Fall of Light: Nina Kiriki Hoffman

First off, I have to say that I love Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s writing. I have read several of her works and I am not disappointed with Fall of Light. The world that she has created is unique and interesting for the reader. It’s not your standard cookie cutter magic user universe, there are facets that are beautiful and awful. The reader’s exploration of these facets is the enjoyable part of the experience.

Format: Hardcover

Publisher: Ace Hardcover (May 5, 2009)

Web site: http://ofearna.us/books/hoffman.html

Series: This is a standalone book in an existing world. The main character is the sister of the main character from A Fistful of Sky.

Description
Opal LaZelle is a special effects make-up artist, transforming actors into fantastical and grotesque creatures. Unknown to the casts and crews of the films she works on, Opal is gifted in the art of magic—and she applies more than make-up when altering an actor’s features.
Her latest job requires turning Corvus Weather into a dark god of the forest. But when Corvus’s performance becomes too convincing—on set and off—Opal realizes he’s not acting. Something has taken possession of Corvus. Something sinister tied to the town’s past, with the ability to absorb the very essence of life. Something Opal doesn’t have enough power to confront, much less drive from the man she has fallen in love with.

Buy at Amazon in Print

Dayhunter: Jocelynn Drake

The Dark Days series is a real treat for the UF/Vampire reader. It’s got intrigue and danger with some tension mixed in for fun. I really enjoyed reading the second in the series and am looking forward to more.

If you enjoy vampire books and urban fantasy, give this series a try. I am sure that you will enjoy it.

Things enjoyed: I enjoyed the tension between Mira and Danaus. I think that there is a lot more story in there and I am excited about seeing it unfold.

Things I didn’t enjoy:  Nothing…

Reason for reading: I received this as an ARC from the Author. (Thanks!!)

Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue,

Publisher: Eos
Publication Date:  April 09
Format: Print
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Vampire
Series:  Yes
Author Web Site: http://www.jocelynndrake.com/

 

Description (Amazon)

A new day dawns blood red

A master of fire, Mira is the last hope for the world. For centuries she has secretly enforced the history-altering edicts of the Triad. Now she and her unlikely ally—the human vampire hunter, Danaus—have come to Venice, home of the nightwalker rulers. But there is no safety in the ancient city, for the threat of conflict is in the wind . . . with unholy alliances and earth-shattering betrayals taking hideous form in the shadows.

Banished for eons beyond the world’s boundaries, the malevolent naturi prepare to feed once again upon a vulnerable earth—and treachery is opening wide the portal that will enable their dread re-emergence. The great battle that has always been Mira’s destiny is looming, and she must remain powerful in the face of a shocking revelation: that Danaus, the only creature she dares to trust, is something more than the man he claims to be . . .

Contest Wanderlust

Ann Aguirre is running a contest, all you have to do is go to her blog and prove that you have purchased Wanderlust. Then you will be entered into a drawing for A 200$ gift certificate. Well, I entered and I will encourage you to go out and get Wanderlust (Grimspace too, if you have not read it!). I started reading it at lunch, and now I can’t wait to get home and finish it.

http://www.annaguirre.com/archives/2008/08/19/the-wanderlust-wingding/

Can you guess what else I picked up?

Night Shift (Jill Kismet Novels): Lilith Saintcrow

Meet Jill Kismet, she is rough, tough, and damaged….

I liked the first in the Jill Kismet series, it was a good quick read and I can see myself re-reading this series. The heroine, Jill Kismet, has quite a few issues but we get to see her struggle through them. The action was quick and the dialogue snappy. There was no shortage of sarcasm in the book. I liked the development of the Were culture, I am looking forward to see where the storyline goes with it.

I took a look at the reviews on Amazon for this book and I noticed that someone is complaining that the book is another Dante book with a different lead and less sex/romance. I am not sure that I would classify this book in that light. There are some similarities, tough heroine….fights demons, lots of action. But the character of Jill Kismet is unique, she has her own history and her own issues that do not resemble Dante Valentine’s at all.

Now that I think about it,  I can see Dante Valentine & Jill Kismet having a gore-fest over coffee. <snort />

Website: http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/

Happy Hour of the Damned: Mark Henry

When I first heard about HHoD I was intrigued, I figured I would pick it up when it released. No rush, no ordering necessary. That way I could support my local independent bookstore. Well….release day came and went. I visited my local, store and they didn’t have it. Ok, I figured I would head over to BN to get it. They didn’t have it. Well, then… I’ll just wait a week. During this time I was reading League of Reluctant Adults (or was it the Urban Fantasy blog?) and I saw the post that Mark Henry did about finding HHoD in the romance section.

Romance? Really? I never thought to look for a Zombie book in Romance? Hmmmm… (Check his website, HHoD got 4 stars from Romantic Times. LOL)

I went back to the book store and check around. With the help of a sales clerk I found the one copy in the store. No it wasn’t in romance, but it was miss-shelved.

