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

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

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

Silver-Tongued Devil: By Jaye Wells

SILVER-TONGUED DEVIL

SUMMARY

Now that the threat of war has passed, Sabina Kane is ready to focus on the future. Her relationship with Adam Lazarus is getting stronger and she's helping her sister, Maisie, overcome the trauma of her captivity in New Orleans. Even Giguhl is managing to stay out of trouble thanks to the arrival of Pussy Willow and his new roller derby team. But as much as Sabina wants to feel hopeful about the future, part of her doesn't believe that peace is possible.

Her suspicions are confirmed when a string of sadistic murders threatens to stall treaty negotiations between the mages and the vampires. Sabina pitches in to find the killer, but her investigation soon leads her down dark paths that have her questioning everyone she thought she could trust. And the closer she gets to the killer, the more Sabina begins to suspect this is one foe she may not be able to kill.

REVIEW

To be honest I didn’t know how I felt about this book at first. I had felt the main antagonist for the previous three books was Lavinia, Sabrina’s grandmother, who was finally dead, and I felt like Wells did a fantastic job finishing off the storyline, so I really didn’t know where this book was going to take readers.

And at first I felt like the book was moving a little slow. I was reintroduced to characters and situations, side missions were introduced, and yet all in all nothing much happened.

And then about a third of the way in the real meat of the book began, and I was hooked. A new antagonist was established, old issues with the other books were brought to light to be addresses, and new characters with strange and mythical powers were introduced.

Needless to say, the last two-thirds of the book did not take me long to finish.

Readers will be surprised with the twists revealed in Silver-Tongued Devil and will be disheartened that they have to wait another few months before the final book in the series Blue-Blooded Vamp is released. I know this is a very quick turnaround, and to be honest I’m very grateful to Orbit and the author for arranging this, but after the set-ups established in the 4^th book in this amazing series, I just can’t wait to see what happens.

All in all another great book in a fantastic series. Definitely read the previous books in the series before trying to read this book. But I highly recommend this for anyone who is a fan of Patricia Briggs or Rachel Caine.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Orbit

Published: January 6, 2012

Price: $7.99

Shadow Ops: Control Point: By Myke Cole

SHADOW OPS: CONTROL POINT

SUMMARY

Army Officer. Fugitive. Sorcerer.

Across the country and in every nation, people are waking up with magical talents. Untrained and panicked, they summon storms, raise the dead, and set everything they touch ablaze.
Army officer Oscar Britton sees the worst of it. A lieutenant attached to the military's Supernatural Operations Corps, his mission is to bring order to a world gone mad. Then he abruptly manifests a rare and prohibited magical power, transforming him overnight from government agent to public enemy number one.

The SOC knows how to handle this kind of situation: hunt him down--and take him out. Driven into an underground shadow world, Britton is about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he's ever known, and that his life isn't the only thing he's fighting for.

REVIEW

To be honest Peter V. Brett said it best when he said that this book is part Black Hawk Down part X-men.

I am not usually a fan of military style novels. Usually I find I’m inundated with terminology and acronyms that I’m unfamiliar with and by the time I’m comfortable with them enough to grasp the importance of each I’ve missed a good chunk of the entertaining aspect of the book.

That said, Shadow Ops is not the typical military fantasy/sci-fi. Yes, there were acronyms and new terminology for me, but Cole does such a fantastic job keeping the story moving while at the same time keeping the characters fresh and interesting that I never felt bogged down or impeded by the terminology.

Another impressive aspect of Shadow Ops were the powers and the way that Cole addressed them in the book. Unlike a number of other science fiction and fantasy books the talents of the powerful are not looked at with awe and respect, instead if you don’t turn yourself into the government for military service then you are deemed a selfer and paint a bulls eye on yourself. Cole does a great job integrating the different ideologies on this subject without sacrificing any excitement. Further, I was really very impressed with the depth of many of the characters such as Oscar, Marty, Theresa.

