Lake Silence - Review

Title: Lake Silence

Author:  Anne Bishop

Series:  The World of the Others

Synopsis:  “Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others - vampires, shape-shifters, and even deadlier paranormal beings.  And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget.

     “After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled.  Towns such as Vicki’s don’t have any distance from the Others, the dominant predators who rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world.  And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what is out there watching you.

     “Vicki was hoping to find a new career and anew life.  But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe - one of the shape-shifting Others  - discovers a murdered man, Vicki finds trouble instead.  The detectives want to pin the death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim.  As Vicki and her friends search for answers, ancient forces are roused by the disturbance in their domain. They have rules that must not be broken - and all the destructive powers of nature at their command.”

Review:  Before I read this book I thought I couldn’t enjoy a story set in the world of the Others more than I enjoyed Written in Red (the first Novel of the Others).  I was wrong.  They are all great novels.  But Lake Silence is my favorite novel set in this world.  I think it’s because I identified with Vickie.  She is a woman who escaped an abusive marriage and is looking for a new, quiet life.  She loves books and solitude almost as much as I do. 

     Lake Silence is the perfect combination of mystery, fantasy and thriller.  It starts with a dead body on Vicki’s property.  The detectives working the case are trying to pin the case on her, but the Others realize what is happening and take it upon themselves to protect her. I love the interactions between Vickie and her boarders.  Her love of books and stories is an important bonding point when she becomes the Reader for the terra indigene in The Jumble.   Vicki’s friendly and caring nature helps her to make friends with most of the beings she comes into contact with, including the Lady of the Lake. 

     I couldn’t  believe that after all that has happened in this world anyone could be stupid enough to believe they stand a chance against  The Elders, but  Yorick and his associates are that stupid.  When Vicki’s ex husband arrives to attempt to steal the property out from under her, the friendships that she has developed become very important as she fights to retain her rights to The Jumble.  I loved Lake Silence, and if Sproing were a real place I would move there, open a shop and feed the Sproingers carrots. 

Publisher:  ACE

If you like this book you may want to read:

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Wild Country (The World of the Others) by Anne Bishop

Fangs & Fennel - Review

Title: Fangs & Fennel

Author: Shannon Mayer

Series:  The Venom Trilogy #2

Synopsis:     “Alena Budrene is not just a gifted Seattle baker – she’s also a supernatural.  Having survived the virus that made her transformation necessary and outwitted an attack by a Greek hero, she’s ready to settle down and deal with the challenges of living as a “Super Duper”.

    “But nothing is easy for a woman who can turn into a giant snake.  Threatened by her unprecedented strength, Alena’s enemies team up against her.  What’s next on the menu?  The duplicitous demigod Theseus – backed by a ruthless vampire gang and the power-hungry goddess Hera – is determined to lure her into a glorious, and rather public, battle to the death.

     “Now humans, even the ones Alena risks her life to protect, are afraid to acknowledge her existence.  And when the friends who once rallied around her begin to fall prey to Theseus’s manipulative schemes, Alena realizes she must act before she loses everything.  But will the price of success be too high to pay?”

Review:  Just like the first in the series, Venom & Vanilla, Fangs & Fennel is a good read, full of playful fun.  See BookGirlR's review of Venom & Vanilla here.  I’ve enjoyed watching Alena grow and develop as a character.  In the first novel we watched Alena develop from a plain wallflower into a bad-ass “Super Duper”; in this second installment in the series we watch Alena struggle with who she used to be versus who she is now.  Throughout the novel she sometimes fights to remember that she is no longer a doormat and is now a powerful woman.  I do have to say though that Yaya is my favorite character. 

     I’ve seen several other reviews that mentioned Yaya should get her own novel, and I agree.  I would snatch up a novel about a feisty Grandmother who argues with Zeus, stands up to “Super Dupers”, and fights with Greek gods.  When can we have that novel?  And if something similar exists someone please let me know!

