Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings

Vintage Soul by David Niall Wilson
The DeChance Chronicles #1 
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Formats: Hardcover & eBook, 233 pages
Published: December 9, 2009 by Five Stars
ISBN: 978-1594147579
Received From: Author in eArc format
Read Chapter One

Donovan DeChance is a collector of ancient manuscripts and books, a practicing mage, and a private investigator. When, despite the finest in natural and supernatural security, a sexy and well-loved, three hundred year old lady vampire is kidnapped right out from under her lover's nose, Donovan is called in to investigate.

He soon finds that there is much more to the case than a simple abduction when an unknown intruder invades his home and steals a very rare, very ancient manuscript.  There will be no ransom for the kidnap victim, and if Donovan doesn't prevent an ancient, forbidden ritual from reaching its culmination, far more than a single vampire's undead existence will be at stake.

Calling on his lover and partner, Amethyst, and an odd assortment of contacts, informants, and connections, Donovan follows the ghostly trail of the kidnapper through a winding maze of intrigue-always a step behind-through magical battles, murders, and confrontations with a rogue band of young vampires intent on beating Donovan at his own game.

My Ramblings:

Vintage Soul was a quick, entertaining read filled with magical elements that moves along a good pace with only a few slow spots and a slight touch of romance. The magical aspects of this novel are written in vivid details, making it easy enough for the reader to imagine the scenes. The vamps are your typical strong cold-blooded, beautiful creatures except they have a penchant for drinking aged liquor with a drop or two of distinguished individuals' blood. They considered this type of drink a rare delicacy. By reading the first chapter of this book you get a glimpse of this savoring by the vamps. The mages and wizards, who can be human or preternatural creatures, are capable of being very powerful and brimming with magic, giving the story a touch of malicious mystery.

I haven't read any of the books in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher but I have watched the TV series that's based on these books, and Vintage Soul reminded me very much of this show since the main character Donovan DeChance is wizard like Harry Dresden plus the urban backdrop of the story is parallel to the Dresden Files. That being said Vintage Soul wasn't a very deep read and I don't mean this in a bad way. Usually, I find that first books in a series are more often than not bogged down with back story but this isn't the case here. Wilson left a lot up to reader to imagine for his main characters; the story is told in a here and now tone from various characters with not a lot of information to form an opinion on or give depth to the main characters. Since this is the first book in The DeChance Chronicles, hopeful there will be an expansion on character backgrounds in future novels.

My Rating:

Places you can find David: Web Site/Blog | Twitter

Other Ramblings:

• Fantasy Literature
• Goodreads
• Patricia's Vampire Notes 
• Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog

Twice Dead by Kalayna Price 
Haven, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 266 pages
Published: 02/12/2010 by Bell Bridge Books
ISBN: 978-0984325672
Received From: Bell Bridge Books as an eARC

Summary:

Kita is adjusting to her new liquid diet--an adjustment she rather resents. Not that everything was chocolate and sunshine before (though both were possible before the sexy but infuriating Nathanial sank his fangs in her business). Kita's ability to shape shift into a kitten when her peers shifted into lions and tigers complicated her life, to say the least, but getting stuck in one form--that of a human shaped tick, a.k.a. a vampire--sucks, literally. Her adjustment period is violently interrupted when she discovers a headless corpse during a party for a visiting vampire council. But, the headless dancer won't be the only corpse she encounters.

Kita's involvement draws the attention of the Collector, an ancient vampire with an inclination to acquire two things: power and oddities. As a pureblood shifter turned vampire, Kita ranks high on the collectability list--not a safe place for anyone who values her freedom, and Kita is not the only one on the list. But with the body count rising, there is more at stake than freedom. A killer is slithering through the underbelly of Haven's vampire community, and with the supernaturals dealing in unnamed favors, it's a bad time to be a kitten who can't slip her skin.

My Ramblings:

Twice Dead is the second book in the Haven series, and it has upped the ante on this series with a suspenseful storyline filled with many “seat on the edge of your seat” moments. The plot moved at an exciting but much smoother pace and a lot more was explored in the vampire realm along with a healthy dose of mage magic thrown in.

Kita is only several weeks into her new life as a vampire, trying to adjust to it and the fact that she may not be able to shift anymore. If that isn’t stressful enough, it seems she has attracted the attention of two very powerful vampires. One is Tatuis, the head of the vampires in Haven and the other is known as the Collector, who is the head of vampires visiting from another region. The Collector likes to collect unique and rare individuals, and what could be rarer than a pureblood shifter turned vampire? But things don’t bode well for Kita when she discovers a headless and bloodless harlequin from the Collector’s entourage, and must be presented to the Collector for questioning.

