Unseen: By Rachel Caine

UNSEEN

SUMMARY

After Cassiel and Warden Luis Rocha rescue an adept child from a maniacal Djinn, they realize two things: the girl is already manifesting an incredible amount of power, and her kidnapping was not an isolated incident.

This Djinn-aided by her devoted followers-is capturing children all over the world, and indoctrinating them so she can use their strength for herself. With no other options, Cassiel infiltrates the Djinn's organization-because if Cassiel cannot stop the Djinn's apocalyptic designs, all of humanity may be destroyed.

REVIEW

I was a little unsure how Unseen would be since the main series it’s spun off from, The Weather Warder Series, which ended this last August. But I shouldn’t have worried because when you have a writer as creative and talented as Rachel Caine you don’t need to worry about the continuity of a series.

Unseen takes place right after the end of Unknown and around Cape Storm in the Weather Warden Series. It’s fast paced, exciting, and full of rich characters. Because the series takes place over four books Caine is better able to show the evolution of her protagonist Cassiel, from a hard uncaring dangerous Djinn, to a more compassionate fuller character that we’re able to see in Unseen.

Not only that, but the other characters such as Ibby and Luis are given in my opinion a much bigger (and much deserved) role in this book in the series. I found Ibby in particular especially well written and interesting. Caine does a great job treading that fine line of a broken little girl and a hardened soldier that the Ibby is forced to inhabit in her character. Not only that but the other new characters such as Esmeralda make a great new addition to the story and really help bring out the action.

That said, this is the third book in a series spun off from another series. Readers should make sure to read the previous books to truly grasp all that is happening in the book.

All in all this is a fun book with plenty of action. The characters are interesting and redeemable, and the dialog is well written. This book wont win the Hugo or Pulitzer Prize, but it makes for a great book to read on vacation or just for anyone looking for an exciting and captivating book on the go. All in all a very entertaining book.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Roc

Published: February 1, 2011

Price: $7.99

First Grave On The Right: By Darynda Aones

FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT

SUMMARY

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

REVIEW

I had heard lots of hype how First Grave on the Right was going to be one of the best new books in urban fantasy this year. There were tons of posts, reviews, and it even had a constant stream of 5 star reviews on Amazon, before the book came out. But from the very first page I was turned off from the book.

Of course my problem with the book wasn’t based on the level of writing, nor the characters, nor the setting of the book. Instead my problem had to do with my expectations of the book. I had convinced myself from the reviews and description of the book that it was an urban fantasy. After having read it I would not describe it as an urban fantasy, instead I would characterize it as a paranormal romance.

What’s the big difference you might ask? Well first and foremost in an urban fantasy the focus is on the magic dealing with the mystery/adventure that the protagonist has to deal with. In a paranormal romance the focus still aims at the magic surrounding the mystery/adventure but a decent percentage of the books is also focused on the romance aspect. This includes sex, more sex, and usually a conflict between two different lovers (this last one doesn’t always happen but it does in a number of books.)

Of course there’s nothing wrong with having a focus on sex in a book, Laurell K. Hamilton’s series certainly heavily focus on sex and they are New York Times Bestsellers. Nor does it mean if you have sex in a book does it make it a bad book or poorly written, I have read interesting captivating books like this and loved them. But for me this just wasn’t one of them. It could have easily been my expectations being set to high but for me First Grave of on the Right just didn’t cut it.

RATING

5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Published: February 1, 2011

Price: $21.99

Retro Demonology: By Jana Oliver

RETRO DEMONOLOGY

SUMMARY

A Demon Trapper’s bonus story.

Before Riley Blackthorne can take on Grade Five demons, she has to trap her very first. Her debut solo trapping experience should be a breeze, just a harmless Grade One after all. But throw in some dippy hippies (whose peace signs and Patchouli really aren’t driving any demons away), one mischievous demon, and a run-in with the police, and Riley might not be able to pull it off...

REVIEW

Retro Demonology is a fun short story that introduces Jana Oliver’s world of demon hunting, and the beginning of The Demon Trapper’s Daughter series. It is fast paced, interesting, and introduces readers to a well developed and appealing protagonist, Riley. Not only that but Retro Demonology gives readers a chance to sample the first few chapters of the captivating novel and continuation of the story in The Demon Trapper’s Daughter, that’s due out in February.

While the story might be short, it’s well written and entertaining. I personally can’t wait for The Demon Trapper’s Daughter and wouldn’t mind reading more of these short stories in-between books in the series.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Published: December 17, 2010

Price: $0.00 (Free)

Red Moon Rising: By Peter Moore

RED MOON RISING

SUMMARY

Being only half-vamp in a high school like Carpathia Night makes you a whole loser. But Danny Gray manages to escape the worst of the specists at his school. Thanks to genetic treatments he had as an infant, most people assume Danny's other half is human. Which is a good thing.

Ever since the development of synthetic blood – SynHeme – vamps have become society’s elite, while wulves like his father work menial jobs and live in bad neighborhoods. Wulves are less than second class citizens; once a month they become inmates, forced to undergo their Change in dangerous government compounds.

For Danny, living with his vamp mother and going to a school with a nearly all-vamp student body, it’s best to pretend his wulf half doesn’t even exist. But lately Danny's been having some weird symptoms -- fantastic night vision; a keener-than-usual sense of smell; and headaches, right around the full moon.

Even though it's easy to be in denial, it's hard to ignore evidence. There's only a month until the next few moon, and Danny's time is running out.

REVIEW

Red Moon Rising was not what I was expecting. But it was great.

It is NOT a story of a forlorn paranormal entity (werewolves, vampires, zombies, ect…) that falls in love and must fight to have him/her as their lover. Nor is it the story of paranormals fighting, solving mysteries, and generally running amuck. Instead this interesting and well written book is a zestful and imaginative retelling of the civil rights movement through the tale of a werewolf.

I know right about now you must be rolling your eyes, thinking this book sounds both idiotic and disrespectful to the civil rights movement and all that it stood for. But to be honest it is neither. Moore does an amazing job creating an engaging book that is both respectful to the topics it recreates, as well as informative to the overall experience of what it was like going through this period.

Besides that, Red Moon Rising has a gripping story, who’s characters, especially Danny (the protagonist), his father, and his step-father, are all incredibly well developed, interesting characters who really shine out. Not only that but the tension is very well built so that readers are captivated to the conclusion of the story. All in all making this a creative and well written book that readers looking for something other than the typical paranormal romance story should try, and will most likely enjoy.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Published: February 8, 2011

Price: $16.99

The Floating Island: By Rachel Neumeier

THE FLOATING ISLAND

SUMMARY

When Trei loses his family in a tragic disaster, he must search out distant relatives in a new land. The Floating Islands are unlike anything Trei has ever seen: stunning, majestic, and graced with kajurai, men who soar the skies with wings.

Trei is instantly sky-mad, and desperate to be a kajurai himself. The only one who fully understands his passion is Araene, his newfound cousin. Prickly, sarcastic, and gifted, Araene has a secret of her own . . . a dream a girl cannot attain.

Trei and Araene quickly become conspirators as they pursue their individual paths. But neither suspects that their lives will be deeply entwined, and that the fate of the Floating Islands will lie in their hands. . . .

REVIEW

The Floating Islands starts with a heavy beginning that may turn initial readers away. But readers shouldn’t fret over this, instead they should know that grief and loss isn’t the central theme of the book, instead it is one of finding ones place in the world. Neumeier does this by creating two cousin protagonists that are lost in the world they’re each in. Trei has just lost his family in a horrific accident and been throw out of the only other family and land he’s ever known. Araene, Trei’s cousin, is also hopelessly lost. In her world of the floating islands women are not granted the same rights as men, are not afforded schooling, the ability to wander about, nor even the selection of their future careers. The two cousins meet and recognize each other as the trapped and lost beings they each are. From here the story takes each cousin down a different and unexpected road, full of surprises, mysteries, sadness, and magic.

I found a number of things that were well done about The Floating Islands, but first and foremost has to be the imagery and setting. Neumeier does a fantastic job creating a vivid and unique setting that really stands out in the book. Besides the pure descriptive aspect of setting the island is laid out in a way that allows readers to feel as if they are navigating the streets and rooftops themselves, instead of just reading about them.

Besides this the character interactions, especially between the two cousins, seemed especially well written. As I mentioned before this is a book not of just pure magic and action, but one of character building and more specifically finding ones self in the world, and I have to say Neumeier does a fantastic job making this book so.

Of course while the character interaction and setting is well done in The Floating Islands, I did find a few things I had a problem with in the book. The first problem I had was with the system of magic Neumeier creates. I think there’s nothing wrong with having a system of magic in the way Neumeier creates it in The Floating Islands, but my problem is with the fact that Araene was instructed that magic would be a certain way and then Neumeier made it completely different when describing Araene use it. Also the very fact that Araene could master the magic of door making and others so easily when it seems everyone else was having such a hard time with it seems unrealistic and ridiculous.

Another problem with the magic (and this is really something I just felt, everyone might not feel this way), was that I wanted to hear more about it. I wanted it to be more than just a tool that is used to steer the cousins in their directions, but instead to be described more fully and given an intricate nature with the story.

That said this was a great book that was very well written. My complaints really are miniscule compared to the success of the overall story, and I feel I would have no problem recommending this book to a friend looking for a good book. All in all a very good book.

RATING

8 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Published: February 8, 2011

Price: $16.99

The Fourth Stall: By Chris Rylander

THE FOURTH STALL

SUMMARY

Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. It's what he does—he and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boys' bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming.

Or at least it was, until one particular Monday. It starts with a third grader in need of protection. And before this ordeal is over, it's going to involve a legendary high school crime boss named Staples, an intramural gambling ring, a graffiti ninja, the nine most dangerous bullies in school, and the first Chicago Cubs World Series game in almost seventy years. And that's just the beginning. Mac and Vince soon realize that the trouble with solving everyone else's problems is that there's no one left to solve yours.

REVIEW

Fans of Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane will love this book for their kids. The Fourth Stall takes all the key elements out of these authors’ excellent detective novels and miniaturizes for a younger audience. Instead of having a run down office, readers will find Mac, the stories narrator, in a broken down toilet stall in the boys bathroom. Instead of fixing any situation by solving a murder mystery, Mac fixes the situations for elementary and middle school kids. The similarities go on and on, but that’s exactly the purpose the author, Chris Rylander, wrote The Fourth Stall with.

I particularly enjoyed the end of the book where Rylander sets up a sequel to The Fourth Stall by having “a real dame” walk into the stall to ask for help. But the books target audience will love any number of things, from Vince’s insane sayings, to the exciting action scenes that seems to occur every other chapter, to Mac’s descriptions of characters and situations and the ruminations of cases past and how he met the other members of his crew. But most importantly readers will love the mystery detective style that the book emits.

That said this book is not for everyone. It hits perfectly for its target audience (kids in late elementary and middle school), but readers of an older persuasion might find some of the aspects of the book lacking.

Of course it wasn’t written for this older audience, so because of that my feelings are that this is a great book that does an excellent job of bringing the world of mystery and detective novels to young readers, an audience that I’m sure will love it.

RATING

8 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Walden Pond Press

Published: February 8, 2011

Price: $15.99

Subject Seven: By James A. Moore

SUBJECT SEVEN

SUMMARY

Years ago, scientists began developing the ultimate military weapon: deadly sleeper assassins housed within the bodies of teenagers. Now, Subject Seven, the dangerous alter-ego living inside a 16-year-old boy, has escaped the lab and is on a mission. His objective? To seek out others like him and build an army capable of destroying their creators.

Hunter, Cody, Gene, Tina, and Kylie: five teenagers leading typical lives, until the day they each receive a call from a mysterious strangerÑand learn that their destinies are intertwined. Subject Seven holds the key that connects them all. And a vicious, bloody battle for their lives is just beginning.

REVIEW

When I read the description for Subject Seven I was pretty excited. It seemed like it was exciting, action driven, and had just enough of a science fiction element to make the books really great. Now after having read it I would say Subject Seven a fun exciting book, but to truly review it you have to almost break the book up into the first half and the second half of the book.

To me the first half of Subject Seven was gritty, jumpy, and almost seemed unnecessary in parts. There was so much anguish for the kid characters (especially Hunter), and most of the action wasn’t seen, but was instead witnessed after the fact, with readers only seeing the outcomes of these blood and gore rampages. To me the first half of the book was about a 6-6.5 out of 10.

Of course the second half of the book is where it finally starts to get interesting. The characters meet up, and the reader finally get some real dialog and interaction between characters instead of just a one sided bought of confusion on how they got there. Also, once the characters are together we’re able to see the action while it’s happening. Not only that but a new level to the mystery is added with the addition of two alphas in the group (can’t say more than that.) Between the increased action, the increased character interaction, and the heightened level of mystery introduced in the second half of the book I would give the second half of Subject Seven a 9.

Of course this is the first book in a series and so you have to account for that when looking at the first part of the book. Because of that I would say that this is an exciting book that seems to be the lead-up to an adrenaline filled exciting series, and that readers should get through the first half of the book because the second half is worth the wait.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Razorbill

Published: January 20, 2011

Price: $9.99

Hellforged: By Nancy Holzner

HELLFORGED

SUMMARY

A demon is stalking Vicky's dreams-just as several of Deadtown's zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. And when Vicky realizes she is the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown's living nightmare.

REVIEW

When I picked up Hellforged I hadn’t heard of Nancy Holzner, I hadn’t read the first book in the series Deadtown, and I didn’t know the slightest thing about Hellforged except it looked like it had the possibility to be interesting. Of course now that I’ve read Hellforged I can’t wait to read Deadtown and the rest of the forthcoming Deadtown series.

Now readers don’t have to read Deadtown before reading Hellforged but I assume it would certainly help enrich the book and series as a whole. In Hellforged Victory is not only forced to deal with the situations and demons from Deadtown (don’t worry Holzner does a great job catching new readers up), but she’s introduced to an even more terrifying nemesis, her family. Readers get glimpse into the history that makes up Victory heritage while also amassing more mysteries along the way.

Holzner does a great job creating both strong main and side characters. Victory isn’t perfect but nor is she supposed to be. She is clearly still learning and most of the demons she deals with are of a low level. When she has to face demons and monsters of a higher level she often relies on help or almost lucks into the solution. And while that sounds like a bad thing, this really makes the book much more enjoyable. This is not some superman of a character, it is a flawed character that is meant grow and strengthen across the series.

As for the side characters, my favorite by far has to be either Mab or Kane. While Mab is tough and full of mysteries, Kane is both strong, perfect seeming, and yet full of little quirks that make him both more realistic and unique. Such quirks include his necessity to term everything in it’s politically appropriate term (even while Victory rolls her eyes throughout the book). This and other characteristics make Kane a fun character to read.

Of course one character that I was a little sad wasn’t in the book more was Juliet. She has a few key scenes that line up some important information for the next book in the series, but for the most part she’s barely in this book.

All in all I liked Hellerforged quite a bit. The characters were both interesting, the action well spaced and well detailed, the premise exciting and different, and the book overall a fun read. I personally plan to read Deadtown, and I can’t wait for the next in the series, whenever it comes out.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Ace

Published: December 28, 2010

Price: $7.99

Warped: By Maurissa Guibord

WARPED

SUMMARY

Tessa doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But there's something weird about the dusty unicorn tapestry she discovers in a box of old books. She finds the creature woven within it compelling and frightening. After the tapestry comes into her possession, Tessa experiences dreams of the past and scenes from a brutal hunt that she herself participated in. When she accidentally pulls a thread from the tapestry, Tessa releases a terrible centuries old secret. She also meets William de Chaucy, an irresistible 16th-century nobleman. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together, they must correct the wrongs of the past. But then the Fates step in, making a tangled mess of Tessa's life. Now everyone she loves will be destroyed unless Tessa does their bidding and defeats a cruel and crafty ancient enemy.

REVIEW

The bestselling YA Fantasy books as of late have dealt with vampires, werewolves, angels, and even zombies, but what all of these books seemed to skip over were unicorns.

Yes, that’s right unicorns.

Unicorns often have gotten a bad reputation as being the mascot mythical creature of six year old girls who like the color pink and play hopscotch. What people don’t realize is that unicorns can be down right deadly. In fact this last year Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier even made an anthology, Zombies vs. Unicorns just to better portray this often overlooked brutal side of unicorns.

In Warped Maurissa Guibord does a fantastic job creating a unique fantasy revolving around the three fates and their affinity to string and weaving. Guibord also introduces the mythical unicorn into this story after it’s trapped in a tapestry forever feeding off it’s strength and longevity. All of these things, including the unique take on the fates makes this an interesting and creative plot.

Unfortunately, this is where the enjoyment of the book ends. I found the characters, while they had some good dialog at times, were somewhat annoying and incomplete in their development. The villain, Grey Lily wasn’t present in the book long enough for the reader to truly grasp the necessary villainy for the book. The heroine Tessa seems to suddenly get magic powers that appear at random times without explaining how or what they are. And the characters themselves never seem to grow or develop.

Not only that but, personally I did not like the “we’re in love, our love has spanned centuries storyline” that Warped employs. Not only that but it felt like the author was almost fighting against this storyline at certain points in the story and suddenly fixes everything without detailing why it was fixed.

All in all while I liked the different subject matter of the book I felt the plot was predictable, the characters weak, and the magic never fully explained. Because of this I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book. It wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t good.

RATING

6 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Published: January 11, 2011

Price: $16.99

The Lost Gate: By Orson Scott Card

THE LOST GATE

SUMMARY

Danny North knew from early childhood that his family was different, and that he was different from them. While his cousins were learning how to create the things that commoners called fairies, ghosts, golems, trolls, werewolves, and other such miracles that were the heritage of the North family, Danny worried that he would never show a talent, never form an outself.

He grew up in the rambling old house, filled with dozens of cousins, and aunts and uncles, all ruled by his father. Their home was isolated in the mountains of western Virginia, far from town, far from schools, far from other people.