     If you enjoyed Venom & Vanilla than I highly suggest the next installment, Fangs and Fennel.  I missed the third novel while it was available to reviewers on NetGalley so I’ll be buying Hisses and Honey when my bank account allows. 

***I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, via NetGalley.***

Publisher: 47 North

If you like this book you may want to read:

Blood of the Earth (Soulwood #1) by Faith Hunter

The Glass Gargoyle (The Lost Ancients #1) by Marie Andreas

Embers - Review

Title:  Embers

Author:  Laura Bickle

Series:  Anya Kalinczyk #1

Synopsis:     “Truth burns.

     “Unemployment, despair, anger – visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit’s unease.  A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

     “Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters.  Anya – who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern – suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders.  By Devil’s Night the spell will be complete, unless Anya – with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team – can stop it.

     “Anya’s accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss.  But this time she’s risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is.  Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she’s ever faced.”

Review:  After reading Bickle’s The Hallowed Ones series (see the review of The Hallowed Ones here and The Outside here) a few years ago I’ve been wanting to read more by her.  I wish there was more in that series, but since there isn’t I picked up Embers instead.  I was not disappointed.  I enjoyed this novel just as much as the previous ones I had read. 

     I like stories about ghosts and mediums.  Embers puts a new spin on the familiar story by introducing a special, and rare, form of medium called a Lantern.  Anya is a strong female lead with a special gift, but she is definitely not perfect.  She has her faults and weaknesses.  My favorite character was Sparky, Anya’s familiar.  Bickle has done a great job developing her world and her characters; I frequently forgot that this was the first book in the series as it didn’t have any of that debut novel feel.  I recommend this novel, and I’ll be grabbing the next in the series, Sparks, during my next book shopping spree. 

Publisher:   Pocket Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones #1) by Laura Bickle (read 

BookGirlR’s review here)

Greywalker (Greywalker #1) by Kat Richardson

Spells of Blood and Kin - Review

Title:  Spells of Blood and Kin

Author:  Claire Humphrey

Synopsis:  “Some families hand down wealth through generations; some hand down wisdom.  Some families, whether they want to or not, hand down the secret burdens they carry and the dangerous debts they owe.

     “Lissa Nevsky’s grandmother leaves her a big, empty house and a legacy of magic: folk magic, old magic, brought with Baba when she fled the Gulag.  In the wake of her passing, the Russian community of Toronto will depend on Lissa now to give them their remedies and be their koldun’ia.  But Lissa hasn’t had time to learn everything Baba wanted to teach her – let alone the things Baba kept hidden.

     “Maksim Volkov’s birth family is long dead, anything they bestowed on him long turned to dust.  What Maksim carries now is a legacy of violence, and the does not have to die to pass it on  When Maksim feels his protective spell fail, he returns to the witch he rescued from the Gulag, only to find his spell has died along with the one who cast it.  Without the spell, it is only a matter of time before Maksim’s violent nature slips its leash and he infects someone else – if he hasn’t done so already.

     “Nick Kaisaris is just a normal dude who likes to party.  He doesn’t worry about family drama.  He doesn’t have any secrets.  All he wants is for things to stay like they are right now, tonight: Nick and his best buddy, Jonathan, out on the town.  Only Nick is on a collision course with Maksim Volkov, and what he takes away from this night is going to crack open Nick’s nature until all of his worst self comes to light.

     “Lissa’s newfound knowledge of magic might hold the key to Maksim’s salvation, if she can unravel it in time.  But it’s a legacy that comes at a price.  And Maksim might not want to be saved.”

