..:: CheriePie's Book Reviews ::..

REVIEW: All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 7) by Charlaine Harris

2011-08-15T02:04:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Sookie has agreed to accompany Vampire Queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq to the Vampire Summit in Rhodes. Also in tow are several of the other Louisiana vampires including Bill, Eric, Pam, and a few of the other area sheriffs. During the summit, the Queen is set to stand trial for the charges of killing her short-time husband, Peter Threadgill, King of Arkansas, and Sookie is prepared to serve as witness in the case. Unfortunately, due to the disastrous events of Katrina, the Queen's kingdom is in a much weakened state and so of course, many of the other vampires present are attempting to take advantage, and Sookie's telepath duties prove quite useful to the queen during all the wheeling and dealing and power struggles going on.

While in Rhodes (this is near Chicago, not the island in Greece), Sookie also meets up with the only other telepath she's ever met, Barry the Bellyboy, who now works for the Vampire King of Texas. Together, Sookie and Barry manage to uncover a deadly plot perpetrated by a group of haters wanting to take down a large number of vampires at the hotel where the summit is being held.

In addition to the summit events, there are several other sub-plots going on. Sookie's relationship with Quinn starts to get a bit complicated as he realizes how deeply she's tied to the vampires. In particular, her ties to Eric have grown stronger with the forced taking of more of his blood. (Yay!) One can only hope that Sookie and Eric wind up together from here on out, but of course Sookie will keep trying to deny their bond, even though it's apparent that Eric really cares deeply for her.

In the end, all is well, and Sookie saves the day, although several vampires (and humans) are indeed lost in another terrible tragedy. Though the main plot is wrapped up nicely, it's the underlying sub-plots which have you drooling for the next installment. I can't wait to see what happens next!!

Overall, this has got to be one of my favorite Sookie books in a long time! The action was non-stop and the underlying chemistry between Eric and Sookie is once again beginning to heat up. Woohoo!! Bring it on!! :)

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REVIEW: Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 6) by Charlaine Harris

2011-08-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Sookie is headed to the Big Easy in this 6th book of the Sookie Stackhouse series. Summoned by the Vampire Queen and her lawyer, Sookie is charged with finalizing the settlement of her cousin Hadley's estate down in New Orleans. Hadley, once a favorite consort of the Queen, was murdered at the hands of another jealous vampire on her staff.

Unfortunately, the trouble starts for Sookie before she even leaves Bon Temps, with an attack by a couple of bitten weres as she's leaving the theater with new beau Quinn the weretiger, and then later when the sliced-up body of the half-demon messenger who was sent with Sookie's summons is found in her backyard. And then things only get worse after arriving in New Orleans where Sookie is no longer the only target. But who could possibly be after the Queen too? And are all these attacks even related?

In this book, we're also let in on Bill's grand revelation regarding his placement in Bon Temps by the Queen, a fact which has already been revealed in the True Blood television series. And it's from this point on that Sookie's feelings for Bill really take a nosedive. While the TV series and the books follow each other closely enough, there are certain characters that are either more prominent (Tara, Lafayette) or non-existent (Jessica, Bubba) in one place or another, and events don't always follow along on the same timeline. Plus there's always that little bit of manipulation that takes place for TV, to keep the action flowing quickly. I'm particularly happy they kept Lafayette around (he was killed off at the end of book 1) as he's definitely one of my favorite characters next to Eric. :)

And this is why after 4 years away from this series—while I caught up on several other books including Ms. Harris other series—I realized I best get caught up on these before True Blood overtakes where I am in the books! LOL While I found the previous book, Dead as a Doornail a little less memorable than the first 4 books for some reason, Definitely Dead picked right back up full steam and left me craving more. If you're a fan of the series, you've probably already read this one and so I don't have to tell you how it left me craving more. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean. If however, you haven't yet read this series, then what are you waiting for?! I've already started the next one!! Yummy!!! :)

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REVIEW: Personal Demons by Stacia Kane

2011-07-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

Megan Chase is host to a new radio show that promises to help callers slay their demons. Too bad the demons are taking that literally and are now coming after Megan themselves. But there are some who would prefer to work with rather than against her, including a particularly hot, chiseled and sexy fire demon named Greyson Dante. He's helping Megan stand up to the personal demons who are after her, and along with his team of crazy, cockney guard demons, they're chasing down all the demons that get in her face. :)

This was a cute, fun read. What it lacked in substance, it made up for in quirkiness and humor. While I found a few parts to be a little predictable, the author put a few new twists on typical demon lore to spice things up a bit, like the whole Meegra "family" thing. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and once I get caught up on some of my other reads, I may peek in on Megan and Greyson again in their sequel. :)

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REVIEW: Breaking Dawn: The Twilight Saga, Book 4 by Stephenie Meyer

2011-07-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

The choice has been made and Bella and Edward are ready to start their life together. Bella's unusually strong connection to her dear friend Jacob has not diminished and it's making Jacob crazy to have to stand by Bella's choices.

