Reading at Dawn - Book Review Blog

The Black Jewels are a series of books written by Anne Bishop, which are not quite fantasy, not quite romance, not quite dark fantasy, but entirely enthralling.

The author creates a world of cruel sensuality and powerful emotion in which one young woman, a child at the beginning, stands against overwhelming odds to protect the most vulnerable against the indulgences of the powerful.

At her side stand three men, her adoptive father, the High Lord of Hell, her adoptive brother, a barbarian, and her lover, a sadist. All three men have waited for thousands of years for her birth and in these three characters the author plays with our perception of good and bad, of preconceptions and prejudice.

The books, the three main in the series and the following offshoots about other characters, are so enthralling not only because of the struggle of good against evil, the distinct Robin Hood aspect of the fight for the vulnerable, or the love story - no, what draws the reader in so deeply are the multitude of relationships, friendships and loyalties, the depth of emotion and honour.

For me this is a comfort read, whenever I am a little sad, a little lost - this is where I turn. Why? Because it is a world of loyalty and friendship, of honour and love. The author gives us insight into the minds and, more importantly hearts, of the main characters in all the facets of love - the love of a lover, a father, a brother, a friend. It reminds us of what life is about - drawing a line and standing by it. In defense of all we love, all we believe in. And yes, then she also created three men I could, without a doubt, fall in love with ;).


Reviewed by:
Christine Blackthorn
www.christineblackthorn.eu

Series: Mythos Academy
Book 6: Killer Frost

Goodreads Description: I’ve battled the Reapers of Chaos before–and survived. But this time I have a Bad, Bad Feeling it’s going to be a fight to the death … most likely mine.

Yeah, I’ve got my psychometry magic, my talking sword, Vic–and even the most dangerous Spartan on campus at my side, in Logan freaking Quinn, but I’m no match for Loki, the evil Norse god of chaos. I may be Nike’s Champion, but at heart, I’m still just Gwen Frost, that weird Gypsy girl everyone at school loves to gossip about.

Then someone I love is put in more danger than ever before, and something inside me snaps. This time, Loki and his Reapers are going down for good … or I am.




Review:

Killer Frost is the final book in a 6 book series by Jennifer Estep. It follows Gwen Frost, who is a young girl in an academy for descendants of various mythological and historical cultures: Spartans, Vikings, and Bards etc. It doesn’t focus on one particular culture or mythology. Gwen herself is a Gypsy. She has what Jennifer Estep calls psychometry magic. Whenever she touches an object or person, she can see it’s past and feel any emotions attached to that object or person.

On the surface, The Mythos Academy series is your pretty basic YA story. Girl feels alone and is drawn to the most popular boy in school who happens to be a bit mysterious. Something happens that shows he’s just a normal and good guy and the two end up happily ever after. However, the books are saved by the mythology.  The real story isn’t Gwen falling for a boy (it happens but it isn’t the ONLY thing that happens) Killer Frost is the final compendium where as the champion to the Goddess Nike Gwen has to use her psychometric to find a way to destroy the God Loki before he is brought back to life by his followers. The plot is a bit Deathly Hallows meets Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan but with a female touch. All in all it is an easy and fun read.

I recommend this series for anyone who enjoys reading Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan and other mythology based fantasy novels. 


Reviewed by:
Ashlee Burke

The Others by Anne Bishop

Book 15 in A to Z Challenge

The Others is the new fantasy series by Anne Bishop, the author of the Black Jewels and Tir Alainn series. It is in nature and form very different from any of the other books by this author but it holds the same quality of the other books - an amazing depth and skill of world building and characters who lure, trap and hold the reader without ever letting him go.

Written in Red is the first of the books in this series and tells the story of a young woman named Meg, a Cassandra Sangue, a human who is held in benevolent ownership by other humans because they can, ostensibly, not be left to look after themselves. If Meg’s skin is cut she tells prophecies, prophecies which can be highly lucrative. She has spent all her life in a private facility which sells those prophecies. She has been bred for it.

When she escapes she takes refuge with the Others, the original inhabitants of the world whose shape-shifter, vampire or elemental nature makes them the dominant power on Earth. Humans are food for the Others.

The book is an interesting mix of telling the story of how Meg learns to live in freedom and how the Others engage with her on the canvas of the larger power struggle between humans and Others. It is a fascinating representation of humanity as wasteful, self-centred, destructive race in the shadow of this powerful force of the Others whose harmony with the earth is a stark contrast to the image humanity presents. And still, whilst we follow Meg in finding her feet in this new world, follow the attempts, both physical and political, her owner makes to recapture her, it is both humans and others we get to know and sympathize with.

