Review: Virtual Evil (Time Rovers, #2)

Virtual Evil by Jana Oliver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



In Virtual Evil, the story picks up a few weeks after the end of the first book. Jack the Ripper is still at large, but has stopped killing for now. The anarchists' plot was interrupted, but their threat is more real than ever, and not as simple as it seems. John Keats is badly injured and now an anarchist target. Alastair is grumpy, over-protective and having career troubles, and Cynda is still at the heart of dangerous events, unable to return to her time before the mess of 1888 is fixed. In this state of affairs, it takes a while for the new plot to get moving, but once it does it's hard to stop reading.

The mess in 1888 only gets worse. Cynda thinks she has solved part of the mystery surrounding another Rover's death, but now the mystery only gets deeper and deeper, and those who have helped her find themselves in serious trouble. Everything that happens adds to the chaos, and the question hovers over it all - why is this time period being tampered with and by whom?

This is quite a long novel with lots of new questions and new dangers, but very few answers. It's almost boring at first, but all the questions just keep building until you realize there's no way that you're going to get answers at the end of the book and it's hard to hold them all in your head.

This time by the end, Cynda's blind bumbling around turns to disaster since she simply doesn't have the pieces necessary to make headway against enemy unknown, and we are left with cliffhangers - plural. There are no resolutions, no discoveries that solve this cross-time puzzle. The tension that builds in the last 100 pages or so begs for relief that can only be found in the third book that it was all leading up to. This is more than just someone being left hanging in a bad situation that you have to read on to see what happens. This is a huge, unresolved tangle that will take another 450 pages to solve. I have to say I'm eager to discover what comes of it all and I can't seem to stop trying to sort it out in my head.



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Review: Finnikin of the Rock

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Finnikin of the Rock is a book that I really hoped I would love. I did like it, but it wasn't love. It took a while to get into, and it was difficult to get attached to any of the characters. It's one of those books that I feel was a good story but it didn't really grab me on an emotional level even though there were plenty of emotional events that I should have been feeling strongly about. I can't really say why, but it remained remote to me much of the time. I've struggled to know how to rate it, but I think I'm going to stick with 3 stars.

Even though I wasn't really emotionally involved, this takes place in quite a depressing world. It's about a people scattered in exile since their home was cursed 10 years ago and they are physically/magically prevented from returning to it. The exiles have been persecuted and slaughtered, subjected to refugee camps full of illness and starvation. It's bleak, and Finnikin's outlook is often pessimistic and discouraged.

Once I got to the moment when they face the curse, I found it kind of anticlimactic because I didn't really understand what happened. There was almost too much mysteriousness about it. I ended up with merely a fuzzy understanding of how the magic worked, the basis of the curse, how it could be broken, and how it tied into various previously unexplained abilities of some of the characters. I've read a lot - a lot! - of Fantasy. I didn't feel that this system was as well done as it could have been.

I haven't decided if I'm going to read the next book in the series or not. There was enough to the world that I'm sort of interested in reading more about it even though it didn't get my highest rating. Not everything I read has to be an absolute favorite. So maybe one day I'll feel like returning to it. But I also feel a bit ambivalent. I feel like the story is concluded enough as it is. The next book jumps to one of the minor characters, so that I don't really need to read the next one. Time will tell.



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Review: Fortune's Son

Fortune's Son by Emery Lee

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Fortune's Son ended up being quite different from the first novel, Highest Stakes. It had really been too long since I'd read the first book, and at first I thought it didn't matter. But the last third of the book takes place after the events of the previous one - and there are no recaps or reminders of what happened then, so I was really struggling to make all the connections. It didn't give the alternate point of view, which is what you'd normally expect, but just skipped over that time period as if it was too redundant to repeat any of it.

If I'd read it immediately after the first book, this might have worked ok, although it would have been interesting to see the same events from a different angle. As it was, I felt like I was missing a huge piece of the story.

Aside from plot amnesia, Fortune's Son is also much more adult than the previous book, in which the romance was very sweet and mild. Not so with this one, so beware if that is something that you try to avoid.

This really felt more like a romance novel than historical fiction, with the focus on a gambler and a widow and the edges of society rather than on horses and racing. I found the plot to be less complex, even if it was appropriate to the subject matter. I suppose it just really wasn't my cuppa tea. The cover should have tipped me off. I'm starting to think I need to be less OCD about finishing series if I'm not totally in love with them.



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Review: A Study in Ashes

A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



The Baskerville Affair Trilogy was one of my reading highlights in 2013. I discovered it through NetGalley, and was lucky to receive all three books as arcs. I would have gladly paid for them, and will end up buying my own copies so I can re-read at some point and support the author. But without the arcs, I would have had to wait much longer to finish the series (3 months!). I couldn't wait even that long. I love that the three books were released so close together so that I didn't forget why I cared while waiting for the sequels. A Study in Ashes will be released on December 31, 2013 and I've been saving up my full review for the release.

The series is probably not for everyone, but for me it had the perfect blend of genres and elements that I can't resist - a Victorian historical setting, fantasy, mystery, politics, and a romance that doesn't overwhelm the plot. I didn't really have an opinion on Steampunk before reading this trilogy, but I enjoyed the mix of Steam and Magic in this world as well.

Although the middle book was actually a bit too dark for my tastes, A Study in Ashes rises out of that darkness. There's a better balance of despair and hope, and it moves a lot quicker. It doesn't all take place in one small area, and while the characters are on the move, they are also with each other much more than in the previous book.

So much happened in this book that it felt like it ended up in a completely different world, one that is detailed and complex and full of promise. It never got bogged down or slowed. I was completely satisfied with how it all wrapped up. A Study of Ashes was a wonderful read far surpassing the potential I saw at the beginning of the trilogy.