Yet when Bella manages to conceive Edward's child--a miraculous event that the vampires didn't even realize could happen--things threaten to get even worse as the exceptionally strong fetus rips apart Bella's insides trying to get out. But Bella is committed to bringing this exceptional child into the world, refusing to abort despite the life-threatening risks, or the eventual consequences of the Volturi vampire council. Who will be left standing (or breathing) at the end?

Breaking Dawn is the final book in the Twilight Saga, and upon finishing it I found myself immediately looking forward to the movie, due in November. This final book wraps things up quite neatly, and I was also quite happy with how things turned out for Jacob. Though I probably liked it just a tad bit less than Eclipse, it was a fascinating read nonetheless.

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REVIEW: Eclipse: The Twilight Saga, Book 3 by Stephenie Meyer

2011-07-15T01:12:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

This is the third of four books in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, one of several series which has helped push vampires and the paranormal into the mainstream. I've been a fan and avid reader of the paranormal & urban fantasy genre long before Twilight and True Blood came to the silver screen however, so by the time I finally got around to reading this particular series--which had been languishing on my TBR shelf for several years--I had lots to compare it to.

If you read my review for Twilight, the first book in the series, you'll see that I didn't care for it all that much. A bit too much romance for my taste and Bella's character seemed really superficial and shallow. However, by the 2nd book, New Moon, I was beginning to understand why that was and I liked that one a bit better than the first. By book 3, I was really starting to get into it and liked it even better than the first two, so much so that when I finished Eclipse, I immediately picked up Breaking Dawn, the 4th and final book in the series because I couldn't wait to see how it ended.

Bella is still torn between her love for Edward and her deeply-rooted friendship with Jacob. But now several new dynamics have come into play which make things even more difficult for her. The vampire Victoria--the mate of James whom Edward killed in the book 1--is still stalking Bella in an attempt to end her life, the same way Edward ended the life of her mate. And up north in Seattle, what appears to be a crazed serial killer is running around the city leaving a trail of brutal murders in their wake. The murders are ruthless enough to suggest vampire killings but who could possibly be behind it? With the deadline imposed by the Volturi Vampire Council looming over her head, Bella knows her life will be coming to an end one way or another; her only hope is that she gets to choose how she wants to die....

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REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

2011-07-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Ahhh the very last book in the Harry Potter series. How I will miss this series, and the movies that go along with. Like most Harry fans, I have watched Harry grow from a boy to a young man and shared in so many of his adventures that I feel he's one of my own friends. :) I only wish there was such a school as Hogwarts, where we could fly around on brooms, make potions, and predict the future all day. That'd be such a fun life! :)

I've dallied a long time in getting this review posted, seeing as how I actually finished reading this book a long time ago--and then took the time to reread it before the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 comes out. I only hope I can still do it justice now that so much time has passed. :)

** CAUTION - SPOILER

This final installment in the Harry Potter series will keep you on the edge of your seat as many surprising truths are revealed. This was by far my favorite book in the series and I will miss it terribly. Fortunately, I have all the original hardcover books in my personal library and I think I'll have to buy the box set of movies now too once the final one is released. :)

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REVIEW: New Moon: The Twilight Saga, Book 2 by Stephenie Meyer

2010-11-14T02:16:00.000-08:00

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

New Moon is the second book in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, and I liked this one a bit better than the first, a review of which can also be found here in my blog: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

While reading Twilight, I didn't much care for Bella's character; she seemed very superficial and wishy-washy, and didn't treat her supposed friends very well, as if she was only using them when she didn't have Edward around. By the start of book two, and as a continuing theme throughout, it becomes a bit clearer why she's like this: it's truly as if she's incomplete without Edward.

This very concept is put to the test in New Moon as Edward and the rest of the Cullen family suddenly leave Forks. Edward feels it's in Bella's best interests for her to forget about him, believing he's responsible for all the danger surrounding her. Little does he realize however that said danger doesn't leave with him and his family, but instead is left behind with Bella in Forks. Now Bella has to not only fight to make it through every single day feeling as if a piece of her has been ripped out by Edward's leaving, but she's also in more immediate danger from outside influences seeking revenge.