    

Review:  I love the main premise found in Spells of Blood and Kin, you know the one: the main character, who is usually a young woman, is left a magical legacy by a dead/ missing/ retired mysterious older relative.  This main character must then figure out the details of this magical legacy which is usually a business of some type.  While discovering the ins and outs of this business she meets her love interest and by the end of the novel she is running the business successfully and the young couple is happy and in love.           While this is the main premise of Spells of Blood and Kin I found myself not loving this novel.  I found the characters to be unlikable.  I honestly though Lissa was whiny and a bit pathetic.  Her half sister Stella was never really fully fleshed out.  Maksim and Nick are sort of antiheroes, they are evil but don’t want to be evil, but they were so unlikable that I honestly didn’t care if they became redeemed or not.  Claire Humphrey’s writing is good, her setting is believable, and I enjoyed the Russian element of the novel.  Unfortunately I just couldn’t get past the unlikable characters.

Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press/ Thomas Dunne Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

The Enchantment Emporium (Gale Women #1) by Tanya Huff

Carousel Tides (Carousel Tides #1) Sharon Lee

Venom & Vanilla - Review

Title:  Venom & Vanilla

Author:  Shannon Mayer

Series:  Venom Trilogy #1

Synopsis:  “Successful Seattle baker Alena Budrene doesn’t want to die.  But when she’s infected with a lethal virus spread by supernatural beings, her only chance for recovery is to make a deal with the devil – or in this case, a warlock.

     “Though he saves her life, if looks nothing like the life she once knew – and neither does she.  Alena is a new breed of “Supe” no one has ever seen before.  Even the supernatural police don’t know what she is.  Now exiled to the northern side of the Wall, which marks the divide between humans and Supes, Alena is thrust into a dark and magical new world.

     “But just as she begins to adjust to all things supernatural, she realizes that her transformation is the least of her worries – and it was no accident.  She was chosen… to be killed by a Greek hero trying to make a name for himself once more.

     “Alena was brought up to be subservient, preferring creating to fighting, and vanilla and honey to blood.  But that was then.  Now, to survive, she must stand up for herself – and this time she’s got fangs.  But will she be ready to use them?”

Review:  Venom & Vanilla is a fun book that I enjoyed reading.  I read it in one sitting that took about two hours.  I just could not put it down.  While poking playful fun at Greek Mythology, Mayer also provides and entertaining read.

      I loved the character development with Alena, throughout the story she goes from being a dowdy, subservient person to being a confident, ass kicking woman.  The other main characters are also well thought out and developed well.  Just lately I’ve been having trouble finding books that can hold my attention for very long, Venom & Vanilla was a fabulous find and thankfully the sequel comes out tomorrow!  I can guarantee you that I’ll be reading Fangs & Fennel this weekend, if not sooner.

Publisher:  47North

If you like this book you may want to read:

Fangs & Fennel (Venom Trilogy #2) by Shannon Mayer

Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews

Nightshades - Review

Title:  Nightshades

Author:  Melissa F. Olson

Synopsis: “Alex McKenna is the new Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigations—the division tasked with investigating crimes involving shades.

“Or vampires, as they’re more widely known.

“Children have been going missing, and agents are routinely being slaughtered. It’s up to McKenna, and some unlikely allies, to get to the bottom of the problem, and find the kids before it’s too late.”

Review:  A fantastic beginning to what I hope is a new series.  Nightshades introduces us to a world in which vampires exist among humans, a fact which has only fairly recently been revealed to the wary humans.  The Bureau of Paranormal Investigations has been created to deal with vampire (or shade as they are called) crime.  The story follows new agent Alex McKenna as he investigates a series of disappearances and murder.  While rather short, it’s really a novella not a novel, Nightshades introduces readers to what has the possibility to be a deep and well thought out new world.  My hope is that future novels in this series will be longer and give the characters more depth. 

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review via NetGalley.**

Publisher: Tor

If you like this book you may want to read:

Generation V by M.L. Brennan (Check out  BookGirlR’s review here)

Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep - Review

Title:  Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep

Edited by: Paula Guran

Synopsis:  "The sea is full of mysteries and rivers shelter the unknown.  Dating back to ancient Assyria, folkloric tales of mermaids, sirens, rulsalki, nymphs, selkies, and other seafolk are found in many cultures, including those of Europe, Africa, the Near East and Asia.  Dangerous or benevolent, seductive or sinister -- modern masters of fantasy continue to create new legends of these creatures that enchant and entertain us more than ever.  Gathered here are some of the finest of these stories.  Immerse yourself in this wonderful -- and sometimes wicked -- watery world!"