This time around, I found Kita is be more my type of Urban Fantasy heroine. She seemed more pliable and opened to the friends surrounding her. I also found myself enjoying her sarcastic brand of humor. And I could only admire her fierce need for independence. The romantic tension between Nathanial and Kita revives up a notch but only to a level that Kita is at least willing to recognize it. I think the romance here will be dragged out a bit and I can only hope that it will pick up in future books.

There were several memorable character but one I really liked was Gil. Gil is an apprentice mage, who has made Kita her pet project for class and she kept popping in on Kita at the most inopportune moments, which livened things up quite a bit. Gil’s whimsical personality and her aptitude to rub Kita wrong, in funniest of ways, lighten the dark mood of novel in the best of ways.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. I tried to find some information on it but unable to find any specifics other than there will be more novels in the Haven series.

Twice Dead is fine, fast-paced follow up Once Bitten in the Haven series and I can see this series moving fast into being a favorite among Urban Fantasy readers.

My Rating:

Places you can Find Kalayna: Web Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Haven Series:

1. Once Bitten – My Review
2. Twice Dead
3. TBA

Other Ramblings:

• Books Books and more Books
• Fantasy Literature
• Smexy Books 

Once Bitten by Kalayna Price 
Haven, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 272 pages
Published: 01/09/2009 by Bell Bridge Books
ISBN: 978-0980245394 
Received From: Purchased

Summary:

Kita Nekai, on the run and the smallest of her shifter clan-a calico cat among lions and tigers-is being hunted. She was expected to accept her role as her father's successor whether or not her cat was up to the task of leading the clan. She disagreed. Now she's less than a step ahead of the hunters, bone-tired, cold, and living hand-to-mouth in the city of Haven. And that's the high point of her day. She's also drugged, "accidently" turned into a vampire, and sentenced to death for recklessly creating a rogue shifter who tortures its human prey. She's got seventy-two hours to find the rogue, evade a city full of hunters, prove she's not responsible for the rogue, and keep the vampire council from killing her. All while sorting out an apprentice mage, a married ex-boyfriend shifter-hunter, and the vampire who made her.

My Ramblings:

Once Bitten was a quick, enjoyable story and is an interesting beginning to a new Urban Fantasy series that shows a lot of potential. The universe consists of shifters, vamps, mages and much more. The combination of all these preternatural characters and the unique attributes that Kalayna Price gives them was entertaining plus they gave the story elements of surprise.

The story was filled with a lot of action and just a couple slow spots but for the most part I really enjoyed the pace set in this book. After I read the summary, I was very curious to find out what would happen to a shifter turned into vampire. The reason being because most vampires remain in the state that they turned so I wanted to find out how things would shape up for Kita. Would she be a hybrid vampire-shifter? Or would she be frozen at the age and shape she was in when she was turned, forever without the ability to shift again?

Kita herself is very strong willed and at times too stubborn for her own good. This stubbornness leads to much mayhem throughout the story and was a bit of an aggravation point for me at the beginning. The bits and pieces of Kita’s past is slowly leaked into the story and eventually I could understand why she is the way she is. It would’ve been better to know some of this a little sooner in the story.

The other characters in the story added a feeling of companionship between Kita and themselves, even when Kita was trying to avoid the friendship offered. There are subtle hints at a possible romance but the story is mainly centered on Kita finding the rogue shifter before her 72 hour reprieve runs out.

Once Bitten is just the tip of the iceberg in the Haven series; there were many tidbits throughout the story that alluded to a much deeper universe that begs to be explored. I did go on to read the next book in the Haven series, Twice Dead and I can vouch that is does live up to that suggestion of more. That review will be up next.

My Rating:

Places you can Find Kalayna: Web Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Haven Series:

1. Once Bitten
2. Twice Dead
3. TBA

Other Ramblings:

• All Things Urban Fantasy
• Fantasy Literature
• Literary Escapism
• Patricia's Vampire Notes
• SciFiGuy.ca
• Wendy's Minding Spot

Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert 
Stand Alone 
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Supernatural Thriller
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Published: 02/02/2010 by Penguin Group (USA)
ISBN: 978-0451229090
Received From: Penguin Group (USA)

Summary from Goodreads:

Mia Lockheart has a secret. Her mother was a Keeper, as was her grandmother—women who were warriors, healers, and protectors. As Mia practices her craft among the boxers and martial artists of South London, and begins a romance with her childhood friend, the fighter Nick Duffy, she has no idea that a man who calls himself “Dragonfly” is watching from the shadows.