New Moon is a fitting sequel to Twilight and it left me looking forward to Eclipse, the next book in the series. I also plan to finally watch New Moon the movie now that I've finally read the book. :)

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REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

2010-05-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

It is now year six at Hogwarts for Harry and his friends. Support for the evil Lord Voldemort is growing stronger by the day, many of his supporters, aka the Death Eaters, have managed to take control of key positions within the Ministry using the Imperius Curse, allowing them to control the other person without their knowledge or consent.

Back at Hogwarts, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has decided to tutor Harry in preparation for his forthcoming battle with Lord Voldemort. Together they explore the memories of several people from the young Tom Riddle's past, including Dumbledore's himself. Dumbledore feels it's important for Harry to understand the past events which shaped Tom Riddle and how they forged his growth into Voldemort. He also feels these memories should help Harry track down the hidden Horcruxes in which Voldemort has stored pieces of his soul in order to render himself immortal. For in order for Voldemort to be completely destroyed, all of his hidden Horcruxes must be located and destroyed.

This being book six, and the second to last book in the series, it didn't contain nearly as much action as previous books and this was even more apparent in the movie version. Instead, it seemed to contain a lot of "back story", sort of like an appetizer before the main meal or the prep work prior to a big assignment. There was certainly a lot of useful information here however and I didn't like the book any less for it; it was very deep and insightful into what makes Voldemort tick. But unfortunately, much of that didn't transition well to the movie and many of the memories that Harry and Dumbledore explored in the Pensieve were left out completely. If I hadn't read the book prior to watching the movie, I'm sure I would've felt like I was missing a lot of the little nuances which pulled it all together.

Towards the end of the book, an extremely significant event occurs, the exact sequence of which makes a very big impact on events in the final book. I really don't know how to say much more without giving away a major plot point for people who haven't read this far (or saw the movie) yet, but suffice to say you're definitely left hanging on the edge of your seat at the end. Had I read this book immediately upon it's release without having the final book ready and waiting to dive into, I'm certain I'd have gone crazy waiting a year for the conclusion!

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REVIEW: Afraid by Jack Kilborn

2010-05-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

A helicopter crash just outside the small town of Safe Haven, Wisconsin has unleashed a group of terrifying fighters on a mission. These top-notch special forces mercenaries have government training, a strong thirst for murder, and even stranger, brains that have actually been chemically altered to allow them to be controlled by outside influences. The mayhem they release on this small Wisconsin town is the stuff that nightmares are made of! Though this book may tend to get a bit gory at times, true lovers of the horror genre won't mind one bit as it only adds to the terror. What will happen in the end? Will anyone in town escape the hands of these madmen? Will the Red-ops team get what they came for?

Jack Kilborn is a pseudonym for author J.A. Konrath, known previously for his police thriller Jack Daniels Mystery series. Though this book is his first foray into the horror genre, it clearly shows that he's certainly no amateur when it comes to writing some well and scary horror!

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REVIEW: Breathers: A Zombie's Lament by S. G. Browne

2010-04-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

First, I must apologize for the tardiness of this review. I read this book while I was living on the road (out of my RV) during my cross-country move from Massachusetts to California. Because of this, it probably didn't get the full attention it deserved as my mind was so often preoccupied with all sorts of major real-life decisions, and I often went for days on end—sometimes even a whole week—without reading, and then when I came back to it, I had sometimes forgotten important details and found myself having to read previous chapters to refresh my memory. With that disclaimer out of the way, let me now attempt to give a fair review of this book despite my lengthy and erratic reading of it.

Andy Warner has recently lost his wife, his home, and all that he owns, including his own life! Yes, you heard correctly. Both Andy and his wife died in a car accident along Santa Cruz's Route 17, a steep, curvy road that winds through the Santa Cruz mountains in California. After his death however, Andy came back to life as a zombie, while his wife did not. Though zombies are now accepted as a normal but undesirable part of society, they are not afforded any rights and are treated as second class citizens, or worse! Zombies aren't allowed to live on their own and must have a legal guardian so Andy is living in his parents' basement while attending Undead Anonymous meetings to learn to cope with his situation.

As one of several zombies in his area, Andy and his friends do their best to remain under the radar and avoid confrontations with the extreme zombie-hating Breathers. But unfortunately, trouble has a way of finding him, and while Andy does his best to try to readjust to society, society isn't being so kind in return. Andy's story is a multifaceted one that will at times pull at your heart strings, while on the next page crack you up with its dark humor. I shall be on the lookout for more from this talented, new author.