Review:  I'm not really a fan of short stories.  I generally enjoy a longer, more in depth story.  Which is why I usually stick to novels.  However this collection is about mermaids, and that fascinates me; and it has stories by a lot of well known (and many of my favorite) authors.  Here's a list of the stories contained in Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep:

Elizabeth Bear - "Swell"

Samuel R. Delany - "Driftglass"

Neil Gaiman - "The Sea Changes"

Delia Sherman - "Miss Carstairs and the Merman"

Margo Lanagan - "Sea-Hearts"

Christopher Barzak - "The Drowned Mermaid"

Genevieve Valentine - "Abyssus Abyssum Invocat"

Seanan McGuire - "Each to Each"

Sarah Monette - "Somewhere Beneath Those Waves Was Her Home"

Peter S. Beagle - "Salt Wine"

Caitlin R. Kiernan - "The Mermaid of the Concrete Ocean"

Amanda Downum - "Flotsam"

Cat Rambo - "The Mermaids Singing Each to Each"

Chris Howard - "The Mermaid Game"

Gene Wolfe - "The Nebraskan and the Nereid"

Angela Slatter - "A Good Husband"

A. C. Wise - "Letters to a Body on the Cusp of Drowning"

Jane Yolen - "The Corridors of the Sea"

Lisa L. Hannett - "Forever, Miss Tapekwa County"

Catherynne M. Valente - "Urchins, While Swimming"

Tanith Lee - "Margritte's Secret Agent"

     My favorites were: "Swell", "Miss Carstairs and the Merman"; "Each to Each"; "Salt Wine"; and "Forever, Miss Tapekwa County".  However, there weren't any of the stories that I disliked.  The writing is all very well done, and all of the stories are unique.  I recommend Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep for  fans of mermaids, fantasy, science fiction and other speculative fiction; even if you normally shy away from short stories, like me. 

Publisher:  Prime Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant

Human For a Day edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Jennifer Brozek

Steampunk edited by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer

Day Shift - Review

Title: Day Shift

Author:  Charlaine Harris

Series:  Midnight Texas #2

Synopsis:  "There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves.  Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma.  She is seeing the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she's beautiful and dangerous.

     "Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day.  To make matters worse, one of Manfred's regular -- and very wealthy -- clients dies during a reading.

     "Manfred returns for Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press.  He looks to the mysterious Olivia for help; somehow he knows that she can get things back to normal.  As normal as things get in Midnight..."

Review:  I loved Day Shift just as much as I did Midnight Crossroad (read that review here).  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time wondering what was going to happen next.  I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the mysterious residents of Midnight, Texas.  A hotel opens in town.  Secrets about Joe and Chuy are hinted at, and finally revealed.  Manfred and Olivia are forced to learn more about each other and spend a lot of time together and help each other out of some tight spots.  And the reverend has a surprise visitor.  This installment of the new series is just as riveting as the first; and I read it in a single day.  Don't miss out!  Go get Day Shift now!

Publisher: Ace Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend

Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez (Read BookGirlR's review here)

Dream London - Review

 Title: Dream London 
Author: Tony Ballantyne 

Synopsis: “Captain Jim Wedderburn has looks, style and courage. He’s adored by women, respected by men and feared by his enemies. He’s the man to find out who has twisted London into this strange new world. 
      “But in Dream London the city changes a little every night and the people change a little every day. The towers are growing taller, the parks have hidden themselves away and the streets form themselves into strange new patterns. There are people sailing in from new lands down the river, new criminals emerging in the East End and a path spiraling down to another world. 
      “Everyone is changing, no one is who they seem to be.” 