Adrian Ashton is a brilliant scientist, an expert in the breaking field of biophoton emissions from cells within the human body. He is also a skilled martial artist—and a modern-day vampire. With the aid of the enigmatic Book of Life and Death, written in the thirteenth century by the legendary Chinese physician Zhang Sanfeng, he preys on other martial artists and drains them of their chi—the vital energy that flows through the body.

Mia finds herself drawn to his dark genius, but when he targets Nick as his next victim, she is forced to choose between the two men. It becomes a fight to the death in which love is both the greatest weakness and the biggest prize.

My Ramblings:

Keeper of Light and Dust is mixture of martial arts, science and mystical intrigue, told from the three main characters' point of view. It also offers a very different look at the makeup of a vampire. Instead of the traditional immortal vampire living off of a person's life blood, the vampire here lives off a person's life energy to obtain immortality. Natasha Mostert has a very easy writing style that's easy to follow and she's subtly reveals secrets about each character as you read, keeping you glued to the book. There's also a great deal of historical facts and information about the different martial arts disciplines, which will make this great reading for those who enjoy these elements.

My favorite part of reading Keeper of Light and Dust was the interest tidbits dropped in about martial arts and beliefs from different Asian cultures. I've never practiced any martial arts myself but I've always been fascinated by it and the discipline it takes to perfect these arts. And I was intrigued by the fact that Mia wasn't only a practitioner of martial arts but also a tattoo artist, these talents gave her such an interesting air about her that I wish she was someone I could actually sit down and have a long chat with. I also found myself more drawn to the bad guy, Adrian more than the good guy Nick. That’s just my preference for the tragic bad boy persona.

While I did enjoy reading it and how it ended, I found myself wanting more to happen than what did by the end of the book. Plus, Natasha Mostert had created such fantastic world surrounding Mia’s heritage but I felt just the surface was skimmed in the story in regards to it.

Keeper of Light and Dust was a suspenseful psychological thriller steeped in mysticism and modern day science that made for fast enjoyable reading. And it isn’t as steeped in the paranormal and fantasy as the typical Urban Fantasy novel; it had more a mystical air to it. I liked Natasha Mostert’s writing well enough that I plan reading her other stand alone novel Season of the Witch.

My Rating:

Places you can find Natasha: Web Site | Facebook | Discussion Board

Other Ramblings:

• Bitten by Books
• Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Blog
• Fantasy Book Critic
• Fantasy Magazine
• Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review
• Goodreads
• Smexy Books
• The Book Smugglers
• Vampire Genre

Forbidden Passion by Rita Herron
The Demonborn, Book 3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Published: 03/30/2010 by Forever
ISBN: 978-0446199490
Received From: Hachette Book Group

Summary:

SHE SEES HIM IN HER DREAMS...
Fueled by her family's murder years ago, Dr. Marlena Bender has devoted her life to understanding violent criminals. But when a serial killer in this small Southern town starts taking the lives of women in diabolical ways--leaving trophies of his kills on Marlena's doorstep--it all hits too close to home. Terrified, Marlena turns to the only man she can trust...the man who saved her life.

BUT HIS SECRET IS HER WORST NIGHTMARE.
Sheriff Dante Valtrez would move heaven and earth to keep Marlena safe, but he's not the savior she thinks he is. A dark legacy runs through his blood and a dangerous secret lies within him. Now a fierce, hot, ruthless desire draws Dante and Marlena together--as a demonic force from his past threatens to rip them apart, destroying everything they hold dear.

VampFanGirl’s (Lovin’ Me Some Romance) Ramblings:

A nonstop action ride, FORBIDDEN PASSION starts things off with a bloody bang. Marlena Bender is back in her hometown of Mysteria, Tennessee determined to solve the gruesome murders of her mother and older sister with the hopes that the past may finally cease to haunt her. When she's not pursuing the answers she seeks, Marlena works as a research scientist at BloodCore as well as a therapist for the adjoining mental hospital. Since the horrific deaths of her family, Marlena's life work has become consumed with unlocking and potentially inhibiting violence in humans. But no sooner has she moved back into her family home when Marlena is gifted with a bloody finger commencing a series of murders that has her running into the arms of the sheriff and her once savior, Dante Zertlav.