After all that trouble (not so much, actually…it’s not like I never go to the bookstore), I finally got my copy of HHoD. Hehhehehehehe I love this book. Mark Henry is right, it’s not a romance. Although the sex scene is highly entertaining! It’s like Shaun of the Dead meets Sex in the City from the monster’s point of view. Humor, fashion, footwear and footnotes. The footnotes were weird at first, has some serious college flashbacks for a minute (Pratcett fans, you won’t have an issue).

As I was telling a couple of friends, I find this to be a heart-warming Zombie tale.

Book Description

Seattle. One minute you’re drinking a vanilla breve, the next, some creepy old dude is breathing on you, turning you into a zombie. And that’s just for starters. Now, the recently deceased Amanda Feral is trying to make her way through Seattle’s undead scene with style (mortuary-grade makeup, six-inch stilettos, Balenciaga handbag on sale) while satisfying her craving for human flesh (Don’t judge. And no, not like chicken.) and decent vodkatinis.

Making her way through a dangerous world of cloud-doped bloodsuckers, reapers, horny and horned devils, werewolves, celebrities, and PR-obsessed shapeshifters–not to mention an extremely hot bartender named Ricardo–isn’t easy. And the minute one of Amanda’s undead friends disappears after texting the word, “help” (The undead–so dramatic!) she knows the afterlife is about to get really ugly.

Website

http://burlesqueofthedamned.blogspot.com/

http://mdhenry.livejournal.com/

I am not a fan of the white text on a black background, but it’s a standard blog so I won’t get too nuts about it.

http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com

Love the concept, nicely laid out site. Although, I was very sorry to hear that Ilona Andrews dropped from the League.

http://markhenry.us/

The official author site for Mark Henry could use some work. I viewed it at 800 * 600 and 1024 * 768 and most of the content that I saw before the scroll was the big fat logo with Mark Henry’s name and the razor blade. I don’t remember a razor blade as thematic element of the book. Am I wrong? Once again with the white on black, that is very hard for users to read. I sincerely believe that here is a way to design a website that is dark and brooding without causing eye strain on your user base. Not that I design the sites, I just build them. But after working with the designers for several years you tend to pick up a few things. The official site needs a bit of sprucing in design and content. As it is now it looks like a blog, and Mark Henry has two blogs that have more recent content than his official site.

800 * 600	1024 * 764

 

 

Grimspace

Oy, did I have fun reading this one. I actually read it last month and am just about ready to read it again. I loved the characters and the universe. The universe that Jax inhabits is one of the best sci-fi settings that I have come across in a while. It’s like Andromeda/Pitch Black/Linden/Star Gate/ etc…. and so much more. I really enjoyed reading this one, so much that I am not going to tell you any more about it. Go get a copy, and while you are at it… pre-order the 2^nd in the series Wanderlust.

I did see on her website, there is a new series in the works Corine Solomon. It’s listed as urban fantasy, I think that one is a auto-purchase!

***EDIT-

http://www.annaguirre.com/archives/2008/03/28/the-big-reveal-jax-lovers-rejoice/

Books 3 & 4 are a go for the Jax series! WooHoo!!!

END EDIT***

Book Description

By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…

As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.

Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom—for a price. March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel—and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing—grimspace—and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…

Cover

This is a great cover for Grimspace. If I had not known about the book well in advance, I would have picked it up for the cover alone. Very well done.

Website

http://www.annaguirre.com/

I love the design of Ann Aguirre’s website conveys the gritty tome of Grimspace, and the text is clear and easy to read. She has a ton of content and has separated her pseudonym content into a separate URL, I think that was a very wise decision. Since not all fantasy/sci-fi readers appreciate romance/erotica.

Ann runs a monthly contest, that I think is terrific. Members of her forum post their favorite reads for the month and she awards the winner with a choice from the list. I think that the only complaint that I could have about her website would be that I can’t find the link to the forum. I’ll just have to look it up, I am so lazy. I have been Schooled! Well actually, Ann was nice enough to send me the link to the BBS and give me a bit of background. Here is the text of her comment, which you may also read in the comments section: “I hid the forum on my Touch page, which lists ways to get in touch with me. It’s supposed to be “hidden” like Area 51, which is explained in the Corine Solomon books. The board name is actually a tie-in with the Corine Solomon series, which will become clear when Blue Diablo releases. I expect the “hidden” forum to become an well known in time, though.

Here’s the link: http://www.annaguirre.com/board” -Ann Aguirre

Thanks Ann!

Ahhh….Kate Daniels

This week I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews. Fist off because I love the world that Ilona and Gordon have built and second because the characters are engaging and well drawn.

I am about 30 pages into it and I can tell that it will be a favorite. I am torn between gobbling it all up and savoring it slowly….for now I will try to savor.

http://www.ilonaland.com/kate2.html

Well, I am done… and I am planning to read both of the Kate Daniels books again soon! This series is very good. The authors have done an excellent job of creating well defined characters in a rich environment. The integration between the characters is dynamic and interesting.  My only complaint…is that the next book is not out yet. I can’t wait to see what happens in Kate’s world. This book is a definite keeper!