Review: Dream London is truly a fantastic read! Ballantyne’s writing is superb. The main character of James Wedderburn is a very good example of the antihero, you aren’t supposed to like him and you won’t. But who he is has been molded by Dream London, just like it’s changed everyone else, it’s not who he really is so you feel sorry for him and find yourself cheering for him when he fights back. Even the minor characters are intriguing and well thought out. Ballantyne has even turned London itself into a character is this imaginative novel. 
      I highly recommend Dream London for anyone looking for an urban fantasy novel with a much different plot from the “normal” urban fantasy novels that are flooding the shelves (No sparkling vampires or sex addict werewolves here). I look forward to reading more of Tony Ballantyne’s work. 

Publisher: Solaris Books 

If you like this book you may want to read: 

 Midnight Riot (Rivers of London #1) by Ben Aaronovitch (see BookGirlR’s review here) 

 Sixty-One Nails (Courts of the Feyre #1) by Mike Shevdon

Magic Bites - Review

Title: Magic Bites
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Katie Daniels #1

Synopsis: “When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.
      “Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.
      “The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…”

Review: After reading Magic Bites I had a few questions. The first is: why, oh why, haven’t I read this series sooner? The second is: why hasn’t anyone told me about this series? And the third question I had after finishing Magic Bites is: How soon can I get the next book in the series?
      Fans of urban fantasy will love Magic Bites. The world building that has gone into creating this novel is amazing. The magic “waves” that come and go and make technology unusable is an awesome and very different concept that I loved. Andrews does a remarkable job playing the cards close to her chest. She gives us only the information we need at exactly the time that we need it and keeps the rest to herself, leaving us wanting more when we finally reach the end of this wonderful introduction to a series.
      My only complaint is the character of Curran. He is obviously supposed to be Kate’s love interest, but I didn’t feel it. There’s no heat between the two other than hatred, they are constantly battling with each other and trying to kill/maim each other. That’s not love, or even lust, in my book. I understand that a Beast Lord needs to be very dominant and alpha, but he could be dominant/alpha and still caring. At the end of Magic Bites I’m just afraid that Kate is going to end up in a relationship with an abusive man/Beast Lord. I hope that this issue gets cleared up in the next installment.
      Overall though, I loved this novel and am looking forward to the rest of the series. Seriously, why hasn’t anyone told me to read this? I wasted so much time reading other books.

Publisher: Ace
If you like this book you may want to read: 

 Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay (read BookGirlR’s review here)

 Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (read BookGirlR’s review here)

Midnight Crossroad - Review

Title: Midnight Crossroad
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Midnight Texas #1

Synopsis: “Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and the Davy highway. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.
      “There’s a pawnshop (someone who lives in the basement is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).
    “Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth…”

Review: Midnight Crossroad is my current favorite book. I finished it last night and I’m still thinking about Midnight, Texas. I loved everything about it! This is the first novel in a new series by Charlaine Harris. The plot starts out a bit slow, but her writing is so interesting that it doesn’t matter and it’s because she is introducing us to an amazing cast of characters. I loved learning about Midnight, Texas and its secretive inhabitants. My favorite character is Mr. Snuggly, all of my LOL moments involved the cat (and I did actually laugh out loud several times. SuperSteve thought I was going crazy). And I had no idea “who done it” until it was revealed, the whole ending was perfect! If you haven’t read it yet go and get it now! If you only buy one book this month make it Midnight Crossroad! I don't regret it and you won’t either!

Publisher: Ace

If you like this book you may want to read:

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

 The Graveyard Queen Series by Amanda Stevens

The Man with the Golden Torc - Review

Title:   The Man with the Golden Torc

Author:   Simon R. Green

Series:  Secret Histories #1

Synopsis:  “The name’s Bond.  Shaman Bond. 

     “Actually, that’s just my cover.  I’m Eddie Drood.  But when your job includes a license to kick supernatural arse on a regular basis, you find your laughs where you can.

     “For centuries, my family has been the secret guardian of humanity, all that stands between all of you and all of the really nasty things that go bump in the night.  As a Drood field agent I wore the golden torc, I killed monsters, and I protected the world.  I loved my job.