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A Quick Update

2009-12-02T01:45:00.000-08:00

I'm still here! LOL My recent cross-country move from Massachusetts to California really chewed into my reading time and I only just finished the book I started back in July: Breathers: A Zombies Lament by S. G. Browne, a review of which will be forthcoming in the next few days.

If you followed my travels via Facebook and/or Twitter, you know that we just moved into our new house in California at the end of October, having spent the summer living out of our RV (and the last 4 weeks previous, in a furnished apartment as the lack of space was driving us crazy). Anyway, if you want to catch up on any of that now, you can find links to my Facebook profile, my Twitter feed, and my Flickr photostream in the sidebar links. (If friend requesting and I wouldn't recognize your name, please mention you follow my blog as I don't necessarily approve all friend requests since my Facebook friends list has grown quite large and somewhat unwieldy.)

So though we've still got half a garage full of boxes left to unpack and sort through, I feel settled enough to start resuming some of my former activities again. So watch for that review shortly. And in the meantime, feel free to find and friend me on any of the aforementioned social networks. :)

REVIEW: Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts

2009-07-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would considering it's a romance. When I read a romance, the female lead needs to be a strong person. I get so frustrated over the swooning "I need a man" mentality. However, though Nell was weak in the beginning with her abusive husband, she eventually got past the mental block which often affects abuse victims and escaped the situation. That made me like her a lot more.

So after faking her own death, changing her name, and then fleeing to the other side of the country, she finds herself drawn to Three Sisters Island, where her destiny is calling her. But her scars from the past cannot be erased. Nell must eventually deal with the issues in order to move forward in her new relationship. Nell goes to work for a woman named Mia, a practicing Witch and Wiccan, who helps Nell to embrace the other half of her personality, the "witchy" side she never knew she had.

Of course, it's all happily ever after in the end. But what else would you expect from a romance. ;) The next two books in this trilogy are about Ripley and Mia respectively. Though I liked this one well enough, I haven't yet decided if I'm quite dying to read the others, simply because of the amount of other books I still have on my to-be-read pile.

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REVIEW: Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn

2009-07-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Kitty and Ben, now the dominant alphas of the Denver area, have decided to tie the knot and make it official human-style now as well. Despite her mother's objections, a big, expensive wedding doesn't appeal to either Kitty or Ben, so they've decided to elope to Las Vegas instead. But trouble seems to follow Kitty no matter where she runs off to, and beneath all the glitz and glamour of the Vegas strip lies a darker secret... one that will put the lives of both Kitty and Ben in grave danger.

This fourth book in the Kitty the Werewolf series is a bit lighter on the action than the previous books, but only slightly so. It focuses a bit more on Kitty and Ben's personal life and lets you see a bit deeper into that side of them, further endearing their characters to you. It may be the action which initially draws you in to this series, but it's the characters that will keep you coming back for more. Kitty and Ben rock!! :)

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REVIEW: Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

2009-05-21T23:21:00.003-07:00

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

I love the Kitty Norville series! I'm terribly disappointed in myself for falling behind on this series, but I'll be remedying that now as I'm currently reading book five, Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand, and plan to read book six, Kitty Raises Hell, immediately or very shortly after that.

In this fourth installment of the popular series, Kitty has returned to Denver to deal with family issues. Unfortunately, the alpha and his mate of the werewolf pack she ran away from is not happy to see her back in town. To make matters worse, the vampires have their own power struggle going on, and Carl's werewolf pack is right smack in the middle of the action, leading him to believe that Kitty is secretly aiding the potential usurper of the (Vampire) Master of Denver. With Ben at her side, Kitty takes a stand. But you'll have to read the book to find out what happens next! ;)

If you haven't yet started this series, what are you waiting for? Carrie Vaughn delivers an action-packed urban fantasy with tough yet endearing characters you can't help but fall in love with!

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REVIEW: Unseelie by Meredith Holmes

2009-05-15T22:33:00.007-07:00

My Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

When Alfhild was a little girl, her grandmother called her a fairy princess and told her all of her favorite tales. She'd never imagined they were real.

Now as a grown-up, Alfhild has changed her name and fled Louisiana, and the paparazzi that's been haunting her since her half-brother's murder accusations. She's now taken up residence in her grandmother's ancestral home in England, where all is well until the morning she awakens to find a naked man in her rosebush: a faerie prince by the name of Cadfael. And then the games begin....

All of a sudden, Alfhild is unwittingly drawn into the Faerie realm, becoming a pawn between the sparring Seelie and Unseelie Courts. And it seems her half-brother Gulliver is here too, playing for the other team....

Like me, you're probably thinking, oh no, not another faerie book! Aren't all these faerie realm books beginning to sound the same: young girl gets sucked into the realm, discovers her faerie prince, yada yada yada, and when all is said and done, lives happily ever after. This is what I was afraid of when I first started reading. But fortunately, this story had a few different things going for it to distinguish it from the standard "faerie tale" setup, and unlike many of the other faerie-based stories out there, this isn't a young adult book. For starters, we have Alfhild's half-brother, Gulliver, and her best friend, Jackie, both characters in the story who follow Alfhild from the human realm into the faerie realm. There are also several other interesting species besides human and fey, and several mythical beings from the old legends such as Jack of the Green and Jenny Greenteeth. Some very interesting characters to be sure! The unconventional methods by which Alfhild attempts to bring victory to the Unseelie Court in their never-ending battle with the Seelie is quite entertaining (she's such a ditz! LOL) and didn't follow any of the preconceived formulas of other stories I've read.

According to an online interview with Meredith, this book started it's life as a NaNoWriMo project which grew into three separate self-published novels. These three novels were then later combined to become the single book it is now. During my reading, I actually did find myself thinking this seemed to be quite a long book, though reading on my Kindle I couldn't quite give a specific page count. If I were to hedge a guess though, I'd have to say it would probably be over 400 print pages. The finished product could have done with a bit more editing before being released however as there were some incidents of bad grammar and awkward sentence structure, and even a few conflicting facts within the story itself which, for an obsessive reader like me, detracted a bit from the enjoyability of the reading. For future books, I'd like to see a bit more foreshadowing, allowing the reader to speculate a bit. Instead, it often seemed the facts were laid down as they happened, leaving little room for such speculation. But I truly believe some of these skills will come with more experience as a writer. And despite these minor drawbacks, I did enjoy the story overall, particularly for the differences cited above which allowed it to stand out from the crowd.

If you enjoy a good faerie story, you should enjoy this as well, and can pick up a copy for your Kindle from Amazon, or directly from Drollerie Press in one of several other ebook formats.

A quick "me" update

2009-05-03T16:14:00.002-07:00

To all who follow my blog and/or book reviews, I wanted to take the opportunity to fill you in on what's been going on in my life and explain the lack of updates out here in case you weren't already aware.

Over the last year, Mike and I have been prepping and preparing to sell our house here in the Boston suburbs and move out west to the San Jose area of California. Once we get there, we'll definitely be living in a much smaller place—and possibly even living out of our RV for up to six months while we house hunt—so we've been working on a major downsizing by going through all the "stuff" we've accumulated over the past 40 years, deciding what to keep, sell, or just throw away! I can't lug all this crap out there with me. It's time to simplify and lighten the load!

Anyway, over the last six months, this effort has picked up steam and the clearing out process has taken away from much of my reading time. It's no wonder I've only managed to read 10 books so far this year! =:-o

I already have some family out there: my sister, mother, and two nieces, and we investigated neighborhoods and different areas when we were out there previously, doing a few drive-bys and such, though we weren't prepared to make an offer on any place without having sold our house here first.

So, as soon as our house here is sold, Mike, the bunnies, and I are hitting the road in the RV for a cross-country road trip, while the rest of our stuff is shipped out via movers and whatnot. We'll probably take about three weeks to travel from coast to coast, exploring many parts of the country we've never seen before. I'm actually really looking forward to that, and plan to take and share many pictures along the way. Keep an eye out for those... if I don't post them here, I'll definitely mention where they are. You can also follow me on Twitter, or friend me on Facebook, to keep tabs on me. I'm looking forward to the journey and hope you'll join me, at least virtually. ;)

On a side note, all this clean-up has obviously stirred up quite a bit of dust, aggravating the heck out of my allergies, already piqued due to the pollen. With stupid Blue Cross Blue Shield canceling coverage for my prescription allergy medication earlier this year, I've taken the opportunity to try out some all-natural remedies like Oregano Oil and Butterbur while switching my body over to Zyrtec-D. But what a pain in the ass all this is! Because the sale of over-the-counter decongestant is used in the production of crystal meth, it's sale is quantity restricted, and I'm only allowed a two-week supply at a time, presenting my license at the pharmacy in order to even get that! Grrr....

But on the good side, I've been quite happy with the Oregano Oil. It hasn't completely replaced the Zyrtec-D (or the Nasalcrom and Naphcon-A which I also take), but it has supplemented it quite nicely. I haven't had nearly as many migraines as I usually deal with this time of year, especially with all the dust and pollen coming into my system at once. Sometimes I even forget that my 12 hours are up and it's time for another pill, something I never experienced before when I used to start getting stuffy again after about 10 or 11 hours. For the Butterbur, I haven't been taking that long enough to form an opinion one way or the other yet.

Kindle 2 skinified :)

2009-04-14T18:48:00.004-07:00

Pictures of my Kindle 2 with it's sexy, new Paper Cut skin from DecalGirl. :) You can view the slideshow below, or for larger images, my Kindle photo set at flickr.

The Zombie Chicken Award!

2009-04-14T10:15:00.001-07:00

Many thanks to Lori at Pure Imagination who awarded me the following Zombie Chicken Award. w00t w00t! :)

The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all...

I shall now pass on the award to 5 more worthy bloggers as charged:

Susan at West of Mars
Breeni at Breeni Books
Shaunesay at Shaunie's Happy Place
Jen at The Movieholic & Bibliophile's Blog
Tez at Tez Says

Finding Creatures & Other Stories by C. June Wolf

2009-04-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Author C. June Wolf was kind enough to send me a copy of her first published collection of short stories for review. Finding Creatures & Other Stories is a collection of stories that spans the various sub-genres of fantasy, science fiction, and speculative fiction.

Though I haven't yet read it in full, I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce this book now since I plan to savor it slowly, reading a few stories here and there between my full-length reads instead of cover-to-cover. This is similar to how I read my last fantasy anthology, Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears, though I certainly don't plan on taking that long with this particular book. :) I also got the impression that this particular collection of stories was best enjoyed this way anyway, allowing time for the nuances of some of these remarkable stories to settle with you before moving on to the next. I can already see this book taking up permanent residence in my bookcase, to be shared among friends and family throughout the years.

I'll return to post a more thorough review of this book once I've finished it. But if you'd to grab a copy for yourself now, you can follow the links above to purchase from Amazon, and check out the amazing reviews it's already received, or purchase directly from the publisher here.

REVIEW: Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears by Ellen Datlow & Terry Windling

2009-04-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears is an anthology of short stories inspired by classic fairy tales from cultures around the world. The collection, like the five other volumes in the series, was compiled and edited by fantasy authors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. It's not necessary to read these in any kind of order as each volume, as well as the stories within each volume, stands alone.

The twenty-two stories in Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears encompass a wide range of styles within the fantasy genre, from naughty to nice, sweet to cruel. We've got speculative fiction, a bit of sci-fi, and some straight out fantasy, with a bit of naughtiness thrown in to spice things up. Unfortunately though, because I kept this book on my nightstand and read it over the course of several years, I don't recall much detail about some of the earlier stories, other than that I liked most of them, and there were only a couple that I didn't really "get". So instead, I'll refer you to this LibraryThing review by Rhinoa where she gives a story-by-story rundown. Good job Rhinoa! :)

BookCrossing journal page for this book

CONTEST - Lucinda's Web by Dorothy Morrison

2009-04-01T02:59:00.006-07:00

Rachel at Bitten by Books is hosting a contest and interview with Pagan author Dorothy Morrison. (I have several of Dorothy's non-fiction books on my magickal bookshelf.)

Fifteen lucky winners will receive a copy of Dorothy's debut fiction novel, Lucinda's Web, plus a goodie bag with plenty of other magickal treats. :)

Head on over to this entry at Bitten by Books to enter. Good luck!

REVIEW: Joker's Wild: Call Me by Lena Matthews

2009-03-21T12:54:00.002-07:00

My Rating: 5 out of 10 stars

Publisher's Description
Anything can happen when jokers are wild. When Kayla Martin tries to revolutionize the sex toy industry she calls on the one person she's grown to count on more than anyone else, her best friend and downstairs neighbor, Dylan Thompson. When Kayla approaches him about being a test subject for her newest invention, an anal toy, Dylan is intrigued and aroused. That is until he finds out that The Walnut Wand is an anal toy for men. Kayla's sure that a prostate stimulator will be a hit, all she needs is a willing participant. Far from willing, Dylan flat out refuses, but that's not enough to deter Kayla. After their monthly poker game, Dylan and Kayla decide to make a risky bet. Kayla wants a test subject and Dylan wants the one thing's he's being craving for years. They'll risk it all on one hand, but anything can happen when jokers are wild.

My Thoughts
I purchased this book for my Kindle anticipating a nice steamy erotica read. At only $2, and a subject matter I've expressed keen interest in of late, I was expecting to get myself all worked up over it, butt [sic] unfortunately, the delivery was a bit of a letdown and the sex scenes barely came to a boil.

I can't criticize too much however as this was at least a fairly decent read for what it is, a slightly erotic romance novel. (Is that where what the term romantica means?) I'm sure I would've enjoyed it a bit more if a) I liked the (standalone) romance genre to begin with, and b) I didn't go into this thinking I was getting more than what was delivered. Despite all that, the characters were kind of cute and funny and at least somewhat believable, and the writing was decent. I liked Kayla's character even if she was a bit ditzy, and Dylan even if he was a bit pig-headed. Dylan's colleague Chris however, seemed like a real ass. So even had I had liked this a bit more, I probably wouldn't be picking up the next Joker's Wild book since it focuses on Chris and his relationship, if you want to call it that, with his secretary, both of whom are minor characters in this book.

Should you read it? Well, for light romance with a little bit of kink, this would fit the bill nicely. But if you're looking for a hot, steamy erotica read, then move along.

I got my Kindle 2 !!!!!

2009-02-26T04:36:00.014-08:00

w00t w00t! I got me a Kindle 2 from Amazon!!! It arrived on Tuesday, and I'd meant to post something out here earlier, but I had all these grand designs about taking pictures and such. All of which never happened *giggle* simply because I was just too busy playing with it!! So here's a quick video from Amazon for those who haven't yet seen the sleekness of this sexy thang! :P

More pictures and information on the Kindle here

REVIEW: Demons of the Past: Book One of the Damewood Trilogy by Erin Durante

2009-02-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

I had the hardest time writing this review. I'm not sure why exactly. Perhaps because this story is so multi-faceted, and every time I thought I'd finished, I'd proofread and find that I completely left out something else I'd wanted to mention. In this regard, it reminds me a little of the review I wrote for Witch Ember below which was also quite long for that same reason. Though Demons of the Past was only about half as long as Witch Ember, I felt the same way in that there were so many layers to the story, I could just ramble on in so many different directions without even realizing it. LOL :)

So with that disclaimer out of the way, here we go....

Modern Civilization has disintegrated and the technological advances of mankind have been suppressed for centuries. Society has regressed to a medieval state, and an ancient ocarina imbued with faery magic is the only thing standing between a civilized society and one overrun with demons. Unfortunately, the secret of society's past is known only to a select few, most of them belonging to a group of radicals known as the Ordi who would very much like to see society brought back to it's technologically enhanced roots, no matter what the consequences.

Damewood is just one of the many kingdoms in the area currently under siege, presumably by the Ordi or another group with a similar agenda. The "bandits" have stolen the magical ocarina, which has been protecting the lands, from the nearby Pearl Isles Kingdom where it was under guard. If it cannot be recovered, and it's magic renewed, then all the demons which have been held in check for the last 400 years may suddenly be unleashed upon the world!

Nadia, the eldest princess of Damewood, has been sent into hiding while her lands are under attack. But being the skilled demon fighter she is, she knows that she'd rather be on the front lines fighting for her kingdom and her people, instead of being tucked safely away doing nothing. Disguising herself as a Knight in full armor, she joins the group of men from the nearby kingdoms on a rescue mission to recover the magical ocarina. But Nadia's got more than one secret to keep. For no one else knows that the big, black, beautiful stallion with the strange, light eyes that she's had since she was a young girl is actually a demon himself! A Kelpie to be exact, who can shapeshift between man and horse. But no matter what Vestro knows (or doesn't know), Nadia's convinced he's not like the other demons. And keeping both of their identities a secret on this mission is going to be as challenging as the road to Ferrington Pass.

This was a fascinating and spell-binding debut novel from new author Erin Durante which I found difficult to put down. I was actually a wee bit disappointed at the end since there wasn't yet a sequel I could pick up immediately and start reading. Though the author has a few short stories to her credit, this is actually her first full length novel, though you'd not know it since she writes with such a seasoned pen.

The pacing of the story was just right, neither rushing along nor dragging things out. I often found time slipping away while reading as I was totally immersed in the world that is Damewood. The lush and vivid descriptions transported me right into the middle of the action and I didn't want to leave.

Though all of the story's major plot lines got wrapped up by the end of the book, things truly come around full circle. And by the time you get to the epilogue, you've got a new twist to look forward to in the sequel. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say, the author knew exactly how much to let out, and when to pull back in the telling of this story. And at the end, I was left with my tongue hanging out, panting for more! LOL

For more information on Erin Durante and the world of Damewood, visit the website: Enter Damewood.

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REVIEW: Witch Ember by John Lawson

2009-02-17T07:58:00.002-08:00

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

And so the story goes that in the days when gods walked the Earth, a Stone of Power was stolen by Trickster Man. To conceal his crime, he smashed the stone into tiny pieces and baked it into a bread he made for his friend, First Ancestor. Later, when it came time for the God Wejwej to create the first people, they were created from the various parts of First Ancestor. And because First Ancestor had consumed a Stone of Power, a little piece of that stone, along with it's accompanying power, was contained within each person. Most people carry just the tiniest speck or grain, while others like powerful sorcerers and wizards have one of the bigger grains, or even a pebble.

And then we have Esmeree...

We're introduced to Esmeree at around six years of age as a young homeless girl forced to work in the mills for her survival. The world in which she lives is hard and cruel, and most similar to medieval England or Tolkien's Middle Earth, or possibly some combination of the two, with Fey creatures, trolls, night stalkers, and other warrior-like creatures thrown in. The author did a terrific job of creating this fantasy world, with enough description and detail to really pull you in and make you believe you're standing right in the middle of it.

Esmeree has her own piece of stone residing within her as well, a rather large one within her chest. And though she doesn't yet fully comprehend the power lurking there, she feels it's constant tingle and knows enough to keep it secret as she learns more. Through the teachings of various people in her life, she eventually comes into her power and becomes a powerful witch herself. But unfortunately, once that power is brought to the attention of higher ups in the church and government, they will attempt to use it to their own ends.

The Medianist Church—which controls the magically-barren lands of the Seven Kingdoms and the Palpi city-states including Cliffs Reach where Esmeree lives—believes that only men have the mental capacity to carry these sacred embers, and that any female possessing them has surely gone mad or turned to a life of evil and witchcraft. They look upon witches in the same way they look upon the hostile Fée invaders from the magical lands beyond, and both are treated to torture and execution at the hands of the Inquisition, sometimes even at public displays held on festival days. This is definitely patriarchal dictatorship at its worst!

But upon reaching puberty and attaining her goal of becoming a sellaria, a paid mistress to the richer men of the city, Esmeree has unknowingly become a pawn in the Church's plans to discover others with stones. Everything Esmeree has learned so far in her life is in defiance of the Medianist ways, and headstrong as she is, she's not about to start conforming now, even if it means her life is on the line!

Witch Ember is a rich and fulfilling fantasy novel which takes place in an alternate universe. As mentioned above, the world crafted within these pages is extremely well thought out and detailed, as is Esmeree's character, who we follow for about 12 years of her life. The author manages to pull you into this world with his vivid descriptions of both time and place. And the action and violence, which at times captures the worst of human cruelty, can be quite brutal, but fortunately stops short of gore. In creating this unique world, the author also created its own slang and dialect local to the various regions, so you'll find many unfamiliar terms scattered throughout. Fortunately, these new terms appear in italics and their definitions can be found in a comprehensive glossary at the back of the book.

At 480 pages however, this book is not for the faint of heart. Taking me just over four weeks to complete, not counting the few weeks I had to put it aside so I could get a few other things out, I found myself happy to return to it, having grown quite fond of Esmeree. A word I like to use when describing books like this is "dense", referring to the fact that the reading is rich and detailed, like a thick, heavy syrup, which you tend to slowly savor, as opposed to light and fluffy, like a souffle, which goes down quicker. When reading these dense books, I definitely find myself reading slower than I would otherwise lest I miss something, and my one criticism of this book to that end is that there were many times I found the use of the new words, and having to look them up, counterproductive to its reading. Because of the richly detailed world that was painted before me, and the way I found myself pulled into it while reading, coming across a bunch of unfamiliar words would often disrupt that flow and yank me back out. I'd then look up the words in the glossary at the back and reread the relevant passages, replacing the foreign words with their English equivalents so that I could get back the same flow from it. Even if some of the words were discernible by context and didn't require looking up, I still found it disrupted my flow to have a foreign word inserted in the middle of all the English.

To this end, I thought it might help if the author introduced new words for the first time via a footnote at the bottom of the page, while still including the glossary for later look up. Though as another reviewer pointed out, the new language may not even be necessary. Sure it added a little bit to the feel of the place, each place having slightly different words for various common people and things, but I really felt that the created world was so richly drawn anyway that it wouldn't lose all that much without it. At the very least, the author might consider lessening its use in future books if I'm not the only reviewer who felt the overall delivery could be slightly enhanced without it. It would also make it a much easier read when attempting to read in bed or on the eliptical machine. ;)

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