There are many secrets in the House, and many rules that Danny must follow. There is a secret library with only a few dozen books, and none of them in English — but Danny and his cousins are expected to become fluent in the language of the books. While Danny’s cousins are free to create magic whenever they like, they must never do it where outsiders might see.

Unfortunately, there are some secrets kept from Danny as well. And that will lead to disaster for the North family.

REVIEW

Orson Scott Card is one of the most well regarded authors in both science fiction and fantasy. He’s won numerous awards, written multiple New York Times Bestselling novels, and is the only American author to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards in consecutive years. I personally was introduced to Card’s books when my 10^th grade English teacher assigned Ender’s Game as a reading assignment. That was my first science fiction book I ever read but to this day I claim it’s still one of the best science fiction books I’ve seen.

Unlike his Ender’s Game series, The Lost Gate is in the fantasy genre. It follows Danny, a boy who grows up among a group of mages so powerful they were once known as the gods of old. Now centuries later their powers have dramatically decreased since the source of their power was cut off by a powerful gatemage. Because of this the gods of old banned to banned together to capture and kill and gatemage that came into existence. Unfortunately for Danny, he just so happens to be one. As he flees his home, Danny travels across the country, meeting every type of person from common high schoolers, to hoodlums, to other sects of mages. Now with Danny on the run he has to figure out how to control his powers before the all powerful Gate Thief steals them, or even worse his family catches up… and kills him.

While I liked the system of magic created in The Lost Gate, what I found most disappointing were the characters. I felt many of the minor characters were poorly crafted and unrealistic. Some of the side characters such as (V) are so poorly developed and unnecessary to the story that readers have to wonder why Card put them in their in the first place.

Of course that said The Lost Gate is the first book in a series, and because of this these characters that I felt were contained unrealistic dialog or were unnecessary to the story might yet develop or blossom in importance to the plot. Also because it’s the first book in a series readers will be left with a number of burning questions, causing a sense of dissatisfaction when the book is finally put down.

Now that said, this is still Orson Scott Card writing this series, and so I have held him to a higher standard. The story is still engaging, the system of magic intriguing, and the speed of the plot moving a brisk pace. Not only that but Card fits a large number of details and past information into this first book without seriously detracting from the story, a feat not every author could pull off.

And so because of the lack of development and unrealistic minor character dialog, as well as the brisk plot, engaging story line, and intriguing system of magic I would have to say that this is an interesting book that can be read but until the next book in the series comes out, it is still waiting final judgment on the series.

RATING

7.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Tor Books

Published: January 4, 2011

Price: $24.99

Playdate: By Thelma Adams

PLAYDATE

SUMMARY

Inside their picture-perfect homes, the residents of this quiet California suburb are not at all what they seem.

Lance is a former weatherman, now a buff yogi, stay-athome dad, and manager of his daughter’s Girl Scout troop’s cookie distribution. Belle is his precocious and quick-witted daughter. Darlene is a classic Type A work-a-holic, she has little time or patience for the needs of her husband and daughter

And just down the street are Alec and Wren. Alec, a womanizing businessman, is also the financial backer—and sometimes more—behind Darlene’s burgeoning empire. Meanwhile, Wren is a doting mother and talented yogi, ready to lay down the mat for a quick session with Lance.

As looming Santa Ana winds threaten to turn brushfires into catastrophe; Playdate proves that relationships are complicated and the bonds between families, spouses and children are never quite what they seem. What happens next door, beyond the hedges, in the romper room and executive office—it’s all as combustible as a quick brushfire on a windy day.

REVIEW

Playdate is not a good book.

To be fair part of the reason I didn’t like this book was the fact that I had a different expectation for the book than it ended up being about. I was expecting a fun sarcastic romp, like Jonathan Tropper’s This Is Where I Leave You Now (which is fantastic if you haven’t read it.) But what I got was a book filled with over-sexed un-relatable characters, and a plot line that would make even the authors mother fall asleep.

As I mentioned the characters weren’t just over sexed maniacs, they were poorly written and just plain hard to connect with. I really feel in this kind of book the characters are the most important aspect, but in Playdate, Adam’s just plain falls down on the job of creating engaging relatable characters. Because of this the book never gets off the ground, and even if it had a breathtaking captivating plot (which it didn’t) than it wouldn’t have made up for it’s lack of characters.

All in all while there were some funny lines and the back of the book reads like it could be good, I was heavily disappointed with Playdate. It was sluggish, predictable, and hard to keep holding (the opposite of hard to put down.) If you have to pick a book to read for fun, don’t make the mistake in reading this one.

RATING

3 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Published: January 18, 2011

Price: $23.99