     “Right up to the point when my own family declared me rogue for no reason, and I was forced to go on the run.  Now the only people who can help me prove my innocence are the people who can help me prove my innocence are the people I used to consider my enemies.

     “I’m Shaman Bond, very secret agent.  And I’m going to prove to everyone that no one does it better than me.”

Review:  I’ve been very lucky with the books I’ve been choosing lately.  It has been awhile since I read a book I didn’t like.  (I originally made a typo and typed that as lick, a book I didn’t lick.  Well… If I like it well enough maybe…) I liked The Man with the Golden Torc.  I didn’t love it, but I liked it.  At first I had trouble getting into it.  I’m not sure why.  Perhaps it was the alignment of the moon?  The writing is good, the characters and story are entertaining, and yet I kept finding myself putting it down.  But I persevered because I was intrigued by the story and the plot, and I wanted to see how Green was going to pull Shaman Bond, uh… I mean Eddie Drood, out of his tight spot.  Once I reached the midpoint of the novel that was it.  There was no more putting it down.  I had to finish and find out what was going to happen as quickly as possible.  I wasn’t disappointed and you won’t be either.  I’ll be buying the next in the series soon.

Publisher:    Penguin/ Roc

ISBN:   978-0451462145

If you like this book you may want to read: 

Daemons are Forever (Secret Histories #2) by Simon R. Green

The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne (See BookGirlR's review of Hounded here)

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Deadly Curiosities - Review

Title:  Deadly Curiosities

Author:  Gail Z. Martin

Series:  Deadly Curiosities #1

Synopsis:  “Welcome to Trifles & Folly, a store with a dark secret.  Proprietor Cassidy Kincaide continues a family tradition begun in 1670 – acquiring and neutralizing dangerous supernatural items.  It’s the perfect job for Cassidy, whose psychic gift lets her touch an object and know its history.  Together with her business partner Sorren, a 500-year-old vampire and former jewel thief, Cassidy makes it her business to get infernal objects off the market.

     “When a trip to a haunted hotel unearths a statue steeped in malevolent power, and a string of murders draws a trail to the abandoned old Navy yard, Cassidy and Sorren discover a diabolical plot to unleash a supernatural onslaught on their city.

     “It’s time for Kincaide and her team to get rid of these Deadly Curiosities before the bodies start piling up”

Review:  I had no idea this book was coming out.  I don’t know if I just haven’t been paying a lot of attention to new releases because money and time are getting a little tight (I’m getting married in 2 months to SuperSteve).  So a couple of weeks ago I gave myself a small shopping trip, because nothing calms my nerves like a trip to the bookstore.  I snatched Deadly Curiosities off of the shelf before my brain had fully processed what it was.  It had Gail Z. Martin’s name on it.  That’s all that mattered.  I love her Chronicles of the Necromancer Series and have read them multiple times.  It didn’t matter what this book was about.  It had to be mine.  Then I got home and set it on the table.  I looked at it. I was delighted to discover that it was an urban fantasy.  I didn’t start reading it right away because I knew that once I started that would be it, within a few days I would be finished reading it and I wouldn’t have a new Gail Z. Martin book to look forward to for awhile. 

     I’ve finished it now.  I’m very sad.  Even though I have many more perfectly good books waiting to be read, this one is done.  I will never get to read it for the first time again, and that first time was amazing.  Deadly Curiosities was awesome!  I loved everything about it.  The characters are wonderful, and I wish Teag was my gay best friend.  Sorren is mysterious and sexy, and Cassidy is the perfect combination of kick ass and smart.  The plot kept me on the edge of my seat right from the very beginning, and Gail Z. Martin’s storytelling abilities are always superb.  Go get this book now.  Oh, and Gail Z. Martin hurry up with the next one would you?  Thanks.

Publisher:   Solaris

ISBN:  978-1781082331

If you like this book you may want to read:

October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire

Agent of Hel Series by Jacqueline Carey

Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin