Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews

No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…

As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.

As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…
~~

I, like many others, probably consider Magic Breaks the pivotal book of the Kate Daniels series.  Since the very beginning readers have been wondering what the showdown between Kate and Roland was going to look like, and after re-reading the book (or parts of it) about a million times I think I'm finally ready to give my thoughts.

It was awesome.

And, thankfully for my poor little heart, it was not quite as emotionally wrenching as Magic Rises, even if Kate is obviously scarred by the previous events. Facing Roland has become so much more than what her foster father Voron wanted for her - Kate has a mate along with family and friends who are significantly more important than a magically fried dead man's vendetta. So instead of a prolonged battle between Kate and Roland, the book spends more time on the lead up to her decision about what she wants in her life, with much of it riding on how she handles Hugh and his sudden appearance in Atlanta and manipulation of the People. It results in a less violent book than some of the other installments of the series, but while it is obviously a bridge since the Roland arc kind of ends, it doesn't feel like fluff. Ilona Andrews has a deft hand in changing the direction of the series, and the significant amount of individual character development makes me really excited for what's coming next. Every part of the universe we've come to love is going to change because of the events of this novel, and while I've read some reviews where people have felt like more could have been done for this initial/final showdown between Kate and Roland, I'm happy that their acrimonious relationship is going to be fodder for future novels.

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - 5) Magic Slays 6) Magic Rises 7) Magic Breaks

Mini-Me: Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire

{Since I'm having such a hard time jumping back into reviewing lately, I thought I'd do a quick look back at a book I read a couple months ago.}

When Alex Price agreed to go to Ohio to oversee a basilisk breeding program and assist in the recovery of his psychic cousin, he didn't expect people to start dropping dead. But bodies are cropping up at the zoo where he works, and his girlfriend—Shelby Tanner, an Australian zoologist with a fondness for big cats—is starting to get suspicious.

Worse yet, the bodies have all been turned partially to stone...

The third book in the InCryptid series takes us to a new location and a new member of the family, as Alex tries to balance life, work, and the strong desire not to become a piece of garden statuary. Old friends and new are on the scene, and danger lurks around every corner.

Of course, so do the talking mice.
~~

One of the best things Seanan McGuire ever did for my sanity was write a whole blog post about why she chooses not to include sexual violence in her books. It means that when I'm feeling down or want to read something that's multi-layered with a complicated and possibly dystopian setting, I don't have to spend the whole time preparing myself for something that'll give me nightmares. There are quite enough terrible things happening in the world right now, I don't need it in my books too.

Instead when I read something like Half-Off Ragnarok I can concentrate on the characters and the relationship building, and the hidden connections that I haven't deciphered yet that make the "who dunnit" clear. Or the fact that Shelby actually went off to rescue Alex from himself only to find a completely different situation than the one she was prepared for. REGARDLESS, it's all awesome and I highly recommend this series - which I think might be kind of important to read in order as some things happened in Midnight Blue-Light Special that pick up here.

Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murders of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside's shape-shifting leader—wonders whether their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or of a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.
~~

Despite what the looong silence here on the ol' blog might lead you to believe, I haven't stopped reviewing. I just got a new job that suddenly requires me to actually do work during the day (can you imagine?!) and I haven't found my groove in the evenings/weekends yet to balance that out. I love the people I work with but honestly, I'd forgotten what it was like to not know everything about what I was doing.

But anyway...

As a re-introductory of sorts I decided that there was not a better thing to talk about then the book I saved for Puerto Rico (and have read a billion times since then), Anne Bishop's Murder of Crows. The second book in her Others series, Murder of Crows focuses even more on the mystery of the cassandra sangue, and what their existence means to the Others. It's a phenomenal balancing act of mystery, action, and a tiny bit of romance. The relationships between the somewhat large cast of characters are layered and changing all the time - human, Other, what have you. Politics and self-preservation even come into play as some of the human employees of the Courtyard have defend their feelings (or loyalty) to the Others to other humans.

Nothing is as simple as it seems on the surface and Bishop is a master as making you think; what could happen if these people do this? If these two people feel this? They're tough questions with sometimes deadly consequences, but unlike some of her past work (Black Jewel Trilogy anyone?) nothing's terribly heartbreaking. At least not yet.