Action abounds in A Study of Ashes. It's not really in the historical mystery category anymore, even with the references to the Hound of Baskerville and cameo appearances by Sherlock Holmes. It has solidly moved into historical fantasy / steampunk adventure, with rebellion, an entire social order collapsing, and magic either clashing or combining with Steam. Yet with all this social upheaval, every character has their moment and their own personal struggle or challenge so that it never feels too big or remote. There are lots of threads, but each is given the right amount of attention.

I love a story that's complex enough for the multiple threads to combine seamlessly into a unified whole. This ranks in that category easily. I was happy with every bit of it (how often can you say that?). It looks like there's room for more to be written in this world although this is definitely an ending to the Baskerville Affair. I'll be snatching it up when that happens.

**Received free arc for review

-------------------------------------------

Oct 30, 2013:

Fresh from finishing, I can't think of anything I would change about this book. Full review to come once it's soaked in for a while.



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Review: Silent Night: A Lady Julia Christmas Novella

Silent Night: A Lady Julia Christmas Novella by Deanna Raybourn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This novella was a nice tidbit about Lady Julia and Brisbane celebrating Christmas at her childhood home and running into a tiny bit of a mystery with jewelry going missing. There were no murders to keep it a bit lighter, and I had to laugh when I got to the solution. It was just too short. Novellas are such teasers. I really wish there was a full-length novel to look forward to. Please, please write another one!



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Review: A Bucket of Ashes

A Bucket of Ashes by P.B. Ryan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



It was ok... but not quite what I was hoping for in the finale of this series. The mystery was lackluster, with more focus on Nell than the mystery for much of it. Then Nell and Will's relationship took the contrived sort of turns that I dislike in a romance and didn't have as many of the more subtle interactions that I enjoyed in previous books. Until now, their relationship didn't have that 'romance' quality. So unfortunately I find myself disappointed in the resolution of 5 books of build-up. I really wish it wasn't true, but I feel let down.

Just another note of caution - as another reviewer noted, there are about 50 pages at the end of the ebook edition that are an excerpt from the first book in the series, just in case you hadn't read it I suppose. Luckily I was aware of this and didn't get the cheated feeling of reaching the end 50 pages too early.



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Review: The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After

The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After by Patricia C. Wrede

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Done! After plenty of skimming through accounts of children's encounters with snakes and frogs, tossed in with some mild magical mystery not nearly captivating enough (although occasionally slightly amusing), I'm just happy to mark this as finished and select the next book to read. Out of the trilogy, the first book was really the only one I would recommend to others.



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The Crown of Embers - Rae Carson

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Crown of Embers was infinitely better than the first book - everything I wished that one was even though I really liked it. Sometimes I find it difficult to review books that I really loved. How do you explain why the experience of reading left your imagination alive and kept you breathless? How do you account for the complete absorption in a world and the life of characters when you step back and try to analyze the plot? Sometimes I just want to love a book for the experience without analyzing why.

Still, I'm going to try. Maybe. Later.

Review: The Bitter Kingdom

The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This might not have been as good as some of my other favorites, but I still loved just about every minute of it. There were some good surprises and lots of adventure, but not as much intrigue or romance as the second book. I'm glad the story isn't going to drag out, but I do wish there was more. It's that combination of relief that it was good and sadness that it's over. Maybe there will be more in this world one day with different characters - hopefully!



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Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I am a hoarder of pleasure. If you looked at my house, you wouldn't know it because I don't really keep a lot of things, but what I do have I like to savor, and I always save the best for later. When I was a kid, I saved my chocolates at Easter and Christmas so long that my brother and sister started begging me to share. When I eat a meal, I always leave some of my favorite food until the end. And with books, I store up potential treasure-troves rather than reading them right away. I suppose I'm like a dragon with its hoard, happy to think about what's in store and afraid of using it up.

But there are a few anticipated times every year when I let myself indulge in some of the saved-up treats. Times when I know I'll have an entire day I can bum around without guilt and just read myself into oblivion. Thanksgiving break is one of them, and yesterday (Wednesday), after a couple false starts, I settled on reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

This was a real treat. It was easy to get into, the high fantasy world atmosphere was the kind I love to sink into, and the pace was just right for a day when I didn't have to stop reading. It had action and intrigue, and Elisa was a girl who really grew and changed throughout the book. I thought I knew where it was going with the romance a couple times, and was surprised at what actually happened. So it's not totally cliche - something to make me happy anytime I read a novel with a romance aspect. Now I'm not sure what's going to happen in the sequel, which I've already moved onto.

I've seen some other reviews that mention some flaws, like a lack of depth in knowing the characters and the relationships between them. I agree, and it's one reason I'm not giving 5 stars. I feel like there was potential for me to be more emotionally involved.

Another tiny thing that holds me back from a 5 star rating relates to how Elisa uses the stone in her navel, especially during the last fight. This scene was just a little too comical to imagine and took me out of the seriousness of the moment. Really, this was not a good mental image for a life-or-death battle.

Still, this had just about everything I enjoy in a fantasy while not being so serious and complex that it took me 200 pages to get into it.



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Review: Murder In the North End

Murder In the North End by P.B. Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I should not start these books halfway through the evening, since apparently I have to read them in one sitting. I stayed up way too late last night eating this up. A good mystery with a couple false paths and one of my favorite sleuth partnerships.



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Review: Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story

Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story by Diane Setterfield

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I got about a third of the way through, and it was just too much of a struggle to carry on. I struggled to get through the Thirteenth Tale when I read it as well, but I thought it was maybe just my frame of mind while I was reading it. I don't think so - I think I'm just not a fan. And I liked the Thirteenth Tale better than this one so far.

The thing is, Setterfield's books sound like ones that I would like. Some historical fiction with family secrets, mysteries, and a bit of the paranormal. But something in the way they're written - they're actually not my sort of book. I can't put my finger on what it is. For this one in particular, there are too many people who have died already, and I don't believe the 'tragic' events from the synopsis have properly started yet. The overall feel is going from bad to worse. All the while I'm actually kind of bored. And I don't want to stay with it.

I have too many other books on my to-read list to get stuck in one that I have to force myself to read. So I'm not. I'm sure there are lots of other people who will love this book for the same reasons I don't.

**Received free arc for review.

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Review: The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I really enjoy the ways that Lackey finds to mash up fairytales and come out with a unique tale that works. I love the idea that fairytales are forced on people's lives by the Tradition and the Fairy Godmothers' job is to harness the extra magic and save people from their less desirable fates by forcing the nicer Traditional paths wherever they can. It lets you laugh at the traditional tales and enjoy the magical wonder of them without simply repeating what's been done before. This series is really humorous high fantasy set in a world where fairytales are a danger to people leading their ordinarily magical lives.

I turn to these books when I need something light and entertaining and that doesn't take itself seriously. As with the previous books in the series, Sleeping Beauty was what I needed - humorous, tongue-in-cheek, fluffy, and really quite silly. This might have been one of the sillier ones, in fact. I loved it for that.

It was more of a hodgepodge than the others so far, with an entire magical kingdom full to the brim with Traditional magic. It's not really a Sleeping Beauty tale, although there are bits and pieces of it in there. It's a mish-mash full of Heroes, challenges for the hand of a princess, seven dwarves, a huntsman, dragons, curses, unicorns, talking animals… the list goes on. How the Godmother Lily manages it all is a feat indeed.

There is a sweet romance, but it is not really the focus even though the goal is to win the hand of the princess. I saw another reviewer mention that the story focused more on developing a bromance, and I agree. It was more about the friendship between two of the suitors and the scheming of the Godmother than about the princess herself. It's also a romance without any explicit scenes, which I am thankful for since the first book in the series was a bit more detailed than what I usually like to read.

I do have to mention that in spite of all these magical events, it was still a bit slow in places. And although I found the hodgepodge of fairytales amusing, they made it feel choppy at times. Some of the solutions were a little too coincidental, because you can always throw in another part of a fairytale to fill a need that arises. Not that this prevented me from being entertained, but it's not for everyone.



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Review: A Spear of Summer Grass

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I became a fan of Deanna Raybourn through her Lady Julia series (and am desperately hoping there are more full length novels coming in that series!). I picked up A Spear of Summer Grass knowing from reviews that it's nothing like the Lady Julia books and hoping I would love it anyway. I believe the mark of a good author is that they can write books that don't feel like clones of each other, or like attempts to recapture a magic that has succeeded before.

In this book, Raybourn accomplishes a completely new work. A Spear of Summer Grass has its own distinct purpose and feeling, almost like it was written by someone else. I was impressed that this colonial Africa felt completely alive to me, just as Victorian London is brought to life in Raybourn's other books.

The setting is Kenya in the 1920s. It's a brutal, vivid landscape. Delilah is a woman with scandalous moral views - she has had multiple husbands and lovers, and takes multiple lovers in this book. It's much more adult in that way, and I had a hard time liking Delilah because of her casual approach to such affairs. She is consistent, however, and she also grows up during her time in Africa. She encounters dangers of the wild and dangers caused by politics of white people in power. I really enjoyed her interactions with the Masai, and Delilah finally won me over with her independence, her views and actions on equality, and ultimately her selflessness.

Raybourn has demonstrated her ability to bring setting and characters to life in more than one flavor, and I admire her for it. Did I love it as much as Lady Julia? No. I've never been very interested in the 1920s as a setting - but she drew me into it anyway.



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Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



First of all, I hate it when I think there are 50 pages to go and it ends up being a Glossary. I turn the page and - oh no, that was the end! It totally messes up the level of commitment left over.

In spite of feeling like there should be more, this was an evocative, sensuous read. Looking back, I would rate the suspense story as a 3, but the language was thick with such vivid scenes that I felt it was more as I was reading. From the mouth-watering scent of Parisian bakeries to the stench of death in the catacombs, the descriptions are lush.

It is full of scents and elusive memories, echoes of past times and lost loves. Coupled with the mystical experiences of scent and memory, the modern-day struggles of the Tibetans and their reincarnated lamas become much more than political. The mystery and intrigues surrounding an ancient Egyptian artifact coalesce in Paris, a city with layers of history. This is a mesmerizing tale of suspense brought to life by the intricacies of perfume.



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Review: Venetia

Venetia by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This lighthearted historical romance is just the escape I needed after an intense week. Venetia is a young woman who doesn't understand the fuss about propriety, and enjoys her independence. Damerel is a notorious rake who takes advantage of her seeming naivete. Combined they are full of laughter in a world that takes itself too seriously. A legitimate friendship grows between them, and it is understandable how they fall in love. I hate it when authors tell you that two people are suddenly in love without showing you why or how. Heyer doesn't do that in this case. An enjoyable, sweet romance.



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Review (Updated): The Magicians' Guild

The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A deceptively simple start to a great high fantasy trilogy - one of my favorites. It's not epic, so it lacks a world-wide sense of peril and urgency. Instead, this builds the world (at this point just a city) and characters and mainly sets the stage. It's a low-key start that might not appeal to everyone. Consider this an introduction and hurry on to enjoy the rest.



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Review: A Study in Darkness

A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



True to its title, A Study in Darkness is much darker than the first book, A Study in Silks. Moving from the comfortable home and vibrant social sphere where we met Evelina Cooper, we now return with her to the desperate part of London where survival is almost impossible and a string of murders is taking place (yes, it's a new take on Jack the Ripper). The cast is scattered, each one dealing with problems resulting from the scandalous events of the Season largely in isolation from one another. It's a bleak outlook.

One thing I enjoy about this series is that there are so many villains - and I'm not always sure who is really a villain and who is just misguided or coming at the world from a different point of view. It keeps me guessing. However, there is an awful lot of the villains having the upper hand in this book, with few victories. That's why I enjoyed it much less than the first, simply because it was all dark and desperate. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I don't like to read books that are dark and depressing, so it shouldn't be surprising that I was glad to finish this one. I really didn't feel the length of the first novel, but these 475 pages began to drag. I just hope that the title of the third book, A Study in Ashes, isn't an indication of another 450 pages of completely depressing material to come.

As far as the various mysteries go, there are never really any clues that help you along. I wanted to be solving something, but instead the characters were stuck without information, hopeless and at the end of their ropes, and so was I. Sherlock Holmes makes more than a cameo appearance but he is also unable to solve anything. I'm not sure how his involvement will go over with true Holmes fans, since I haven't read any of the originals and can't judge how consistent he is with the original character. But be warned that he takes on a larger role than he did in the first novel and you could love it or hate it.

Since the ending is a cliffhanger, and all is poised for disaster, I'm glad the last book is already due out and I do have the galley in hand to read. I just need a break before plunging into whatever comes next.


**Received free arc for review.



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Review: River Secrets

River Secrets by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Of the Books of Bayern so far, I like this one the best. A series that started out as a fairytale retelling has evolved into a fun high fantasy with a mystery to solve and a likable main character. It takes place in the neighboring, exotic country of Tira, the country that invaded Bayern in Enna Burning. It's a dangerous diplomatic mission that starts to go wrong immediately with charred bodies showing up and sentiment against Bayern still raw with memories of Enna's burnings. Enter the trickster, Razo. He's small and wiry, good with a slingshot and terrible with a sword, and he can find things out that no one else can. Is it enough to save Bayern from another war?



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Review: Sojourn

Sojourn by Jana Oliver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Alternate Victorian historical mystery with time travel and shapeshifters, and Jack the Ripper on top. There are three mysteries including the Ripper plot, and oh yes, John Keats is a character. I'm not sure what purpose that served - he's not even a poet in the book! So this is a bit of a mish-mash of historical figures and events, with paranormal and sci fi elements. Interesting, but not totally polished.



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Review: First Lord's Fury

First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Good ending to the series, but seriously heavy on the battles. It got a bit much for me, and I missed the more personal interactions of the characters. It's something that's becoming common in epic fantasy finales, I'm finding. Maybe it's because I'm not a guy that I need a break from all the fighting for some conversation?



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Review: The Dragonbone Chair

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Out of the older tradition of fantasy writing, this one takes its time and builds slowly, carefully, meticulously, until we have a world and conflict that feels real and surprising in the present with the depth that a long history provides. Really good stuff if you're patient enough to let it simmer.

I will admit to being bored at times, and frustrated with Simon's ignorance and naivete, especially in this first book. What I would consider to be the introduction takes about 200 pages. Then it's not really until the end of this book that it really reaches the pace and depth that spurs you on to pick up the rest - immediately.

No, it's not your quick fantasy fix, but it's infinitely more satisfying than the easy-in, easy-out fantasies that abound these days. I've now read the series twice in spite of the slow start, so I feel that it merits a place on my favorites shelf.



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Review: Far in the Wilds

Far in the Wilds by Deanna Raybourn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



"Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time."

The writing in this prequel novella is beautiful. It's evocative and vibrant, and makes me want to read more about this wild place, as a prequel should do.



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Review: The Queen of Attolia

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Queen of Attolia is full of political intrigue, the sort between nations at war, not really between individuals for the most part. The maneuvering is mostly at a distance, either with armies or secret attacks. I did enjoy it, but not really until the second half of the book when the action between nations started to get more personal. Well, aside from the beginning, which was full of action - and wow, I can't believe what happens to Eugenides! But the first half of the book is him dealing with what happened at the beginning - not a very pleasant time - and with no clues as to what else he has on his mind. I do like twists, but without any clues at all, I find it kind of boring until the plot twists actually begin to surface.

So, I'd rate the second half of the book 4 stars, but because of the first half, I didn't like it as much as my other 4 star books. 3.5 stars.




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Review: Divided Allegiance

Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Elizabeth Moon does a great job at character development in this series. She takes a sheepfarmer's daughter from being completely naive and ignorant of the world outside her village and realistically broadens her worldview and her understanding of herself and her purpose. The first book in the trilogy felt limited because it was - Paks only grew so far in those years in the mercenary company. It's in this second book that she really starts to come into her own.

Divided Allegiance still seems to wander somewhat randomly in the beginning because Paks is wandering randomly, trying to find a new place. As the book progresses, though, she starts to make her own decisions about the type of fighter she wants to be and to learn when to trust and when not to. Her adventures are captivating and formative, and we see the world more clearly - and the magic. If you missed magic in the first book, you won't be disappointed in this one.

Paks experiences some wonderful high moments in this book, but she also loses tragically. The last part of this is truly heartbreaking and the ending is hopeless. What a twist! I thought I knew where it was all headed, heroic-fantasy-style, and it suddenly took a completely different turn. I loved it, even with the sadness and darkness I felt. I just had to know what happened to Paks and continued reading book 3 without pause.



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Review: Murder on Black Friday

Murder on Black Friday by P.B. Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The Nell Sweeney series has really grown on me. Each book has been better than the last. In this one, there are two deaths related to Black Friday, the day the price of gold crashed in 1869. Will performed the autopsies and enlists Nell to help him investigate the supposed suicides. There are plenty of people with motives to kill and secrets to cover up. I didn't figure it all out before the end, and it's always pleasant to be surprised.

Will and Nell's relationship is so full of impossibility and longing you could cut the tension with a knife. It's achingly sweet and frustrating at the same time. You can feel their love (not lust) without hope, and of course that's the story that makes me want to continue reading the series. This had just the right mix of mystery to relationship development. Recommended to anyone who likes a mix of historical mystery and sweet romance.



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Review: Once a Princess

Once a Princess by Sherwood Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Once a Princess had its fun moments, especially the parts relating to the pirate and crew. Sherwood Smith writes appealing heroes, and they're what keep me reading since the heroines tend to be frustrating (I've read two of her duologies now).

Aside from the pirate story line, it was just ok. It starts out in our world, but the main story is in another world that has magic. Once in the other world, the heroine continues to talk like an American and to make references to American culture - this is maybe natural for a two-world story, but I just like my fantasy to be less connected to the real world and these references kept intruding.

I also thought this was going to be YA, given the ridiculous cover (I only managed to get past the cover by the book being free). But it's not - the main character is a grad student, mid-twenties. She doesn't really feel that mature to me, even though she is very independent. Too independent, to the point of stubbornness at times. I felt like she should have been willing to accept more help since she was tossed into a world she only knew as a small child. It could have been more interesting if she developed relationships with those she met instead of refusing to trust anyone.

I'm sure this review is making you want to run out and buy this right away! I do have to say that there's something about Smith's writing that keeps me interested even when I'm silently objecting to the things that bother me. I wanted to finish the story and bought the sequel right away (but I also feel the two books should have been one). So I guess I liked it well enough, and it kept me entertained for a weekend, but it's not a high quality gem that I'll treasure forever.



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The Siren Depths - Martha Wells

The Siren Depths by Martha Wells

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



The Siren Depths answers some questions that I had hoped to learn about in the second book and the Fell also return as a threat. Most importantly, though, Moon finally figures out his place among the Raksura.

This is great high fantasy. The stakes are still not world-wide, even though they are higher in this book than the previous ones. But they are high for the characters and the Raksura Courts, and the world remains vivid and exotic - a world to get lost in.

I love the details on interactions between Courts, the political intrigue and cultural nuances, and the attempts to communicate cross-culturally with groundlings. It feels very real with these different cultures that are full of misunderstanding and opposing perspectives. It's not a black and white world, and it's completely absorbing. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading this novel. This is going down as one of my favorite series. The story wraps up everything it needs to, but I can't help hoping there will be another book about the Raksura someday. I'll miss this world.

Review: Shaman's Crossing

Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Robin Hobb is one of my favorite Fantasy authors. She not only provides detailed worlds and characters with wondrous magic, but characters that I can feel. She is one of the few authors that have actually made me cry. It's an activity that is extremely rare for me in real life, and I tend to avoid weepy books or movies because they just make me feel manipulated. But that was not the case with Hobb - the emotion she pulled out of me was much more real.

All of this to say, I've loved each of the books in the Farseer and Liveship Trader worlds that I've read so far, but the Soldier Son trilogy is completely different. The tone, the feel of the world, the setup of the characters - it all feels foreign. It took me a while to warm up to it. This first book felt quite dry until near the end when I started to see some of the world's magic. And I definitely had less empathy for the characters, as if I was watching more from a distance than in Hobb's other series.

I'm saying all this to warn you not to go into this series expecting something 'like' Hobb's other books. If you don't go in with that expectation, I believe it stands on its own merit. I enjoyed each book of the trilogy more than the one before it, and once I got to the third book I was completely drawn into this world. It took me longer to get there, but once I did, I was impressed yet again. It went on my favorites shelf with the others.



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Review: The Serpent Sea

The Serpent Sea by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



In the Books of the Raksura, Martha Wells has created a lush world with imaginative cultures and fascinating species. The culture of the shape-shifting Raksura is so foreign and detailed, but she makes it extremely accessible to the reader. It's such a pleasure to read.

It becomes more clear in the Serpent Sea that this is not epic fantasy. The focus is not on a grand scale, but on the fate of a single, struggling clan in a large, indifferent world. We get glimpses of that world, but mainly we learn about the Indigo Cloud clan and their fight to survive.

The Fell are not present in this book, as the clan has escaped to a colony location that their ancestors abandoned years earlier. The descriptions of their new home at the top of a giant tree are beautiful. I feel like I've been there. I feel like I want to live there!

Now it is time to rebuild the clan and to connect with other Raksura - and to do what is needed to make the colony tree a viable home again. This has its share of danger and intense moments while Moon and his companions are on a mission away from the Court, and I felt the danger almost personally because I've come to care about these characters and their individual fates.

It took me a little while to figure out what this was going to be about, and it moved a bit slowly in the beginning, so I didn't feel it was as amazing as the first book. Still a favorite though.



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Review: The Viscount and the Witch

The Viscount and the Witch by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is a very short story about Hadrian and Royce in the early days of Riyria. Just a teaser, really. A large chunk of the ebook contains the first chapters of Riyria Revelations, so it was shorter than I expected. That said, it's always fun to read more of this team, even when it's just a single scene.



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Review: Forest Born

Forest Born by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed all four books of the Bayern series in a casual sort of way. Each of them started out as 3 star reads but ended up as 4 stars once I looked back. They were a bit slow to get through in parts, but somehow the endings always pulled things together and won me over.

The series started out with a fairytale retelling in the Goose Girl, but then moved into pure high fantasy in the sequels. They are all set in the same world, loosely connected by the rotating main characters who are all friends, and each book reveals a different sort of elemental magic (air, fire, water, earth). They are really more like companion novels so I didn't feel in a big rush to read them all at once.

It wasn't until this last book that I realized there's a larger connection between them - and was pleasantly surprised. Seeing how this book ties all of them together makes the series feel much more cohesive. Now looking back, the others become fuller somehow. Plus, I got a bigger payoff for reading this book than I expected from a standalone-ish companion novel.

In this last book, I started out really not liking the main character, Rinna. Yet again, it felt like a 3 star book that I'd have to persevere a little bit with. I knew it was on purpose, but it still made it hard to identify with her at first. But as Rin found her way, I really ended up liking her. Her process of self-discovery is so entwined with the plot that I can't really say any more, but it ended up being worth a little patience for me.

The part that did suck me in from the beginning was the magic, which this time involves trees. (I love books that involve trees and woods for some reason.)

I also liked that all three girls from the previous books played a large role, and that their friendships were an important aspect of the story. They still felt like individual characters, not just like cardboard cut-outs with the same name that get referred back to but don't feel real.

Each of the previous books included a minor, sweet romance. Definitely not the main focus of the story, but only where it fit. This book really doesn't have any romance at all - it just doesn't have a place in Rinna's story yet and so it's not forced to be there. I do recommend this whole series for YA Fantasy readers who don't want heavily romance-focused plots.



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Review: Boundless

Boundless by Cynthia Hand

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I felt dragged to read this against my will, because I hate leaving things unfinished. Now I have tidied up another series and can put it behind me. Luckily since I'd gotten past book two, I found this one was worth finishing just to read how it ends. I can't help thinking that it would have made a better story if shortened into one longer novel instead of broken up and spread out.

Boundless was much better than the middle book of the trilogy - it's not just teens talking and feeling (but that's still a big part of it). Something actually happens - all the promised action that we've been waiting for, the war between dark and light angels arrives. It's not on the large, apocalyptic scale that I expected with the word 'war' in the description. It's more like a personal fight. Still, this is the part that I kept reading for, and I was happy enough with how it went.

On the teen drama side of things, which still takes up much of the book, Clara, Angela and Christian are all in their first year of college, and the love triangle is on-going with Tucker. I really don't care for love triangles since I have a hard time with a girl who can't make her mind up and strings guys along. I'm not sure what I think about how it was resolved, but I've decided I don't really care. I have a feeling there's going to be a spin-off series for the person left hanging, but I don't think I'll be reading it. This is finished enough.



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Review: A Study in Silks

A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



A Study in Silks is still lingering in my mind. It ended up having depths to it that I really didn't expect from a historical mystery/romance. Often even when I enjoy a book, it's easy to move right on to the next one, but this is making me pause for a moment to absorb it all. I'm so thankful that I don't have to wait a year for the next two books, since they are all being released this year.

It's an intriguing mix of my favorite genres and this time I feel the mix worked really well. It has historical mystery, romance, and fantasy all mixed with Steampunk - a genre I'm beginning to explore.

The mystery is only a part of the whole, and isn't in the typical mystery style. Answers are revealed to the reader when the viewpoint shifts instead of when the heroine, Evelina, discovers them (and there are multiple viewpoints). At first I wasn't sure how I liked knowing more than Evelina, but it ended up having complexities that took me by surprise, avoiding easy answers and pat endings.

I should mention now that this is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and Evelina is the niece of Holmes. Enter murder in the respectable home where Evelina is a guest, and the underbelly of Victorian London takes on a new aspect. I'm not sure how well the Sherlock portion is done since I'm not an Arthur Conan Doyle aficionado. Without having a real frame of reference for the legend, I can't judge. But I can say this was a great story and his part was only a sliver of the whole.

The Fantasy and Steampunk version of London is very well done. I felt like it all fit together very well. Magic is pitted against Steam, and Steam against traditional political power. This is a dangerous mix in a city choked by the monopoly of Steam Barons, with Evelina caught in the thick of it, in danger of her own magic being exposed at every turn. Solving the murder could unravel everything. This makes for a much more dangerous London than we normally get.

With all the investigative drama and danger going on, Evelina is still a young lady in her first London season. She is a heroine who doesn't quite fit the social scene, having grown up in a circus and possessing outlawed magic. I was sure the romance was going to be typical 'regency' style courtship and manners (which was part of it), and it seemed ready to develop into a typical love-triangle debacle as well. But I was pleasantly surprised that even the romance didn't turn out as shallow as I feared. I'm ready to find out what happens next!

I'm trying to think if there's any reason I shouldn't give this 5 stars since I don't want to hand them out lightly. But for me it was the combination of favorite genres done well, it was entertaining, and didn't live down to my jaded expectations. I'm feeling generous.

**Received free arc for review.

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Review: Endgame

Endgame by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Endgame is a satisfying conclusion to the Grimspace series. The whole series ended up being different than I expected, not having one epic story arc with a cataclysmic ending. By the time I reached this book, I understood that better.

The entire book takes place on one planet again, involving the long struggle for freedom for the natives of La’heng. I have to say that although I missed Grimspace and some of the crew from the past, I was still captured by this story. I love Jax's relationship with Vel, and the way she continues to mature (finally!) in her relationship to March, as well as others. As Jax matures, the combination of desperate action, friendship and loss makes this war feel real.

I'm happy with the ending, but I wish there was more. Since it's not an epic with a final goal, there could be room for more someday - right? I'll miss this world and these people.



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Review: Timeless

Timeless by Gail Carriger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was worried as I reached the halfway mark that Timeless was going to end up being incredibly witty but with far too much detail about parenting and not much action at all. It did pick up eventually, and there were even a couple moments when I feared that it was all going to end horribly. The last hundred pages rescued this from being a disappointing ending to an enjoyable series, so I am fairly satisfied - and in some aspects surprised at how it all turned out.

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Review: The Crown Tower

The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The Crown Tower is an enjoyable glimpse into the past of The Riyria Revelations. Not only do we get to see how Hadrian and Royce meet up, but we also learn more about Gwen, which was a pleasant surprise. She is one character who never had the spotlight in earlier books and I always wanted to know more about her.

I have to say this moved slowly, especially at the beginning. The element of surprise that I enjoyed so much in the original series was less apparent - of course, because this is a prequel and I already know the outcome. It could be different if this is your first Riyria book. But although knowing their history removed some of the element of discovery, I loved having the chance to go back to this world and to unveil some of the mystery of Hadrian and Royce. It made me miss the other characters that won't be appearing in the prequel, but it's full of adventure, and I can't wait to see where the next books takes us.

I wouldn't say the Crown Tower ends on a cliffhanger, but it ends at the beginning, if that makes any sense. It was really fun to live through "the forging," but now that I've experienced the legendary heist, I don't know exactly what will happen next. I need the sequel - good thing it's coming out tomorrow.

I don't recommend reading this without reading the original series first, because you'll miss references and might not know why you care about the characters. I think you'll come to care regardless, but it might feel a bit slow for a while. Once you've read the original series, you'll be happy for any crumbs you can get from this table and find this a treat that leaves you wishing for more.

**So excited to receive free arc for review!



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Review: The Crown

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I started out reading The Crown on my phone, since historical fiction is often slow enough for me to read it gradually. About half way through I abandoned that plan, and finished it up in a couple of evenings instead. Enough said.

I really enjoyed the details of life in the priory combined with the mystery, which finally truly surfaced halfway through. What I liked best about it is the way I really felt the impact of Henry VIII's war on the Catholic church at the level of the people tossed around by it. I love it when historical fiction deals with the smaller people. Somehow it's more interesting to me than reading about kings and queens, it's less predictable because I don't already know how it has to end, and the details of daily life are fascinating. The characters felt so real to me, and it brought the time period alive. I love it when historical fiction doesn't turn out to be dry as dust!

Believe it or not, there's a little bit of romance, too, even though the characters are mainly nuns, novices, and friars. It was just enough not to feel out of place in the setting, and it added complexity to the struggles of the characters who really believe in their vows of chastity.

I can't wait to read more about them!



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Review: Aftermath

Aftermath by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 3 of 5 stars





Aftermath ended up being a lot different than I expected, although it was true to its title. With the cliffhanger at the end of the last book, I fully expected the war with the Morgut to be ongoing - it seemed like an epic kind of war that was turning out to be the point of the whole series.

But no, by the time we find out what happens to Jax, everything has changed. In a kind of 'I really hoped this would end up better,' jarring way. If Killbox had been the end of the series, I believe it would have had that epically amazing ending that I felt was coming but didn't get. Now with two books left in the series, where does it go from here? What is bigger than the Morgut invasion?

I'm still not really sure what this was about. Plot-wise it's a mixed bag with a couple of important events, but nothing you could call 'the climax.' Mostly I think it was about Jax trying to live up to her promises and figure out what to do next. Maybe it's setting up the last book in some way that I can't picture right now, but this entire book felt more like a wrap-up chapter for Killbox.

One thing I can say, this book took me by surprise a couple times, but mainly because the shifts were random. And it still was a decent read. I'm curious to see where it goes. I do hope the end of the series is more... momentous.



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Review: Killbox

Killbox by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



And this is the reason I wait for an entire series to be released before I embark on it. You never know when an author is going to leave you hanging at the end. What a cliffhanger! I am so, so glad the next book is already out.

This installment takes a while to get warmed up, but once it gets going, all hell breaks loose. It's war now, and the scale is exploding. I've gone from learning to care about a small crew of a rogue ship to fearing for their lives as the fate of all known races takes priority. This series is definitely more than a futuristic romance even though it started that way. Although the romance is there, it's not the whole story. Love and true friendship are precious when everything is falling apart, and you feel that in this book while you experience everything falling apart and have no idea how they're going to make it - and who won't.



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Review: A Cottage by the Sea

A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is closer to 3.5 stars. It's a good time-slip romance / historical fiction set in Cornwall, with smugglers' caves and secret passageways in the background and a lot of drama in the foreground. There's a messy, public divorce, family conflicts, dealing with the death of loved ones, child-rearing philosophy, cultural differences between modern Americans and Brits, career upheaval, tea drinking, gardening, and crystal ball hypnosis. A strange mix of 90s psycho-babble and historical romance / tragedy.

It's also very long for this kind of story, and felt like it at times. My favorite time-slips so far are by Susanna Kearsley, and hers feel much less weighted down and less all over the place with romance novel themes. Still, I did like it even though the drama got to be a bit much at times. I do wish there was more time spent in the tunnels and caves, and by the sea, but in spite of the setting, the sea was just a backdrop, and the smuggler aspect was definitely not the focus.



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Review: Hallowed

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



As with the first book, this is one of those that is interesting while you're reading it, and then looking back you realize that nothing really happened, and there's not much substance. It's a page-turner trick - it's easy to turn these pages. But afterwards - mostly forgettable.

There's even less to this one than there was to the first. There's no real purpose to figure out anymore. Although the visions continue, they are about something else now, and it's just a sad waiting game and then grief. Beyond that, it's love triangle drama. Pretty typical for a teen paranormal romance, I suppose. Somewhat entertaining, but leaving me wondering if that was really 'it'.



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Review: Dragon Flight

Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This wasn't as good as the first book. It had more dragons, which I liked, but the rest of it was lacking. The political intrigue and personal high stakes were missing, and the characters were like snapshot memories of the more dynamic ones in the previous book. I suppose that's always the danger when you enjoy a book that's only first in a series.



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Review: The Physician

The Physician by Noah Gordon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



It took me 4.5 months to read this book, since it's the one I've been reading a page or two at a time on my phone whenever I find myself waiting around and needing a book to read. The style of The Physician made it a good one to savor in such a way. It's going to be really strange reading about someone else now when I find myself waiting, which happens a lot by the way.

Wow, this story really covers a lot of ground - literally. It starts out with a young orphan in the early 11th century who develops a yearning to improve his medical knowledge. This desire takes him from Britain to Europe, Persia, and as far as India. Rob is a remarkable man for his time, and it is heartbreaking at times to see him struggle and experience terrible setbacks.