The only downside the book was that it was the first in a series so there a number of questions and issues that I would love to know more about. All in all, when the worst thing about a book is that you wanted to read more (and you understand why there’s not more on the subject), it seems pretty apparent that this a good book. Between the dynamic characters, the interesting plot, and the non-stop action this is a book that will suck readers in and keep them there until the book is done. Definitely a book I’d recommend and I personally can’t wait for the sequel.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Ace

Published: January 31, 2012

Price: $7.99

Working Stiff: By Rachel Caine

WORKING STIFF

SUMMARY

Bryn Davis was killed on the job after discovering her bosses were selling a drug designed to resurrect the dead. Now, revived by that same drug, she becomes an undead soldier in a corporate war to take down the very pharmaceutical company responsible for her new condition...

REVIEW

Some people may not like Working Stiff but I certainly did.

This is not a typical Rachel Caine book. It breaks from both the Weather Warden Series and the Morganville series and to be honest is a lot more action driven and gruesome (I know, impressive when considering both the previous series mentioned involve a hefty amount of killing, backstabbing, and destruction.)

This series instead focuses on characters that can be brought back from the dead. There is a new drug that can raise the dead, the only downside? The dead are reliant on the drug, if they don’t get it they literally decompose (not a pretty way to re-die (or die a first time for the matter.)) The story follows Bryn an ex-military girl who starts work at a funeral home.

The story quickly progresses and leaders to attraction, deception, and action packed heroics. Too be honest I was surprised by how many twists and turns Caine included in this first novel of the series. It felt like every time I was getting the handle on a new surprise Caine threw something else into the mix.

All in all a fun and exciting read. I can understand why some people didn’t like it though, it’s not exactly like Caine’s previous works, yet nor is it even remotely like other zombie novels out there. Caine once again creates engaging characters, fast plots full of surprises and twists, and a cliff hanger like ending to keep the reader on edge. While some people may be disappointed I certainly wasn’t and would very much recommend this to anyone with a pulse (sorry had to throw in a bad zombie joke).

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Roc

Published: August 2, 2011

Price: $7.99

The Bride Wore Black Leather: By Simon R. Green

THE BRIDE WORE BLACK LEATHER

SUMMARY

sIn the secret heart of London, under the cover of endless darkness, the Nightside caters to anyone with any unusual itch that needs to be scratched. But enter at your own risk. The party animals who live here may be as inhuman as their appetites...

My name is John Taylor. The Nightside is my home. I didn't plan it that way. In fact, I once tried to get away. But I came back. And now it seems I'm settling down, with a full-time job (in addition to my work as a very private eye) as Walker-the new Voice of the Authorities in the Nightside-and a wedding in the offing.

I'm marrying the love of my life, Suzie Shooter, the Nightside's most fearsome bounty-hunter. But nothing comes easy here. Not life. Not death. And for certain, not happily-ever-after. Before I can say "I do," I have one more case to solve as a private eye-and my first assignment as Walker.

Both jobs would be a lot easier to accomplish if I weren't on the run, from friends and enemies alike. And if my bride-to-be weren't out to collect the bounty on my head...

REVIEW

Say one thing for Simon R. Green, say he writes a darn fun book.

Say another thing for him, say he has done a fantastic job ending his extraordinary Nightside series.

This is the last Nightside book in the series. It is witty, full of fun and creative villains and weapons, and jam packed with action. Readers will be shocked to see John Taylor go head to head with old friends and enemies (no I can’t tell you who otherwise there would be no surprise in the book.) These action scenes are riveting and will captivate readers as John fights for his life in some of the most riveting battles in the series.

Green brings all of his tricks to the fold, as readers are reintroduced to characters from the entire length of the series. We see the Oblivian brothers, Alex, Cathy, Shotgun Suzie, Dead Boy, Razor Eddie, the Griffins, Julian Advent, Old Father Time, and dozens of other characters from the previous books in the series.

Of course while many of these characters do not play substantial roles (it would be to hard to incorporate all of them substantially in the story) they are still fun to read about. Green does a great job wrapping up the series. There’s more action than the last 3 books combined, there are unexpected twists surprises in the plot, and Green ends with a satisfying ending that will leave readers of the Nightside series happy (if not still a little sad to see it end).

That said, Green is famous for interweaving the characters from his other series into his current work (especially in recent years). Because of this it wouldn’t surprise me in the least bit to find we’re able to catch a glimpse or two of John and Suzie somewhere in Green’s upcoming books. So fan’s do not despair, the Nightside is not over, it’s just settled on a nice happy place to rest until Green reintroduces readers to dabblings of it in his future works.

All in all a great ending to a great series.

RATING

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Ace Hardcover

Published: January 3, 2012

Price: $25.95

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

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 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

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

Moon Over Soho: By Ben Aaronovitch

MOON OVER SOHO

SUMMARY

BODY AND SOUL

The song. That’s what London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant first notices when he examines the corpse of Cyrus Wilkins, part-time jazz drummer and full-time accountant, who dropped dead of a heart attack while playing a gig at Soho’s 606 Club. The notes of the old jazz standard are rising from the body—a sure sign that something about the man’s death was not at all natural but instead supernatural.

Body and soul—they’re also what Peter will risk as he investigates a pattern of similar deaths in and around Soho. With the help of his superior officer, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, and the assistance of beautiful jazz aficionado Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter will uncover a deadly magical menace—one that leads right to his own doorstep and to the squandered promise of a young jazz musician: a talented trumpet player named Richard “Lord” Grant—otherwise known as Peter’s dear old dad.

REVIEW

Midnight Riot was the best new urban fantasy book I read this summer. So when Moon Over Soho came out so quickly after the release of Midnight Riot, I was ecstatic and fearful. Excited because I wanted to read more in this great series, but fearful because of the hardship in creating a second book in a series.

It’s often easy to lose the momentum of a series after a fantastic debut. Authors have to steer the series into a long term story arc while at the same time keep up the events from the previous book and create a new short term problem for the protagonist to deal with.

Aaronovitch does all of this, and more with ease in Moon Over Soho.

Moon Over Soho does have the familiar feel in its mystery element that any multibook series will have after reading one or two books in the series, but it deals with it very unique and interesting ways. These new turns will both entertain and surprise readers, but most importantly it will keep the story fresh and exciting.

Like Midnight Riot I loved the protagonist of the series. I felt he was relatable and interesting. But the characters we really get to see more of in this book is Nightingale. We get a taste of what life was like before he was the only practitioner in London, and are introduced into a fantastic world of mystery and magic.

All in all Moon Over Soho is a fantastic book. It’s fast paced, the characters are fascinating and well developed, the magic interesting and complex, and it’s just plain well written. And it’s because of all of these things that Moon Over Soho, like Midnight Riot, is a fantastic book that I will enthusiastically recommend to anyone looking for a book you just can’t put down.

RATING

9.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Del Rey

Published: March 1, 2011

Price: $7.99

Ghost Story: By Jim Butcher

GHOST STORY

SUMMARY

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

REVIEW

If you’re at all a fan of the Dresden series then you were most likely shocked with the conclusion of Changes. With Harry shot and fading away, it seemed that there were few other places for the series to continue. Then with Butcher’s book of short stories We see what the world is like after the events of Changes, but from the perspective of the strong willed and caring Murphy.

Now in Ghost Story we see Harry Dresden, Wizard for hire, in the after life. It turns out Harry must return back to world he just left in order to discover the truth behind his murder, or see his loved ones hurt themselves.

Ghost Story felt different from Butcher’s other books in the series. It’s much more about reflection and consequences than action and mystery. Besides Harry himself being a ghost the story itself dregs up a number of past references and enemies that fans of the series will not want to miss. So to help avoid missing these nuggets of reflection fans of the series, no matter their opinion on short stories should first pick up a copy of Side Jobs, as some of the characters referenced in Ghost Story are only seen in the short stories collected in Side Jobs, including Harry’s first mentor as a detective.

Besides changing the pace of the series, Ghost Story acts as the link between a the old and the new piece of this series. I’m curious how Butcher will cultivate this new section of the series and how much of the lovable band of characters will cross over into Harry new world. But one thing is for sure, Ghost Story is a fantastic book, and should be enjoyed by everyone.

RATING

10 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Roc Hardcover

Published: July 26, 2011

Price: $27.95