Tricked: By Kevin Hearne

TRICKED

SUMMARY

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

REVIEW

In my opinion Kevin Hearne was one of the best new urban fantasy writers in 2011 (and if you want my honest opinion one of the best new writers period in 2011). His books are exciting, full of intricate characters with well written dialog, and are jam packed with nonstop action. And Tricked, the fourth book in his Iron Druid Chronicles series, is no exception to this.

Tricked’s action and issues spring primarily from the ramifications of Hammered. Of course, unlike most books that act as a bridge for a significant change in the story arc, Tricked is an amazing book in its own right. That’s not to say that readers should not read the previous books in the series first, (being the fourth book in the series, not reading the other three books first would severely harm the reading enjoyment.) No, what is meant is that this book, like its predecessors, is well written, exciting, and full of fantastic characters, making it a must read for any fan of urban fantasy.

While so many things are incredible about Tricked and the entire series, what truly impressed me is how well Kevin Hearne balances humor, action, and a well developed plot. I honestly found myself laughing out loud at parts of Tricked (especially in the conversations between Oberon and Atticus), but at the same time couldn’t put the book down because it was too darn exciting.

Hearne delivers a whole new batch of interesting gods and creatures for Atticus to deal with in this book, which really spice up the story and establish a whole new storyline for readers to get into. That brings me to another thing I love about the series and Ticked specifically, how well Hearne melds the different myths and religions while not detracting from the overall story. Hearne is a master of lore and it’s obvious in the way that Tricked flows from one god and situation to the next without skipping a beat, giving enough information so that readers who are unfamiliar with the god will understand, but at the same time not be overburdened with needless information.

All in all, Tricked is a fantastic book that is perfect for fans of Jim Butcher, Ben Aaronvich (another great new urban fantasy author readers should check out), and Patricia Briggs. Readers will be drawn to the edge of their seats, and will be fully unable to proceed in any other activity until the last page of the book is finished. Another must read from the impressive Kevin Hearne.

RATING

10 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Del Rey


Published: April 24, 2012


Price: $7.99

Kill Switch: By Chris Lynch

KILL SWITCH

SUMMARY

(Before reading the summary, read the review, as I advocate for not reading the summary and instead just buying the book.) 


All Daniel wants to do is spend one last summer with his grandfather before he moves away for college and his grandfather’s dementia pulls them apart. But when his dear old Da starts to let things slip about the job he used to hold—people he’s killed, countries he’s overthrown—old work “friends” show up to make sure he stays quiet. Was his grandfather really involved in a world of assassinations and coups, or are the stories just delusions of a crumbling mind? On the run from the police (and possibly something worse) before he has time to find out, Daniel may have to sacrifice everything to protect his grandfather from those who would do him harm.

REVIEW

Don’t read the back of this book, just buy it and enjoy the ride.

If you read the back of this book, you’ll give away some of the shocking secrets and ruin some of the beauty that comes from learning these secrets firsthand.

That said even if you do read the back of the book, it’s still worth buying.

Kill Switch is shocking and well written.

That sums up the book pretty succinctly, and explains why you should go out and buy it right now.

The connection between Daniel and his grandfather is just as beautiful as the metamorphosis of the characters is staggering. Even though the book is short it is defiantly worth the time and money. Chris Lynch just does such a fantastic job creating gut-wrenching situations in the most common places, while at the same time keeping the reader at the edge of their seat because of the shocking truths learned along the way.

All in all, the characters are beautifully written, the plot touching and invigorating, and the evolution of the characters and consequences from this evolution just knocks the air from your lungs leaving you shocked and dumbfounded. A must read for anyone, period. 

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers


Published: April 17, 2012


Price: $16.99

Emperor Mollusk versus the Sinister Brain: By A. Lee Martinez

Emperor Mollusk versus the Sinister Brain

SUMMARY

Emperor Mollusk.