Mostly, though, it's a hopeful tale of learning and compassion, of creative solutions to the closed-mindedness of the time period. It also highlights the religious prejudices of the Middle Ages while inspiring sympathy for individuals of each faith, and portrays each location and people that Rob encounters vividly. The time period really came alive through Rob's travels and relationships. I feel like I lived there.

At one point near the end, I was struck with a sudden fear that it was going to end tragically and I think I could have been induced to throw my phone after all Rob learned and went through. Thankfully it ended well, or as well as it probably could for the mindset of the times, and my phone was spared.



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Review: Rapture in Death

Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Meh. This wasn't nearly as good as the first three books. It was mainly just about sex - a lot of it. Maybe it's because it's Eve & Roarke's honeymoon period, but it forced the mystery to take a back seat, and the mystery itself just wasn't very gripping.

I wonder if Eve & Roarke's relationship can stay interesting now that they're together, or will it just be two or three sex scenes per book? And I find myself wondering how this series is still going on at 37 books with another one on the way. Is it really that good? Is it worth continuing on?



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Review: The Traitor Queen

The Traitor Queen by Trudi Canavan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm really glad I persevered through to the end of this trilogy. The first two books set up the world as it has been for centuries, which was a bit tedious because we'd already had that history lesson in a much more compelling way. But finally in this book, things change. I'm not sure it needed a whole trilogy to tell this story, but I am satisfied with how it ended both plot-wise and character-wise.

The conflicts in Sachaka come to a head, and the Guild is forced to adapt beyond their narrow-mindedness. Finally! Cool magic stuff and fighting actually happen, even though I do wish the action was more immediate instead of mostly being observed from a distance. The focus was more on the emotional state of the observers than on what was actually happening, and although I found myself caught up in those emotions, I still wished to be down on the ground.

Most importantly, I like the future that is in store for most of the characters. I feel like Sonea is in a good place - she is finally able to move on from the pain of the past and to build a new life. It's a life that I can accept, and that's about all I really needed out of this continuation of her story. I ultimately still miss the brilliance of the original Black Magician Trilogy, but this gave me a measure of closure that I needed, and I actually ended up enjoying it enough that I'm sad it's over again.



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Review: The Body At The Tower

The Body At The Tower by Y.S. Lee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm really enjoying this series! I liked the first book even though it took a while to get to know Mary and to like her, but The Body at the Tower gets right into the thick of things and I was able to sympathize with her much more. Mary is now a trained spy working undercover as a boy on her first murder mystery. She is forced to face her childhood nightmares in addition to present dangers, and the world of poverty she enters feels very real.

I love the romance between Mary and James - it feels real and has real problems, such as the fact that James has no idea who Mary really is, and that Mary is supposed to stay single as a member of the Agency. And James doesn't just feel like a stock supporting character - he is well defined, he adds a layer of interest to the plot aside from the romance, and I really like him. I'm dying to see what happens with them in the next book.



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Review: Sworn to Raise

Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I'm going with the Goodreads description of 'It was ok' for two stars on this fantasy I picked up at Netgalley. It really is 'ok' and has potential, but it is still very rough around the edges, even for a galley. There are a lot of typos, and several times I got lost in sentences - run-ons are writing problems, not typos. So it could use some good editing.

The story itself is interesting, but feels disjointed or random at times. There's a makeover story, learning of magic and history, a bachelorette-type contest for a patron that includes a hunt as well as balls and a challenging maze, and there's political intrigue with the magical fate of the country at stake.

I found it quite entertaining, but something was missing - depth of most of the characters was lacking, and connections between events and other people besides the protagonist were loose. At times the actions of the other characters were drastic and unexpected, which added to the shock value, but I felt like I didn't know those characters well enough to expect that kind of action from them. The event that Ciardis spends the first half preparing for is also left incomplete. We only meet a couple of her prospective patrons and the book ends on the 3rd day of the event. Also, what happened to her friend? She is only present during Ciardis' training and then melts away.

This was only novella length, so I think it could have been longer and provided more complexity and closure on these plot points rather than waiting for a second book.

**Received free arc for review.

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Review: The Rogue

The Rogue by Trudi Canavan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Let me start out by saying this was a vast improvement over the first book in the Traitor Spy Trilogy. In The Rogue, events finally start moving beyond reminiscing about the past and setting the stage. Sort of. The stage is still being set, but it's a wider stage than in The Ambassador's Mission. The focus is less on how Imardin has changed in the last 20 years and how Sonea has been a virtual prisoner and more on current events in Imardin and Sachaka. That alone made it more interesting to read, and I didn't struggle through this one.

But, this is still a slow mover. There's not much action. It's still very much an exploration of the characters, their daily lives and their thoughts and feelings about small events. It's also still very much a two-track plot. I'm not sure if the events in Imardin and Sachaka will meet up at some point, but right now they seem to be very separate stories.

It was good to see Sonea making some of the changes that I'd wished to see in the last book (less emphasis on the over-protective mother hen), and to dive back into Cery's underworld again. I had a hard time with Dannyl's part because I was still stuck on not liking what happened between him and Tayend (I like to believe in true and everlasting love - silly me), but his research did add something of interest.

The new characters get more interesting as well. Lorkin is no longer a fuzzy character. He gains a personality and opens up a new world by letting us see the Traitor's colony. We also meet a naive new Novice to bring crisis back to the Guild.

Probably only true Canavan fans will be pleased enough to stick it out to the final book of the trilogy - and they are probably the only ones who will read this book anyway. I am one of those. I persevered beyond the first book myself because I had to believe it would get better. And it did, but it still doesn't match up to her previous two trilogies, both of which are among my favorites.





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Review: The Talisman Ring

The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A humorous Georgian escapade with smugglers, an old murder mystery, and tongue-in-cheek adventure. It's a dream come true for a couple of young ladies who long for a life with more adventure than proper society approves, and who are not prone to fainting. Fun.



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