Websites:

• http://www.ilonaland.com/
• http://ilona-andrews.livejournal.com/
• http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/

Ghost of a Chance: Kate Marsh

Well, I went shopping again. I wasn’t supposed to purchase anything, but I am physically unable to walk into a bookstore without walking out with a purchase. Oh well… in yesterday’s case it turned out very well. I purchased 3 books and got started on one of them. And I am very happy with my purchase.

Book Description First in the USA Today bestselling author’s new paranormal mystery series There are other worlds with mysteries to solve. Worlds where not all of the suspects are technically alive. That’s when Karma kicks in. Karma Marx exorcises haunted houses, sending troublesome poltergeists and other spirits to the ever after. But one assignment traps Karma, her foster child, her sleazy soon-to-be-ex husband, Spider, and his crooked partner under one roof. And when Spider turns up dead, it’s a locked house mystery, and Karma’s determined to reveal the truth, even if it means tackling all of the mansion’s inhabitants-mortal and otherwise…

Thoughts/comments: I am enjoying this new series (I hope it’s a series) very much. I like the main character very much. I had some serious fun reading this book. I think that anyone that enjoys the author’s work will have a good read with this one.

Black Magic Woman

Well, let me start off by saying I have a new series to commit myself to enjoying. Normally I really hate books where a child is injured, but that aspect of this book is necessary to tell the story so I rolled with it. I like the dynamic between Quincey and Libby, the author built a relationship between the two of them that is not romantic. I enjoyed that, it seems that whenever I get a UF book that I think I will enjoy it turns into a romance. Don’t get me wrong, I like the UF romances very much. It’s just a refreshing change, and I hope that it stays that way. The universe is rich and well defined and the story is engaging and intriguing, I can’t wait for more in the universe.

Description

Occult investigator Quincey Morris and his “consultant”, white witch Libby Chastain, are hired to free a family from a deadly curse that appears to date back to the Salem witch trials. Fraught with danger, the trail finds them stalking the mysterious occult underworlds of Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans and New York, searching out the root of the curse. After surviving a series of terrifying attempts on their lives, the two find themselves drawn inexorably towards Salem itself – the very heart of darkness.

Cover

If I had not heard of this book on several blogs before its release, spying this cover in the store would ensure that I pick up the book and read the back for the teaser. To be brutally honest… if I was in a hurry or if my son had made a break for it and I had this puppy in my hand I would just purchase it. I like the color way the composition and the placement of the text (amongst other things).

Website

http://www.justingustainis.com/

As much as I enjoyed Black Magic Woman, the author’s website leaves me cold. It might be my web dev experience or it may just be my web-snobbery rearing its ugly head again. Although, I could say that bout all of the sites that I don’t like. On the plus side he has a website and it looks like it has a lot of information, on the minus…

I am not fond of seeing the author’s bio image as a repeating element on the site. I would prefer the latest release cover. I think that the author’s photo should be on the biography page.

The font colors make the content difficult to read. White is hard to read on any background and the headers of cranberry are too close to the background in tone, so they tend to vibrate rather than stand out as intended (same goes for the blue links).

I see under his links section that he has a separate domain for the Hades Project. It would be nice to see a website for the Quincy Morris novels, since that is a multi book run.

Warrior Spirit by Alex Archer

Ahhh…Annja Creed. These books are always a quick read for me. They are not something that I have to think about, I can just sit back and be entertained by Annja and her big sword. I am about 3/4 the way through the book and it is a good as all of the others in the series. It’s nice to see female adventure, and I enjoy reading it.

Crap! I misplaced the book…

UPDATE: Rogue Angel goes graphic – http://sqt-fantasy-sci-fi-girl.blogspot.com/2008/01/rogue-angel-goes-graphic.html

Book Description A priceless artifact could restore a family’s honor — or destroy everything in its wake. While vacationing in Tokyo, archaeologist Annja Creed is approached by a man who desperately needs her help. Kennichi Ogawa, the last descendant of an ancient warrior family, is trying to locate a stolen artifact. Legend has it that the vajra was mystically endowed by a warrior’s spirit to help the Yumegakure-ryu family forever be a source for good. But the vajra could help the forces of evil if it gets into the wrong hands. And now the bloodthirsty Yakuza and a group of hired ninja are after it. As Annja and Kennichi trek through the fog-enshrouded mountains of the Iga province to find the relic, they must also outsmart the vicious Yakuza and ninja who are dangerously close to uncovering the vajra first…and to destroying their competition.

Cover: The covers for the Annja books are done very well. They incorporate a mixture of mystery and edginess that convey the tone of the novel well. Although, I can say that I prefer the partial form compositions similar to the Rogue Angel cover, over the covers that depict the entire figure as seen in the cover for The Chosen.

 

Web site: http://www.melodom.net/welcome.htm