This is a fascinating fantasy novel which has incredible depth, both philosophically and emotionally. The reader is caught in the story, the fear and mystery, the adventure and threat, and is unable not to feel with them.


Reviewed by:
Christine Blackthorn
www.christineblackthorn.eu

Patricia Briggs, Author

Day 2 in A to Z challenge

Patricia Briggs is an American author best known for her urban fantasy series about a car mechanic, Mercy Thompson, who shifts into a coyote in her off time and various other characters, and spin-offs, situated in the very intricate, and fascinating, world she creates. Before, she wrote a set of more traditional fantasy novels centered around a shape-shifting mercenary, Aralorn, a Raven mage and a set of books related to a mage with dragon blood, Ward of Hurog.

All of these series have a strange appeal based on the depth and humour of the characters - but the Mercy Thompson series is, for a reason, one of the most popular urban fantasy series out there. It is a tale somewhere between an unlikely Cinderella story and a supernatural thriller with touches of the Lord of the Rings and a benevolent version of the Godfather. At every turn of the page it will leave you smiling and short of breath in anticipation what might happen next. What is so enchanting about the series is the deep loyalty, intelligence, stubbornness and whimsy displayed by not only the main character, Mercy Thompson, but by the richness of the other characters.

These books have a potential to snag the attention, and hold it, of a wide range of readers from young adult to mature readers and though most would argue that its main readership would be female I know enough men who wait with gleeful anticipation for every new book coming out. 


Reviewed by: 
Christine Blackthorn 
www.christineblackthorn.eu

I'll admit I'm behind. I read this Young Adult novel back in August, and there are a few books that I finished months before it that I haven't blogged yet. But I'm determined to keep Reading at Dawn open so here is a good start. Paranormal YA has many interesting books available and the Soul Screamers series, in my mind, falls under that category: it was interesting. Here is my review:

About the novel from Goodreads:


She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.




Overall: Okay, I have to admit that I struggled a little in the beginning of this story because I'd read a couple female main character YA novels with paranormal elements and the crush on certain boy type had already gotten old for me. It redeems itself, but at first I was hesitant even though there was a different paranormal element. The soul screaming had my attention but based on the novel description I was almost disappointed at the start because she manages to have more control of her voice than I would have expected considering the initial set up. But that was easy enough to get over and once the plot thickened, I was hooked. And I didn't expect what came at the end, in the good way. I can see the hints when looking back so it wasn't out of nowhere but definitely not what I quite thought it would go. I liked the book by the end.

Characters: I'm a bit picky when it comes to YA main characters and I think it's part of reading several certain types in a row. But this one at least isn't the 'woe is me' things happen and she needs saved, but she was a little more boy focused than I care for at times but I'm not the character. What I like is that she has a lot she doesn't understand and that is her focus, getting answers. There is the often in trouble best friend, the relatives that are so different than the main character (cheerleader versus non-cheerleader in real ways and other ways too) and there is the boy who happens to have answers for the girl. Even with the typical, the characters managed to pull their weight in the end.

Plot: This is what caught my attention from the beginning, beyond the pretty girl on the cover. It's my first siren-like story and had some creative elements for me in how the system is built up. The author put in consequences for messing with the role death has on the world and I liked those elements in particular because it's not just random powers, the knowing when someone will die, but there is more. When she does get information, the story becomes what can she do and will she be able to save anyone... that kept me reading.

Recommendation: If you like YA paranormal with female characters with slight love interest but the focus is on the growth of the main character, check this one out. It's a whole series, so this is just book one and I hope to some day read book 2.

This is a book I heard about on twitter and purchased a few years ago. But I didn't read it till a couple months ago (review is a bit late compared to when I finished it).

About the book: Hatred never dies...

Destiny has finally found the life that she has always wanted. She is about to finish college, has a fiance that loves her, and a great summer on the West Coast planned with her friend, Stephanie. But her world is turned upside down when an antique clock mysteriously chimes thirteen times and someone attacks them, sending Stephanie and her mother to the hospital.

Alone, and without any help from the police, Destiny has no choice but to turn to the one man she had left behind a year ago - her ex-boyfriend, David. Together, they must solve the riddle of the thirteenth chime before the clock strikes thirteen again. Yet as they face their own past and hearts, a trap over half a century old is waiting for them to become its prey.

For revenge, fifty years is never too long...

The Thirteenth Chime (A Sense of Truth)



There are some books you know from the beginning sort of what to expect because it's similar to other types of books you've read before. This one wasn't one of those for me. I liked the title and thought I'd give it a read, not really knowing what the story would entail when I opened the pages. Overall, it was a good read. The story had very interesting twists and the plot kept me going. I wanted to find out what happened in the house with the clock when it chimed thirteen.

Character wise... I have a few things both good and not so good to mention. This is one of those times where advice I have given other amateur writers looks questionable because to me this book did something often said as a no-no. This book had a bit of head hopping in it. The main two points of view are Destiny and David. Most of the time there is a pause or a chapter change for the differing viewpoints. However, that isn't always the case. Some of the chapters jump in viewpoint between Destiny, David and the friend Stephanie. And speaking of point of view and character... I have to admit that while the story started focusing on Destiny, I was glad when David came into the picture and focus. I liked him a whole lot more.

At first I had trouble getting into the story. Something about Destiny annoyed me a little. But the more I read, the more I became interested in the story. David's viewpoint helped a lot though I felt really bad for him at the end (won't say anything more though cause you'd have to read the book to understand why).

Those interested in supernatural stories with a little bit of a strange mystery to solve who don't mind a little head hop every now and then will enjoy this book. It's decently written, has a good plot and some interesting characters and the twists will come as enough of a surprise without coming off as too out of left field. Check it out.

A change of pace from the past books I've been reading. While I Am Now A Serial Killer has a teen main character, it's not what I would call a young adult novel. Plus the character is a boy instead of a girl, so that makes it different than most of the books I've read over the last couple of months. It was a nice break, to have a more ambiguous (to put it lightly) main character.

About the book from Goodreads: John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it.

He’s spent his life doing his best not to live up to his potential.

He’s obsessed with serial killers, but really doesn’t want to become one. So for his own sake, and the safety of those around him, he lives by rigid rules he’s written for himself, practicing normal life as if it were a private religion that could save him from damnation.

Dead bodies are normal to John. He likes them, actually. They don’t demand or expect the empathy he’s unable to offer. Perhaps that’s what gives him the objectivity to recognize that there’s something different about the body the police have just found behind the Wash-n-Dry Laundromat---and to appreciate what that difference means.

Now, for the first time, John has to confront a danger outside himself, a threat he can’t control, a menace to everything and everyone he would love, if only he could.


Overall: this was a really good book. As much as I thought I might like the story, it was even better. Having the young male character be a less than moral teenager was perfect and I loved having a character where I couldn't tell if the bad guy would be stopped or if the main character would be able to stop himself. And the action starts right away. There isn't too much reflection or whining over past things like his father leaving, it gets mentioned then the story moves on. Everything felt like it had a purpose. The only part that had me question was when John first decided he had to go after the antagonist himself, that it must be him. I paused to wonder what brought him to that conclusion but it was a minor pause. I couldn't wait to finish reading the book.

Characters: The main character, John, is a troubled teen and he knows it. Growing up around a mortuary and even helping out with the bodies makes for an interesting setting to what becomes an intriguing character. If anyone wants to write an anti-hero or any hero that is questionable in reader acceptance, John would be a good example. He isn't good but readers will still want to root for him. All of the other characters, from his mother, the other kids and the therapist, all worked towards moving the story forward.

I am looking forward to reading the next book already. Judging by the next titles, there is more troubled times ahead and who knows what John will do next.

Halo had been on my to-read list for some time, so when I finally snatched up a copy, I was very happy to get the chance to read it.

Blurb from Goodreads: Three angels- Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human- are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.

The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

The good: Halo is beautifully written, and the Romeo and Juliet style story (which is perhaps a little obvious in it's allusions), is alluring and left me with a gooey feeling. I love a good romance, and while the angel/demon paranormal aspect of Halo is important, it really feels like a romance at heart. The characters' relationships form slowly, creating a sense of believability that a lot of YA romance lacks. Bethany is an appealing protagonist, especially as her naivety puts her in some interesting situations. As for Xavier... other than being perhaps a little too perfect, he's very likable, and I couldn't help rooting for him the whole way through.

The not-so-good: This is a long novel. Not necessarily in word count, although it is 484 pages, but in terms of actual story. The real conflict in the story doesn't actually start until over half way through the novel, when another character is introduced. I feel like the novel could have been a third shorter at least, even though the slow start does play on the relationship of Bethany and Xavier. The fact that the novel ends on a cliffhanger only compounded my feelings on this, because I was left wondering if the next novel could have been combined with this one in order to provide a more conclusive ending.

Overall: Halo may not be the best novel for anyone who wants an action driven, fast paced plot, but it is a great read and the characters and their relationships make it worthwhile. 7 out of 10 from me.

Back to paperback books and guess what... This is not YA. Shocking, I know, since I've been reading a lot of YA books lately. This is a book I found at random when I was walking through Barnes and Noble last year. It seemed interesting, so I picked up the book.