Intergalactic Menace. Destroyer of Worlds. Conqueror of Other Worlds. Mad Genius. Ex-Warlord of Earth.

Not bad for a guy without a spine.

But what's a villain to do after he's done . . . everything. With no new ambitions, he's happy to pitch in and solve the energy crisis or repel alien invaders should the need arise, but if he had his way, he'd prefer to be left alone to explore the boundaries of dangerous science. Just as a hobby, of course.

Retirement isn't easy though. If the boredom doesn't get him, there's always the Venusians. Or the Saturnites. Or the Mercurials. Or . . . well, you get the idea. If that wasn't bad enough, there's also the assassins of a legendary death cult and an up-and-coming megalomaniac (as brilliant as he is bodiless) who have marked Emperor for their own nefarious purposes. But Mollusk isn't about to let the Earth slip out of his own tentacles and into the less capable clutches of another. So it's time to dust off the old death ray and come out of retirement. Except this time, he's not out to rule the world. He's out to save it from the peril of THE SINISTER BRAIN!

REVIEW

Are you looking for a book that is funny?

Full of action?

What about full of witty, well written characters?

Well Emperor Mollusk versus the Sinister Brain is the book for you then.

EM v. SB is fun, exciting, and really full of interesting and likable characters. How could a person not like a book that includes time travel, giant gelatin monsters, law suits in Atlantis, exploding spaceships, and talking dinosaurs. Of course, besides these wilder ideas, the background for the series is fun and incredibly imaginative, as there is a different species of alien on each planet, and almost all of them hate Emperor Mollusk.

Of course while I loved the fun that Martinez had in making this imaginative universe and situations, I also was very impressed by his characters. Readers get to see the transformation of the Emperor as he goes from evil scientist to renouncing his Empire on Earth, (don’t worry I didn’t give anything away, he starts out renouncing Earth and readers see why through flashback chapters.) Of course, besides the charming and utterly fantastic Emperor, Snarg was a ton of fun to read about. Snarg is the Emperor’s pet ultrapede, and key line of defense against attacks as this ultrapede is as vicious as it is hilarious in its kitten-like attitude around the Emperor.

All in all Emperor Mollusk is a great book. It’s funny, full of interesting and fun characters, and is jam packed with action. Exactly what you’d want in a light read.

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: March 5, 2012

Price: $19.99

The Troupe: By Robert Jackson Bennett

THE TROUPE

SUMMARY

Vaudeville: mad, mercenary, dreamy, and absurd, a world of clashing cultures and ferocious showmanship and wickedly delightful deceptions.

But sixteen-year-old pianist George Carole has joined vaudeville for one reason only: to find the man he suspects to be his father, the great Heironomo Silenus. Yet as he chases down his father's troupe, he begins to understand that their performances are strange even for vaudeville: for wherever they happen to tour, the very nature of the world seems to change.

Because there is a secret within Silenus's show so ancient and dangerous that it has won him many powerful enemies. And it's not until after he joins them that George realizes the troupe is not simply touring: they are running for their lives.

And soon...he is as well.

REVIEW

The Troupe is unlike any book I’ve read in a long while. It is subtle yet gripping in the way that Bennett weaves this intricate tale of a vaudeville performer looking for his father, only to discover a truth far greater than he ever could have imagined.

The characters were imaginative and deep. As each strikes home in the readers mind with such a level of clarity and strength that they resonate hours after the last page is turned. Of course, besides these characters just being well written, they are also complex with back stories and events that truly caught me off guard and surprised me.

This level of surprise is similar to the plot of the book. The Troupe appears to start off slow and methodical, introducing only enough odd and interesting tidbits of information to string the reader along. But as the story progresses these tidbits of information and peculiar occurrences begin to add up, accelerating the story and upping the level of intrigue until, like a musical crescendo the story reaches a climax that will engross the reader with a level of excitement that can only be described as shock and awe.

All in all The Troupe is magical. It is filled with excitement, intrigue, and will captivate readers to the final pages. But most importantly it is a beautifully written work of art that will grip your heart with its final chapters, leaving your misty eyed and melancholy as you are both happy to have read this work as well as sad to see it finish. All in all a great book.

RATING

8 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: February 21, 2012

Price: $13.99

Infamous: By Sherrilyn Kenyon

INFAMOUS

SUMMARY

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters.

Now Nick’s saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive and keep a girlfriend so dang hard? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

REVIEW

While not as breathtakingly addictive as the first book in the series, Infinity, Infamous is still so delectably addictive that I spent the following two days after I picked it up unable to do anything else but read it.

Infamous like the previous books in the series is a rollercoaster ride of adrenaline pumped action. Unlike the zombie attack that Nick had to deal with before, or the killer coach, this time Nick has to deal with even worse enemies and issues including; killer insects, felony charges, and last but certainly not least, his father. While these attacks and enemies don’t seem as scary as a full on zombie attack, killer werewolves, or even getting shot, let me assure you this is one of the tightest situation Nick has ever been in

Not only are the enemies great, but the magic and powers reach a new peak. This is the first book in the series we really get an inside look at Nick’s powers and what he can become. Kenyon does a great job creating engaging powers that leave an air of mystery as to what will happen to Nick’s future. She explains how things can change from the future readers have seen, and really open up the series to a new set of possibilities.

All in all Infamous was fun and exciting. Its high level of adrenaline pumping action was exactly what I was looking for and it met expectations handily. All in all a great new addition to the series.

INFO

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Published: March 13, 2012

Price: $18.99

Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip: By Jordan Sonnenblick

CURVEBALL THE YEAR I LOST MY GRIP

SUMMARY

Sometimes, the greatest comebacks take place far away from the ball field.

Meet Peter Friedman, high school freshman. Talented photographer. Former baseball star. When a freakish injury ends his pitching career, Peter has some major things to figure out. Is there life after sports? Why has his grandfather suddenly given him thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment? And is it his imagination, or is the super-hot star of the girls' swim team flirting with him, right in front of the amazing new girl in his photography class?

REVIEW

I’ve been a fan of Jordan Sonnenblick for years, ever since he wrote Drums Girls and Dangerous Pie. In my opinion, he’s one of the best non-genre YA writer out there. His books are ALWAYS filled with fantastic characters, touching stories, and are incredibly well written.

That being said, Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip, is no exception to Sonnenblicks other great books. In fact, just liked the characters in Sonnenblick’s other books, the protagonist Peter, his best friend AJ, and his grandfather are all fantastic characters. They are relatable, realistic, and likable. Of course besides being fun characters to read about they also grow in realistic yet significant ways. No character is two dimensional, and each had enough spark and life to them that they could have their own book written about them if Sonnenblick had wanted.

Of course besides having fantastic characters the story itself was interesting and well written. Curveball speaks on a number of important issues. It touches on losing the thing that most defines you, rediscovering who you are, viewing life through another’s eyes, and even the struggles of Alzheimer’s disease. Of course, it does all of this while maintaining a speedy pace and while creating an interesting love story.

All in all Curveball is a fantastic book. It’s well written, the story is engaging, and the characters superb. Another homerun from the king of YA fiction.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Published: March 1, 2012

Price: $17.99

Goblin Secrets: By William Alexander

GOBLIN SECRETS

SUMMARY

A boy joins a theatrical troupe of goblins to find his missing brother.

In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared.

Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river.

REVIEW

While aimed at a bit younger audience than I usually like this Goblin Secrets was full of interesting characters and makes for a entertaining book.

Rownie’s a fun and brave protagonist perfect for the target audience. Hi’s transformation over the book acts as a great coming of age/strength story that kids will love. Of course besides being a great actor Rownie is determined, strong, and quick witted. All in all a fantastic underdog.

Of course while I liked Rownie, Graba and the Mayor make fantastic antagonists (Graba very much reminded me of a combination of Ursula from The Little Mermaid and a number of the characters from Spirited Away). They are gruesome combination of parts, take advantage of the weak, and are just despicable.

Speaking of combination of parts, I thought it was an interesting creation to make people part machine, but I would have liked an explanation as to why it was that way, or why goblins were not that way. Basically I wanted more back story.

All in all I thought it was a fun book for its age group. It has a likable protagonist, despicable villains, and an interesting world full of goblins and half machine half human creatures. In a word FUN.

INFO

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Published: March 6, 2012

Price: $16.99

Starters: By Lissa Price

STARTERS

SUMMARY

In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party--her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first--the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan. . . .

REVIEW

When I read the synopsis on Starters originally I wasn’t sold on the book. I thought it seemed a little too into the romance and relationship and couldn’t see where the story was going to go.

Then I read one of Price’s e-books that tied into the book, and liked the characters (especially Michael) and thought it was engaging. So I figured why not give Starters a shot.

I’m very glad I did.

Starters is a really good book. Price does a good job building this post apocalyptic world where the only humans left are the very old and the very young. I found myself being sucked into the story, and found to my dismay that before long I had reached the end of the book (it was also to the dismay of my work as I realized I hadn’t done anything except read that day, because I just couldn’t put the book down.) The book is not short, it was just that engaging.

Callie is a great protagonist, she’s strong, smart, and determined, while at the same time not infallible. This combination makes for a relatable protagonist that readers will find themselves rooting for. Michael is a character that I really liked in the short story I read, but I didn’t feel like he had any real presence here in the actual book. I’m hoping more short stories and possibly Enders, the next book in the series, features Michael more prominently, as I feel he’s a fantastic character that has a lot of potential that I don’t believe was given his fair share in the first book.

Of course, besides characters, the book is well written and full of much more action than I was expecting. I really was caught off guard by the abrupt changes that occurred in the story, caused by some of the blackouts and whatnot, but I have to say it was very well done and made for very interesting twists to the story.

Speaking of twists, if for nothing else than readers should read Starters just for the last page. I was shocked when I read it and can’t wait for the next book to come out.

All in all a great start to a exciting new series.

RATING

8 out 0f 10

INFO

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Published: March 13, 2012

Price: $17.99

Fated: By Benedict Jacka

FATED

SUMMARY

Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future--allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success.

But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever's inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none...

REVIEW

It’s hard to decide what makes someone pick up a book.

Is it the cover (the be honest most likely, because lets be honest people do judge books by their covers)? Is it the title (usually to some degree…)? Or do people even decide based on the blurb on the front of the book.

Well, when you have Jim butcher endorse an urban fantasy, you can bet it’s going to be a good book. And in the case of Fated, it darn well is.

Actually, to be honest Fated is better than just darn good, it’s outstanding. Fated takes no time diving into the meat of the story, as readers are introduced into the magic and action within the first few pages. The concept of having a diviner as a protagonist is unique and really makes for some interesting situations. Further the fact that he has to rely on his wits and constantly be looking at the future to make sure he isn’t attacked or threatened, since he has no real powers besides divination, really adds something to the intrigue of the story.

Of course, besides having an interesting plot that moves at a break neck speed Fated is also filled with characters that are well made and even more importantly well developed throughout the story. Alex reminds me a lot of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden and Kevin Hearne’s Atticus O’Sullivan. He is shrewd, quick witted, and the kind of protagonist you just find yourself constantly rooting for, even when they have to make hard decisions, demonstrating that they aren’t as good or as perfect as you once thought. Of course besides Alex, Luna and (the Spider) are also fantastic characters that readers will learn to love as Jacka does a fantastic job growing the characters.

All in all I loved this book. The narrative style was gripping, the story interesting and fast paced, and the characters well made and developed. A truly fantastic read that I’d recommend to anyone who is a fan of Kevin Hearne, Jim Butcher, or Ben Aaronovitch.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Ace

Published: February 28, 2012

Price: $7.99

Thief's Covenant: By Ari Marmell

THIEF'S COVENANT

SUMMARY

Once she was Adrienne Satti. An orphan of Davillon, she had somehow escaped destitution and climbed to the ranks of the city's aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Until one horrid night, when a conspiracy of forces—human and other—stole it all away in a flurry of blood and murder.

Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon's underbelly with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshippers but Widdershins herself. It's not a great life, certainly nothing compared to the one she once had, but it's hers.

REVIEW

But now, in the midst of Davillon's political turmoil, an array of hands are once again rising up against her, prepared to tear down all that she's built. The City Guard wants her in prison. Members of her own Guild want her dead. And something horrid, something dark, something ancient is reaching out for her, a past that refuses to let her go. Widdershins and Olgun are going to find answers, and justice, for what happened to her—but only if those who almost destroyed her in those years gone by don't finish the job first.

I really like Ari Marmell’s books. The Conqueror's Shadow, The Warlord’s Legacy, and Goblin Corps are all fun exciting books that turn the concept of good and evil on it’s head and fill the world with interesting and humorous characters.

In Thief’s Covenant, Marmell departs from his usual upside down view of good and evil (to a degree, the protagonist is still a thief) and instead enters a completely new arena for his books, the world of Widdershins.

Widdershins is a wonderful protagonist, she’s fun, exciting, and filled with enough sarcasm to make any of her retorts quick witted and wonderful to read. But like Marmell’s other books it’s not just Windershins’s charming personality that makes her fun to read, it’s her hilarious, snarky, and sensitive sidekick Olgun that make this book such a fun read. Oh also Olgun is a god, so that certainly makes things interesting.

All in all I started this book because I liked Ari Marmell’s other books. I kept reading the book into the night to find out more about Windershins and how she became attached to a god. And I loved the book because of the fast paced action, fantastic interactions between Windershins and Olgun, and fun style of writing. Overall a great book that I’d easily recommend.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Pyr

Published: February 14, 2012

Price: $16.95

Heir of Novron: By Michael J. Sullivan

HEIR OF NOVRON

SUMMARY

The New Empire intends to mark its victory over the Nationalists with a bloody celebration. On the high holiday of Wintertide, the Witch of Melengar will be burned and the Heir of Novron executed. On that same day the Empress faces a forced marriage, with a fatal accident soon to follow. The New Empire is confident in the totality of its triumph but there's just one problem-Royce and Hadrian have finally found the Heir of Novron and they have their own holiday plans.

And so concludes the final tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

REVIEW

I was lucky enough to only have to wait a few months until the last book in the Riyria Revelations series came out, but I can’t imagine being one of the original readers of the series and having to wait so long for the last book.

Sullivan does a fantastic job creating engaging and charismatic characters in everyone from Royce and Hadrian to Modina. Too be honest, it’s the characters that make this book so terrific. Readers will get a chance to come across old characters from the first few books in the series, as well as unexpected changes in new friends and enemies in the later books. Sullivan constantly keeps readers on their toes as to what is going to happen.

Of course, besides riveting characters, the book is also filled with nonstop action, surprising twists, and an end to the fifth book that I truly did not see coming. The sixth book does a great job wrapping things up and ultimately creating some nice twists for readers to be surprised with.

All in all a great series, that I’d easily recommend to friends looking for an engaging fantasy novel to read.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: January 31, 2012

Price: $14.99

DJ Rising: By Love Maia

DJ RISING

SUMMARY

The first thing I hear is music. The first thing I've always heard is music.

Meet Marley, an unassuming high school junior who breathes in music like oxygen. In between caring for his heroin-addicted mother, and keeping his scholarship at a fancy prep school, he dreams of becoming a professional DJ.

When chance lands Marley his first real DJ job, his career as "DJ Ice" suddenly skyrockets. But when heart-rending disaster at home brings Marley crashing back down to earth, he is torn between obligation and following his dreams.

REVIEW

With the increase in band related YA books, it’s hard to sort through the pile of junk out there to find the gems.

I can say that after having read DJ Rising, this here is a gem.

DJ Rising is more than just a book about music and a kid discovering himself through the processes with everything working out hunky dory in the end. This is a touching book about the hardships that those children unfortunate enough to be born into horrible situations that they have to deal with every single day, and the single ray of hope that helps some of them survive.

Of course this book isn’t great just because of the situation and writing, the characters are also fantastic. The author, Maia, does a extraordinary job establishing a relatable protagonist in Marley. Marley is everything a reader could want in a protagonist; he’s strong, caring, talented, and fallible. And it’s all of these characteristics as well as Maia’s fantastic writing, that makes Marley one of the best features of the book.

All in all DJ Rising is a truly fantastic book. The narrative is captivating, the description of music/DJing is mesmerizing and unique, and the characters well developed and interesting. But most importantly DJ Rising is book that will touch you to your core, and will captivate you in the process, making it a must read.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Published: February 6, 2012

Price: $17.99

Harbinger: By Sara Wilson Etienne

HARBINGER

SUMMARY

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

REVIEW

The first thing I have to say is that I so rarely see Tamora Pierce endorse anything, and as she was one of my favorite authors growing up I tend to trust her endorsements. After reading Harbinger, Pierce once again has not lead me astray.

Harbinger is a wonderful story, filled with interesting characters, a captivating storyline, and a fast moving plot. Faye is a beautifully written protagonist who readers will root for throughout the entire novel. Further, there were impressive twists that will surprise even veterans of the genre.

That said, to me the most impressive aspect of Harbinger it’s author Sara Wilson Etienne’s style of writing. Etienne truly is a wordsmith as each sentence draws you in and leaves you in a perpetual state of awe. From the first page I was in hooked, and it wasn’t until the very end that I was able to resume my life again.

That is one of the only downsides to this book, you shouldn’t read it when you have a pressing deadline to attend to. Once you start, you wont be able tot stop, until the last pages is finished. All in all a very entertaining read.

INFO

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Published: February 2, 2012

Price: $17.99

The Legend of Eli Monpress Omnibus: By Rachel Aaron

THE LEGEND OF ELI MONPRESS

SUMMARY

Eli Monpress is talented. He's charming. And he's a thief.

But not just any thief. He's the greatest thief of the age - and he's also a wizard. And with the help of his partners - a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls - he's going to put his plan into effect.

The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he'll need to steal some big things. But he'll start small for now. He'll just steal something that no one will miss - at least for a while.

Like a king.

The Legend of Eli Monpress includes the novels: The Spirit Thief, The Sprit Rebellion, and The Spirit Eater.

REVIEW

The is one of the best series I've read in years. I've reviewed the other three books so first I'll say this is an amazing series that everyone should read. Here are my reviews of the first three books in the series (what you get in this wonderful omnibus.)

The Spirit Thief

Magic, mystery, and a little bit of good old thievery. All in all Rachel Aaron’s first book in her The Legend of Eli Monpress series is a truly fantastic book.

I’m a little embarrassed to say I didn’t initially recognize this book as the fantastic piece of literature it is. In fact I probably would have missed it, if not for the fact that Orbit produced it.

What I mean by this is that since starting this blog I’ve learned a lot more about the publishing industry, such as, who produces the best urban fantasy/ fantasy/science fiction, who releases books at a speed that can keep a reader happy, and who is the most consistent with the level of production they put out. And from all of this I have to say Orbit is one fine imprint. They release great books in time periods to keep readers happy, they are one of the most consistent imprints in the level of high quality material that they publish, and they’re constantly trying to make things cheaper and more affordable for the reader. But anyway enough about how fantastic Orbit is, the real crux of the matter is that I would have passed by this fantastic book without even knowing it, and that would have been the real crime.

The Spirit Thief is fun, well written, and full of well developed characters. Aaron does a fantastic job creating a story around this first chapter of the Eli Monpress series. She introduces just enough mystery to reel the reader into the next book, while maintaining an engaging action packed plot that will keep you up late into the night.

Not only is the plot well developed and intricate enough to entice readers to the next in the series, but the characters are all interesting and robust. None of the characters are bland or black and white, and even the minor characters are given enough great dialog to keep the story moving and entertaining. My personal favorite characters thus far in the series are Josef and Gin who are both strong, slightly sarcastic, interesting characters, who like almost all the characters in this series are filled with just a little bit of suspense and mystery about their back stories.

The Spirit Rebellion

It’s often hard to keep the same level of action and mystery in the second book of a series. This has to do with the author having to create a new situation to capture the reader’s attention while at the same time stringing the reader along in the central mystery to the series arc without giving away to much. It’s hard and it’s complicated, but if you can get it just right it can put the series just in the right spot to really take off.

In The Spirit Rebellion, Rachel Aaron does a terrific job of introducing readers to an exciting new situation that brings back all your favorite characters. Miranda gets put into a pickle when political action starts playing against her and she soon finds herself tossed out of the organization she’s given her life to protect. Nico is forced to confront the realities of her situation as a demonseed. Josef must face his connection with the Heart of War. And Eli walks into a blatant trap he may not be able to get out of this time.

Like The Spirit Thief, Aaron does a great job maintaining both fun dialog and complex characters, but what I found most interesting about The Spirit Rebellion was the back story and cliffhanger like ending that Aaron introduces in this sensational sequel. Readers really get to see a new side to Eli, as we get a glimpse into his past, but most intriguing is the relationship with Benehime, who plays a fascinating yet small character in this book. It’s obvious to readers she is going to play a much bigger role in books to come, but it’s very exciting to watch her story and relationship with Eli unfold.

Of course, while I wont say what the cliffhanger like ending entails, I will say that it sets up an engaging plot for the next book in the series, The Spirit Eater, that I’m pretty sure I wont be able to put down.

All in all The Spirit Rebellion is a great book. The characters are witty and robust, the plot is intricate and just starting to bloom, and the book as a whole contains action, suspense, and magic in just the right proportions to allow the book to move at an exhilarating pace. Making The Spirit Rebellion a fantastic second book in the Legend of Eli Monpress series.

The Spirit Eater

I’ve been watching White Collar lately and I have to say Eli Monpress is exactly like Neal Caffrey from the show. He is charismatic, driven, and the best thief in the world. And these are just a few of the reasons why the Legend of Eli Monpress series is now one of my favorite series out there.

The Spirit Eater opens with Nico’s past as the Daughter of the Demon Mountain a few years before, and then quickly turns to the present with Nico focused on fighting back against the demon inside of her as it’s suddenly grown more powerful in the last few months.

Of course like The Spirit Rebellion, The Spirit Eater seems to focus on pieces of the characters pasts as it revolves around the present. In this case it happens to revolve around Nico’s past. Readers learn more about demons in this book and Eli’s mysterious powers, but most interesting is that readers will get a taste of the greater mystery of the book, the overarching plot point that will become the motivation for books to come.

All in all, like the rest of the Legend of Eli Monpress series The Spirit Eater is not a book to be missed. The characters are fun and well written, the plot is exciting and full of surprises and action, and the mystery only gets deeper and darker as readers are sucked into the deeper questions surrounding the series. While some of the issues such as some of the new characters introduced seem a little less developed, the older more reliable characters more than make up for the flaws. All in all a great book and I personally can’t wait for the next book, The Spirit War, to come out.

RATING

9.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: February 24, 2012

Price: $15.99