a fantastic job crafting Blood Rights. The characters are interesting, the plot engaging, and the writing fast paced. But even more than that Painter does such a great job balancing that line between romance and urban fantasy that she is sure to engage and entertain both sets of readers.

Of course besides balancing that line, I truly enjoyed the side characters. I mean what’s not to like about a cursed werecat, who can only turn into a house cat. Or a ghost who is supposed to haunt a vampire for all eternity, who instead makes pleasant conversation and dates said werecat. I liked both of these characters and wished they could have been involved in the story more.

I was also shocked by some of the decisions Painter makes in this first installment in the series. While trying not to get into the thick of details Painter makes some decisions that will shock readers as well as keep them glued to their seats. It’s because of theses decisions, the characters, both major and minor, and the engaging speed of the plot that I’d fully recommend this book to someone wanting to try an urban fantasy/romance combo.

RATING

8 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: September 27, 2011

Price: $7.99