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - 1) Written in Red 2) Murder of Crows

Falling Light by Thea Harrison

Troubled by dreams of creatures, and unfamiliar voices echoing in her head, Mary has always felt a disconnect in this world—until she met the enigmatic stranger, Michael. He knew about Mary’s past. He was in it. Searching for her. His soul mate. And it’s taken centuries to find her, to re-engage her in an ancient, celestial cause: find the Deceiver before he destroys the world.

Haunted by scores of deaths—their own—Mary and Michael have drawn on the wisdom of the ages, and the power it has given them to fight the most malevolent force known to man. Joining a select band of warriors, Mary and Michael are nearer to understanding the Deceiver and all he stands for. It’s a terrifying reality that also brings them closer to realizing their own destiny and purpose. And that love—like evil—is eternal.
~~

Rising Darkness, the first novel of the Games of Shadows series, was enough of an emotional roller coaster that I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into with book two.  I also didn't realize before I started that this book was going to conclude Mary and Michael's arc with The Deceiver and I just may have done a little happy dance when I did! Urban Fantasies can often be open ended series, and while I love the way Harrison writes and the world she's created here is so different that it deserves as many books as it can hold, I can't always cry when I pick up a book ok?! It gets to be too much for me, lol.

And this series is definitely more Urban Fantasy than romance because while there is romance in the story the focus is much more on how Mary and Michael are going to defeat the big bad. And the big bad here is REALLY big and bad, as he jumps bodies and kills people indiscriminately with no sign of remorse.  Combined with unexpected moral questions about possession and trust issues amongst allies and the end result is a fast paced, enthralling read with a satisfying ending. I'm not sure where Harrison intends to take the world, as in I can't find online if there are going to be more books or not, but with at least one main supporting character still remaining who has a journey of his own to finish, I can only hope so!

Overall Feeling - B+

Series - 1) Rising Darkness 2) Falling Light

Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire

Things are starting to look up for October "Toby" Daye. She's training her squire, doing her job, and has finally allowed herself to grow closer to the local King of Cats. It seems like her life may finally be settling down...at least until dead changelings start appearing in the alleys of San Francisco, killed by an overdose of goblin fruit.

Toby's efforts to take the problem to the Queen of the Mists are met with harsh reprisals, leaving her under sentence of exile from her home and everyone she loves. Now Toby must find a way to reverse the Queens decree, get the goblin fruit off the streets--and, oh, yes, save her own life, since more than a few of her problems have once again followed her home. And then there's the question of the Queen herself, who seems increasingly unlikely to have a valid claim to the throne....

To find the answers, October and her friends will have to travel from the legendary Library of Stars into the hidden depths of the Kingdom of the Mists--and they'll have to do it fast, because time is running out. In faerie, some fates are worse than death.

October Daye is about to find out what they are.
~~

So it may have taken me about a jillion years (aka 7 months) but I finally finished Chimes at Midnight and it was freaking awesome. As usual really, which makes me kick myself for waiting so long to read it. But sadly, when the brain decides its not ready for something horrible to happen to one of its favorite characters, its not ready. Happily somewhere between Tuesday and Wednesday things worked itself out and instead of getting the sleep I kind of desperately need, I finished this.

McGuire writes incredible urban fantasy adventures. Filled with the kind of characters and world building you dream of, and seven books in things are still going strong. Despite the hint of a happy ending between Toby and Tybalt, the world of Faerie isn't done with them, and the royal machinations spill out once again to send our intrepid hero out to save the day. Or at least save a few people and not get herself killed. 

I loved everything about this book honestly, it's one of those reads that manages to be both full of plot and quick to grasp/entertaining, but the relationship between Toby and Tybalt was off the charts. They've finally embraced the feelings they have for each other and spend a lot of the book balancing those with their goals - the things they have to do protect what is meaningful to them or the people who can't protect themselves. Watching (reading) them navigate the tricky waters of respect and understanding of each others needs is beautiful and believable; I think that no matter the people involved, couples meant to last have to be able to communicate and listen to each other. Toby and Tybalt might stumble at times but when pushed to confront their own biases they're able to think through problems and come to a solution that works for everyone.

So, uh, yeah. I loved this book. While it's not really great as a stand alone, it's a wonderful continuation of a series that doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon (YAY!).

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - ... 6) Ashes of Honor 7) Chimes at Midnight

The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. Things that go bump in the night, the monsters you thought didn’t exist? We battle them and keep you safe. But some supernatural baddies are just too big to contain, even for us….

When I moved to New York to become a world famous journalist, I never imagined that snagging a job at a seedy tabloid would change my career path from trashy reporter to undercover agent. I’m Makenna Fraser, a Seer for SPI. I can see through any disguise, shield, or spell that a paranormal pest can come up with. I track down creatures and my partner, Ian Byrne, takes them out—usually saving my skin in the process.

Our cases are generally pretty routine, but a sickle-wielding serial killer has been prowling the city’s subway tunnels. And the murderer’s not human. The fiend in question, a descendant of Grendel—yes, that Grendel—shares his ancestor’s hatred of parties, revelry, and drunkards. And with New Year’s Eve in Times Square only two days away, we need to bag him quickly. Because if we don’t find him—and the organization behind him—by midnight, our secret’s out and everyone’s time is up.
~~

The Grendel Affair was an entertaining start to a new series. Shearin takes some of my favorite things from the urban fantasy genre, namely familiar monsters, mythology, and real world locations, and combines them into an interesting new take on what happens when just a few disgruntled people get their hands on technology that really shouldn't exist.

Mac and her coworkers are quirky in a good way, each one showing the beginnings of a personality that should be great for many books to come. Ultimately that's probably the only place where I'd say this book was lacking: action and plot it had for days, but I wish I'd learned more about the how the people who work at SPI came to be there. But at the same time that probably would have been a huge boring info-dump for one book so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that we continue to learn more in future installments. 

I'd highly recommend this to people looking for a new series in 2014, though it might not appeal to those who like a lot of romance in their book. There are hints of it here but it's not a major plot point or even really something that get's talked about at all until the very end.

Overall Feeling - B

Series - 1) The Grendel Affair 2) The Dragon Conspiracy (Coming 2014)

hold outs

As I work myself back into the groove for 2014, I thought I'd start things off with a quick introspective on some of the series that I have continued to read for years. It's not easy, in the ever changing world of genre books, to find a series that speaks to you in such a way that you just have to know what happens. It's much more likely that after a few books of lackluster characters or world building to move on to something new, because there's always something new. But these, my friends, are the 2013 hold outs:

Kate Daniels Series - Ilona Andrews (UF)

If you haven't heard of this writing duo before let me tell you - Ilona Andrews know what they're doing. In Kate Daniels they've created a powerful but kind of broken heroine who slowly but surely is finding herself making the sort of connections that villains love to exploit. The supporting cast is phenomenal (some of them have even gotten their own books) and with the latest title coming out this year (Magic Breaks) the series is one to get into now because big things are happening and you don't have to wait to find out!

Psy/Changeling Series - Nalini Singh (PR)

 There used to be quite a few paranormal romance series on my auto-buy list, but at this point I could only name a couple that are truly ones I have to have. I love Nalini Singh's ability to write alpha men with hearts of gold, women who are their matches and more but might have issues finding their own HEA's, and a world that is filled with societies on the cusp of a new future.

Harry Dresden Files - Jim Butcher (UF)

Such an oldie but a goodie! I feel like this series has been with me forever, and it's never too late for Butcher to throw Harry into a new conundrum of epic proportions that might get him and everyone he loves killed. My only concern now is that I'm starting to dread what's in store for him next. At some point, even in an urban fantasy series,  I'd like Harry to get a bit of emotional happiness or stability and I'm not sure when exactly that's going to happen. 

 Image from Floor to Ceiling Books

The October Daye Series - Seanan McGuire (UF)

 I've mention the Dayes series before because Seanan McGuire is still one of the only authors I've read who can scare the crap out of me and still leave me desperate to figure out what's going to happen next. Daye as a character has just enough magic and determination to get herself into all sorts of shenanigans to protect her friends, and as a woman of her word she'll always be the one people go to for assistance. Things between her and the Tybalt are finally starting to heat up in Chimes of Midnight but apparently things in the Sidhe kingdom are also ready to go to hell so I've got to hurry up and finish this book!

The Chronicles of Elantra - Michelle Sagara (UF)

 This is one of those series that takes some time to warm up to because there are just so many people and cultures to learn about it. Especially when we're getting all our information through the eyes of Kaylin, a woman who's managed to escape (for the most part) her own rocky start in life but is forever followed by the magic that compels her to help others.  In later books things have gotten kind of complicated character wise, and they've been coming out far enough part that I've had to backtrack to remember who everyone is. Still, Sagara has gotten me all attached to this woman and the dragons around her who control pretty much everything, so I will continue buying these until something forces me not to!

Shelly Laurenston (PR)

Laurenston is currently at the top of my 'comfort reads' pile because this woman has the singular ability to both get me excited and have me laughing out loud. Her shifters are violent, fun-loving, family oriented, and willing to shoot bad guys at 500 yards - I mean, who can complain with that? I can always be assured when reading her books that things will work out, the good guys will win, and the people who should get things coming to them, will. Wrap it all up in a 6-7 foot tall package of muscle and great personality and you've got a winner in my book!

Kinked by Thea Harrison

As a harpy, Sentinel Aryal is accustomed to dealing with hate, but Sentinel Quentin Caeravorn manages to inspire in her a burning ire unlike anything she’s ever known. Aryal believes the new Sentinel to be a criminal, and vows to take him out as soon as the opportunity arises. But the harpy’s incessant wrath has pushed Quentin to the limit, and forces him to make a deadly vow of his own.

To put an end to the conflict, Dragos, Lord of the Wyr, sends them on a reconnaissance mission to the Elven land of Numenlaur. Forced to work together, Aryal and Quentin’s mutual antagonism escalates. Each fight draws forth more passion—culminating in an explosively sexual confrontation. But when their quest reveals real danger, Aryal and Quentin must resolve their differences in ways beyond the physical, before the entire Wyr is threatened.
~~

I would say going into this story I was of two minds: Aryal isn't my favorite character so her having her own book so soon kind of threw me, but at the same time I trusted Harrison to make a book starring these two people make sense and damn if she doesn't do it. Neither Quentin or Aryal are willing to trust when the book starts. They have real and deeply heartfelt reasons for why they come to blows pretty much every time they see each other, and when finally forced out to Numenlaur it was clear that working together at all was going to be an issue. 

And yet somehow they do it. Well....to be completely honest they also spend some of that time planning out ways to kill each other that would look like an accident, but after that they find a balance and ways to lean on each other. Journeying across Numenlaur is no easy task - not only are there monsters and things they have to watch out for, the consequences of the God Machines are still being felt. Even though some of the things they face are obviously the necessary complications of taking over people's will and forcing them to do another's bidding (& I won't go into much detail for fear of spoilers) it was still hard to read.

Finally I would say that by the end of the book I believed in the connection between Aryal and Quentin. If there's too much going on around the two main characters, sometimes being Mates can be used as an avenue to gloss over the emotional road building that results in a HEA. Harrison does none of that as these two are constantly pushing each other's boundaries, physically and emotionally, and when the crowd at Dragos's Tower screams for Aryal so does the reader for the two of them together.

Overall Feeling - A

Series - ... 4) Oracle's Moon 5) Lords Fall 6) Kinked

Undead and Underwater by MaryJanice Davidson

New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson “continues to put her own unique spin on paranormal romance” (Fallen Angel Reviews), and in this all-new anthology, she’s three times as outrageous as ever before…

Super, Girl!
Meet Hailey Derry, human resources representative and round-the-clock superhero. Born with the ability to convert anything she eats into crime-fighting energy, Hailey is now faced with her toughest challenge: the sexy new hire who has a mad crush on her. But how does Hailey break the news that she’s more of a Wonder Woman than he can imagine? She’d better think of something fast, because letting this guy go would be a crime.

Undead and Underwater
Betsy, queen of the undead, and Fred, the dour could’ve-been-a-princess mermaid, reluctantly team up to help a mutual friend in trouble. After all, a friend in need is a friend who, well, can really test your patience—because Betsy and Fred aren’t exactly BFFs. What they do have in common is the source of the problem: a man. And what’s more troubling than love?

Incomer
As leader of the Pack, it’s Lara Wyndham’s job to usher her breed to safety after the cataclysmic Kardashian Riots of 2025—and fend off the advances of Jack Gardner, a sexy Packer with alpha urges and a knack for getting into trouble. No matter how bad Lara wants it, she doesn’t need it. Not that intoxicating scent of his, or his talented mouth, or that perfect ass. Then again…
~~

I happened upon this while browsing in the library and even though I've lost touch with Betsy and the Undead series by Ms. Davidson this set of novellas was a lot of fun. Each one brings back characters from their individual series, so for those who are familiar with the set ups it might be a touch more poignant, but even as a standalone the stories have enough humor and action to make them worth a read.

(Also - kudos to Ms. Davidson for switching first person view points between two of her main heroines in "Undead and Underwater". I think maybe it was LKH who said she'd never do a crossover between Anita and Merry because they were both first person narratives but I think Betsy and Fred were balanced really well in that story.)

It's a great primer to Ms. Davidson's voice, and the sense of humor that runs throughout all her series, but none of it seems stale or out of place. It's a good, quick read, perfect for this patchy of rainy gloomy weather that DC is experiencing.

Overall Feeling - B+

Series - Various

Charming by Elliott James

John Charming isn't your average Prince...

He comes from a line of Charmings — an illustrious family of dragon slayers, witch-finders and killers dating back to before the fall of Rome. Trained by a modern day version of the Knights Templar, monster hunters who have updated their methods from chainmail and crossbows to kevlar and shotguns, he was one of the best. That is — until he became the abomination the Knights were sworn to hunt.

That was a lifetime ago. Now, he tends bar under an assumed name in rural Virginia and leads a peaceful, quiet life. One that shouldn't change just because a vampire and a blonde walked into his bar... Right?
~~

This is one of those rare moments for me where I get to say a book is remarkably good. I like the book summary quite a bit when but I don't think I could have anticipated the depth of the lore James uses in this book or the irresistability of the characters. On the surface it's an urban fantasy much like the others: a lonely hero resisting the monster he fears he might be with his motley crew of sidekicks, each fighting their own demons, hoping to save the day. But it's also much more than that.

John is funny, sardonic, and being inside his head for this battle incredibly interesting. He's not just an almost SPOILER, he's a man with a crap ton of training in defeating monsters who has to do it now on his own terms. The men and women he fights beside are complicated imperfect characters who make choices that have a variety of consequences, few of them pleasant. 

I probably haven't been this excited about a new series since Kate Daniels or the Dresden Files and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - 1) Charming

*Title requested from NetGalley*

To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory

Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She’s a Regulator—a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world.

When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she’s either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim.

Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie.

Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie’s got her hands full.

As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.
~~

Another freebie I picked up from Amazon (ok Kindle app, I like you) To Kill a Warlock turned out to be surprisingly entertaining. I was hoping from the sound of the summary it wouldn't suck but you never know, my urban fantasy meter has been wrong before. Dulcie is strong but not invincible, smart but understands when another person's experience could be helpful - even if she's undecided about whether to trust the information or not.

My biggest peeve would probably be that Knight seems to expect her to be even more awesome than she already is. We all have buttons and even the most seasoned officer is going to have people and situations where they aren't their best. Maybe I'm more forgiving since I'm not in the place where my life depends on someone else's acting ability, but I'd rather Dulcie be a real person with faults than perfectly capable in all things. I'm interested to see if the love triangle set up here is continued in future novels, but as a first book I think Mallory does a good job creating a cast of characters and a world I want to learn more about.

Overall Feeling - B-

Series - 1) To Kill a Warlock 2) A Tale of Two Goblins 3) Great Hexpectations 4) Wuthering Frights 5) Malice In Wonderland 6) For Whom The Spell Tolls

Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch

Gryphons flying past skyscrapers? Wizards battling it out in coffeehouses? Women riding motorcycles with large swords strapped to their backs? All normal sights since the Great Collision happened twenty-six years ago.

Well, not normal for everyone. Larissa Miller may have been born after the Great Collision, but as a history teacher who lives in the human-only city, she has never come into contact with any other race or species, nor has she wanted to. Her life is as ordinary as it gets - that is, until one day she walks out of her apartment and is attacked by a mob of Zombies, only to be saved by a Gargoyle.

Gargoyles trust no one outside their Clan, but due to a cryptic prophecy, Terak, Leader of the Gargoyles, has been watching over the human woman for months. While he can find no reason why the woman has been singled out, something about her stirs every protective instinct within him. When the attack confirms that the threats against her exist and are real, he convinces Larissa that though their races have never been allies, the best chance of discovering why she has been brought into his world is by working together.

In the course of their investigation Terak becomes entranced by his little human. But when he discovers why Necromancers want her and the great reward that awaits him if he betrays her, he must choose between the welfare of his Clan and not only Larissa’s life, but the fate of this New Realm as well.
~~

After finishing Magic Rises I was still on a bit of an urban fantasy kick so Stone Guardian was a welcome addition to my 'new series' to watch list. Even though Monsch doesn't come out with something shocking or world altering here, she has crafted a very entertaining story with main characters that you care about. 

Larissa can't think of any reason why she'd be the target of so many paranormal beings all of a sudden but to Gargoyle Terak it doesn't matter - he's going to protect her no matter what (and not let his feelings get in the way! Argh! Manly!). When circumstances force the two to introduce themselves the result is both logical sparks filled; Larissa doesn't magically acquire fighting skills or the ability to turn people into flowers, she has to lean on Terak for his battle prowess and from that he's able to enjoy the opportunity to be a kinder version of himself. When the two of them finally act on their attraction things heat up very quickly and while the ending is a little obvious (though maybe only to the people like me who've read an overabundance of paranormal romance) it was satisfying and definitely has me interested in finding out what happens next (Larissa has brothers! Shadow-y military type brothers! And bad guys with bad weapons! Count me in :) ). 

Overall Feeling - A-

Series - 1) Stone Guardian

*Title requested from NetGalley*

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
~~

Ilona  Andrews writes a mean urban fantasy story. Six books in and even though Kate and Curran have mostly found their happily ever after, nothing has gotten stale. Their romance is imperfectly perfect, mostly because both of them are more than a little crazy and as such they can push each other's buttons pretty easily. In Magic Rises the external stressors on them become increasingly aggressive as they voluntarily place themselves in dangerous, violent situations on behalf of the most vulnerable in their pack, the young. You wouldn't think that two people choosing to put themselves into what they can already predict will be a trap to be so shocking and compelling, but Andrews knows how to pace the story and the overall arc of the series so well that almost nothing seems extraneous or misplaced. 

Magic Rises is an incredible installment in one of the very best series out there, Urban Fantasy or not. Even supporting characters shine in their work and readers come to care about their futures just as much as Kate and Curran's. Highly recommended (though please start from the beginning - it's worth it).

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - ... 4) Magic Bleeds 5) Magic Slays 6) Magic Rises 

Never Deal With Dragons by Lorenda Christensen

Consoling a sobbing dragon and serving pig buffets are just part of the job for Myrna Banks. Working for a mediation firm, it's her job to get humans compensated for damages caused by the dragons who now rule. But her "typical" day is interrupted by Trian Chobardan, an old flame who sneaked out of her bed two years ago, taking her heart and a handful of classified documents with him.

Myrna would love to show Trian the door, but he's been sent by North America's reigning dragon lord for help negotiating a truce with a powerful rival to avert war. Myrna agrees to help, even though she'll be stuck with Trian as a partner.

As the two work together, Myrna finds Trian to be surprisingly supportive—and still irresistibly attractive. Though her brain tells her not to forget his betrayal, her body feels differently. When they learn the enemy dragon lord is planning something no one could have imagined, Myrna has to learn who she can trust before she loses not only her heart, but her life.
~~

I have to admit to being torn about this one. I'm not going to argue the semantics of whether I'd actually call this a romance or not, the world building and origin story Christensen created for the dragons is cool enough to stand on its own, but I think this book does make a good case for why endings are so damn important. I like Trian and Myrna - each of them have ambitions and loyalties and when those drive them apart it takes some honesty from them both to move forward. Spicy dialogue, a bit of bitterness, the dance the two of them play balances well with the dragon politics and terrorist plot. 

But.

I can't stand it when good heroines go stupid. I don't want to delve too deep and risk spoilers, but when a heroine ignores obvious signs of deception and suspicious behavior in favor of the status quo it drives me crazy. Especially when, like here, there's been so much time spent showing how the heroine is strong and more competent than most of the people she works with. What purpose does this serve? I could tell immediately when things started going wrong and I expected Myrna to do the same - yeah we could say as the reader I have more knowledge with devious plots than she does but it still just felt like needless misdirection. 

Ultimately I felt like this was a good story that could have been better if the ending had gone down a different way.

Overall Feeling - C+

Series - None (at this time)

*Title requested from NetGalley*

Teaser Tuesdays (7/30)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
 
"He broke her wide open, until something raw and trembling and utterly new crawled out of her old, outdated skin, and it was more fierce and possessive then she had ever been before."

-- pg 72, The Wicked by Thea Harrison

Indexing by Seanan McGuire (Kindle serial)

“Never underestimate the power of a good story.”

Good advice…especially when a story can kill you.