From Goodreads: "Welcome to P.U.P.I.—Private, Unaffiliated, Paranormal Investigations: A handpicked team trained to solve crimes the regular police can't touch—crimes of magic.
My name's Bonnie Torres. Recent college grad, magic user and severely unemployed. Until I got a call out of nowhere to interview for a job I hadn't applied for. It smelled fishy, but the brutal truth was I needed the work—so off I went.
     Two days later I'm a PUPI—me and Nick, Sharon, Nifty and Pietr. Five twentysomethings, thrown into an entirely new career in forensic magic.
     The first job we get is a doozy: proving that the deaths of two Talents were murder, not suicide. Worse, there are high-profile people who want us to close up shop and go away. We're sniffing out things they'd rather keep buried.
      Looks as if this job is gonna get interesting. The only problem is, we're making it up as we go along…"


This ended up being better than I thought. In general, I don't watch the CSI type television shows, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like a book labeled as a paranormal version of CSI.

Main Character: Bonnie is a fun character with a bit of an attitude. She is amusing and there are some great lines that really made me chuckle. Bonita (that is her first name actually) is also a bisexual main character, though men get her attention a bit more than women. Overall, I liked her except for one thing. She really needs to get control of her libido because it gets a little old with her losing attention on important topics by different guys. Strangers, client's relatives, witness', coworkers, bosses, doesn't matter, she gets distracted. What did help was there were consequences for it some of the time and having the tension helped. Having her occasionally mention women did make her a little more relatable to me than some of the other girl MCs I've read recently who spend too much time focusing on who they find attractive. But there are a few times where the reader could have seen Bonnie discover clues that are later heard about in dialogue instead of just seeing her distraction over some one's appearance and her interest in them.

Story: It was mostly interesting. I've not read many mysteries before, so trying to figure out how two people magically died wasn't easy. I liked how the plot of the story interlaced with the world, where magic and non-magic humans existed among other beings too. I liked the magic type, the concept of current and how the characters, MC especially showed the reader its uses. The only problem with a story like crime scene investigation is that the end feels a little anti-climatic. There was an exciting commotion towards the end that confused me a little about what was going on, and that made me feel more in the story.

Minor issues: There are many characters and many many names. Each of the P.U.P.I. characters are called by first, last and nicknames at different points in the novel. Two of them are named Nick (one often called Nifty). It was a nice break to read an adult book and I barely noticed at times that the book was in first person. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was talking when a lot of dialogue was happening at once. Line after line within the P.U.P.I. organization discussing certain evidence was good but I had no idea who was saying what. Didn't detract from the story but I did notice it.

Overall: I am looking forward to the next book, Pack of Lies. I didn't see it in the bookstore today but it was published at the beginning of this year. Those that like paranormal, magic and a little crime investigation might like this book. And even if you're like me and don't watch crime stuff, you might still like this book.

In a young adult literary world where mortal girls seem to be constantly falling for immortal, perfect boys, the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is wonderfully refreshing, and number two of the series, Beautiful Darkness is no exception.

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

Firstly, the series is written from mortal Ethan's point of view, and while he doesn't appear to be the most 'manly' of male characters out there, it makes for a nice change. Secondly, he falls in love with Lena, who is the paranormal (a Caster who is basically a witch) of the story, and as a character, she is far from perfect. In fact, in Beautiful Darkness it almost gets to the point where she is a tad annoying and as a reader I was (almost!) rooting for Ethan to dump her and turn to another major female character. Ethan's character however has just the right amount of teen angst, heroism and general likability to make him one of those protagonists that sticks with you for a long time.

Beautiful Darkness is the sequel to Beautiful Creatures, which I enjoyed, but didn't find particularly special. Beautiful Darkness seems to step it up a notch and I found myself fully engrossed in the authors' world building. The setting is gothic, haunting, and so well dispersed throughout the novel (rather than being info dumped in chunks) that I really felt like I was walking through the world with Ethan and Lena. The southern setting is probably one of the most unique aspects of the novel, since at times the plot did seem a little formulaic, but the setting alone makes both novels a worthwhile read.

Beautiful Darkness does feel like the 'middle book' of the series, where they fall in love in the first book, fight in the second, and most likely, fall in love again in the third. Beautiful Darkness was also very long, and could have been condensed. The plot doesn't really kick in until about 150 pages in, but when it does it picks up the pace dramatically. The last third of the novel is filled with enough action to satisfy anyone, and it is crafted with so much tension that I literally could not put it down until I got to the end.

The Caster Chronicles series is a worthwhile read so far, and even if you don't find #1, Beautiful Creatures to your liking, I do recommend Beautiful Darkness. It's definitely made me more excited about the 3rd in the series which apparently comes out this year.

7 out of 10 from me. Worth the read.