For most people, the story of their lives is just that: the accumulation of time, encounters, and actions into a cohesive whole. But for an unfortunate few, that day-to-day existence is affected—perhaps infected is a better word—by memetic incursion: where fairy tale narratives become reality, often with disastrous results.

That's where the ATI Management Bureau steps in, an organization tasked with protecting the world from fairy tales, even while most of their agents are struggling to keep their own fantastic archetypes from taking over their lives. When you're dealing with storybook narratives in the real world, it doesn't matter if you're Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or the Wicked Queen: no one gets a happily ever after.
~~

**Review based on Parts 1-5 of Indexing**

Awesome? Scary as hell? I'm having a hard time beginning this review (maybe it's because I just finished the five parts last night?) but I don't feel it's a stretch to call Indexing one of my favorite urban fantasies available. Even in five short installments McGuire has created a compelling world where the Disney and Grimm fairytales are remixed into stories with wills of their own, stories that demand completion, no matter who (or what) might get in their way. 

Indexing focuses on a team of four people in ATI - Henry, Sloane, Jeff and Andy - men and women determined to protect the public from fairytales gone awry. All except Andy have been part of their own stories in the past, though only some of those stories have been concluded. For Henry and Sloane, two women still inextricably linked to the storylines they were born into, each time they face an incursion their very existence is at risk. They could accidentally be triggered into finishing a story as the characters laid out by the incursion they're dealing with, or be turned into the people prescribed by the circumstances of their birth.

And best of all it's still available on Amazon for $2.99!

Overall Feeling - A

Series - Serial 

The Wicked by Thea Harrison

For a librarian with a focus on rare magic books, Olivia’s new job is a dream come true. She has been hired as part of a team to help manage the safe transportation of the collection of books owned by the Vampyre sorceress Carling Severan. The fact that the library is located on a mysterious island in an Other land only heightens the adventure.
Head of security for the expedition, Sebastian Hale is tired of his rootless life of adventure and finds himself attracted to the calm, beautiful librarian. But he is living a personal nightmare. He has been hit with a curse that is slowly taking away his sight, and he doesn’t know if he will survive the results.

But the powerful feelings growing between them, along with Sebastian’s inner turmoil, take a backseat when they learn there is a traitor lurking among their expedition team. With Elder Races politics and a priceless library on the line, they’ll have to rely on each other to survive the experience.
~~

When Thea Harrison comes out with a new book my first reaction is all fangirl-y: 'AAHHH GIVE IT TO ME!'. Now with time I'm able to overcome this, lol, but I have to admit to a bit of the rose-colored glasses syndrome when it comes to her Elder Races series. The Wicked focuses on two new-ish characters, Olivia (a friend of Grace's, the heroine in Oracle's Moon) and Sebastian, the owl shifter charged with protecting her and her colleagues as they work to move Carling's library.

I gave the story a couple read throughs before forming my full opinion, and luckily it's short enough that this didn't take too long, so I'd say that while The Wicked is good, I think the lack of conflict and/or surprises makes it not one of my favorites. I feel weird complaining about a lack of drama, but Olivia and Sebastian where just so good. They felt something, they connected, and like the true adults they are they discussed Sebastian's curse, the future, their feelings - all of it, without nary a problem. I was hoping the traitor would turn out to be someone other than the obvious, but nope, you know the bad guy pretty quickly and he does what you'd expect. 

It all culminates in an easy HEA which, while comforting to read, doesn't stand up as well to the riotous, emotion-filled romances that Harrison usually writes. For fans of the series I think this quick read will be enjoyable to reconnect with characters we've grown to love in earlier books, but on its own it's sweet but lacking a little in the gritty department.

Overall Feeling - B

Series - 1) True Colors 2) Natural Evil 3) Devil's Gate 5) Hunter's Season 6) The Wicked (The Elder Races Novellas)

Hidden Dragons by Emma Holly

Do you believe in dragons? Werewolf cop Rick Lupone would say no . . . until a dying faerie tells him the fate of his city depends on him. If he can’t protect a mysterious woman in peril, everything may be lost. The only discovery more shocking is that the woman he’s meant to save is his high school crush, Cass Maycee.

Half fae Cass didn’t earn her Snow White nickname by chance. All her life, her refusal to abuse fae glamour kept men like Rick at arm’s length. Now something new is waking up inside her, a secret heritage her pureblood father kept her in the dark about. Letting it out might kill her, but keeping it hidden is no longer an option. The dragons’ ancient enemies are moving. If they find the prize before Rick and Cass, the supe-friendly city of Resurrection just might cease to exist.
~~

There are many things I could say about Hidden Dragons, about the Hidden series in total really, but the best of them is that Holly is consistently producing some of my favorite fantasy based erotic romances. Most of the books take place in the in-between town of Resurrection, where humans, Fae, and everything else live together (mostly in harmony) and as such each book introduces us to new people while still bringing back the ones we already love. 

I'm not saying that you don't have to suspend some sort of disbelief for Cass and Rick - it is an erotic romance and while there's the implication that both of them liked each in high school, they jump into bed pretty quickly once the story begins. I admit to a blink and a quick 'well ok, lol' thought until they'd spent a bit more time together - but once past that you get a great, fast paced story about two people drawn together by lust, eventually love, and some really cute dragons.

Overall Feeling - A

Series - 1) Hidden Talents 2) Hidden Crimes 3) Hidden Depths 4) Move Me 5) Hidden Dragons

Kitty Rocks the House by Carrie Vaughn

On the heels of Kitty’s return from London, a new werewolf shows up in Denver, one who threatens to split the pack by challenging Kitty’s authority at every turn. The timing could not be worse; Kitty needs all the allies she can muster to go against the ancient vampire, Roman, if she’s to have any hope of defeating his Long Game. But there’s more to this intruder than there seems, and Kitty must uncover the truth, fast. Meanwhile, Cormac pursues an unknown entity wreaking havoc across Denver; and a vampire from the Order of St. Lazaurus tempts Rick with the means to transform his life forever.
~~

I read this book and enjoyed it, but it took me a little while to figure out why I didn't enjoy it more: series fatigue. There have been 11 books so far in Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series (and another out due in July I think?) but it just doesn't feel like all that much is happening during each individual story. Kitty and Ben are happily mated, Cormac is still kind of there as the cousin who's kinda-but-maybe-not possessed, and the Long Game is really the long game so there aren't any super big battles to be fought.

The series hasn't lot me yet but I'm going to be looking at this next book as a deciding factor in whether I keep reading. I need something to happen or these characters to make me feel like there's still growth personally or I'm not sure I can remain as committed as I have been (which is sad to say about I series I used to love!).

Overall Feeling - B-

Series - ... 9) Kitty's Big Trouble 10) Kitty Steals the Show 11) Kitty Rocks the House

Rising Darkness by Thea Harrison

USA Today bestselling author Thea Harrison begins an all-new, darkly romantic paranormal saga, in which the fate of existence itself lay in the balance—and the key to victory may rest in the hands of two eternal lovers…

In the hospital ER where she works, Mary is used to chaos. But lately, every aspect of her life seems adrift. She’s feeling disconnected from herself. Voices appear in her head. And the vivid, disturbing dreams she’s had all her life are becoming more intense. Then she meets Michael. He’s handsome, enigmatic, and knows more than he can say. In his company, she slowly remembers the truth about herself…

Thousands of years ago, there were eight of them. The one called the Deceiver came to destroy the world, and the seven came to stop him. Reincarnated over and over, they carry on—and Mary finds herself drawn into the battle once again. And the more she learns, the more she realizes that Michael will go to any lengths to destroy the Deceiver.

Then she remembers who killed her during her last life, 900 years ago…Michael.
~~

It's been very rare lately for an urban fantasy to have me both crying, laughing, and scared as hell for the main characters, but somehow Thea Harrison has done it. Rising Darkness is the kind of story that tugs on the heartstrings at every end of the spectrum, and as a romance lover a big part of that for me is the almost eternal connection between Michael and Mary. In every lifetime these two have been drawn to each other, trying (sometimes) in vane to remember the past and recognize why their being together is so important. It creates a seriously high level of intimacy and chemistry between the two and what could have been info dump is in Harrison's capable hands turned into an epic love story.

I don't think I quite knew what to believe about the ominous final words of the back cover copy but when Mary finally remembers the past life where she was injured (I won't say anymore) and when has to explain that to Micheal? Heart. Breaking. Which you don't even get to experience all that long because the big bad momma jamba evil is right there on the horizon killing everything in its path on his way to Mary. 

I thought this book was an amazing series started and while I'm seriously bummed that the next book isn't going to be released until February 14 I know it'll be worth the wait.

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - 1) Rising Darkness