Dante, a firestarter demon, has also recently returned to Mysteria but for atonement not answers with the exclusive agenda being to protect the town's inhabitants from his demon brethren that surround it. However, the last person Dante ever hoped to see in Mysteria again was Marlena Bender, the once little girl he was supposed to kill for his demon initiation but wound up saving instead. Dante knows that Marlena wants answers but he never thought their first conversation would be about a bloody trophy some wacko left on her front porch. When that wacko proves to have a demon connection, Dante knows that the demons he betrayed by joining the human world are out to kill him; right now they're only taunting him.

With the serial killer having taken a personal interest in Marlena by showing off his work with bloody gifts, her life is now at serious risk. But no matter how great the peril may be, Marlena's tired of having to endlessly live in fear. After being haunted since childhood by the demonic images of the creatures that murdered her family, Marlena's not about to let this new threat keep her from her home. However, she’s also not about to allow Dante the opportunity to protect her because Marlena believes that the greatest threat of all is the threat of losing her heart to the one man that she knows can’t be trusted. Instead, Marlena returns alone time and again to a house where a gift or a killer may be waiting instead of accepting the protection of a man that supposedly poses the greater danger.

Dante isn't immune from the risk of losing his own either but he's also determined to keep Marlena at a severe distance. For one, the demons already know that she's his ultimate weakness and two, the moment she discovers that he has knowledge of why her family died and that she was supposed to join them in death by his own demon hand, she'll run. Without his ability to watch over her, Dante knows that Marlena is easy pickings and more importantly, he knows that he couldn't ever live with himself if anything should happen to her because of her association with him. Until Dante can defeat the demons that threaten the safety of Mysteria, he resolves to keep Marlena out of his heart but that doesn't stop him from partaking in the delights of her body when offered and if she's hurt by his morning-after cold shoulder, she'll come to understand that it's safer for her in the long run.

With the serial killer's bloody antics escalating along with the furious destruction that the demons are waging upon the town with Nature's elements, no one is safe. Dante hunts endlessly amongst the underground demon population for clues of who is murdering his townspeople as well as the nefarious activities of Zion, the new leader of the Underworld and the demon responsible for waging war on Earth. Both demons he must stop while keeping the stubborn Marlena alive. With countless dead ends and sleepless nights, both Dante and Marlena know that the killer is only getting closer to his target and when he does make his final move, Marlena has a very real chance of ending up dead.

I honestly wanted FORBIDDEN PASSION to be a good read and I held out hope all the way until the very end but to no avail. Both Dante and Marlena were extremely difficult characters to connect with and I thought them both to be over the top stubborn to the point of stupidity.

Dante, with his consistently cold and at time callous treatment of Marlena, along with his ability to keep his heart hidden, became distant not only to his heroine but to the reader as well. I also thought that his later about-face with his declaration of love was completely predictable if not borderline heathenish. I tried my best to sympathize with what he was dealing with, which was the extreme idiocy of his heroine, but by the end he still hadn't worked his way into my reader heart.

Sadly, Marlena wasn't much better and I found her increasingly ridiculous Too Stupid To Live moments very frustrating. In fact, after a while my vision of a Happily Ever After became Marlena’s demise because in all honesty, I thought she deserved to die. Four plus times the reader finds the heroine opting to face death at the hands of a serial killer rather than allow her hero’s protection because apparently her heart was more important than her life. Uh, no thanks. You're just asking for it by that point and death would have been the only thing to wake Marlena from her insane stupidity. I've never wished death on a heroine before but I guess there's always a first...

Finally, I thought that the world building was uninspiring and also lacked originality. Truly, it felt to me that the whole demon world took a backseat to the serial killer and his motives. Perhaps this was the author’s purpose but I would have liked to have learned more about the underground happenings of the demons.

For paranormal readers who enjoy their reads to be action packed, have little to no world building and a Too Stupid Live heroine along with a cold-hearted hero, then this is the novel for you. Maybe you’ll have better luck than I did.

VampFanGirl’s Rating:

Places you can find Rita: Web Site

The Demonborn Series:

1. Insatiable Desire
2. Dark Hunger
3. Forbidden Passion

Other Ramblings:

• Fresh Fiction
• Goodreads
• Single Titles

Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
The Disillusionists Trilogy, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 384 pages
Published: 03/23/2010 by Spectra
ISBN: 978-0553592610
Received From: Author

My Summary:

JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.

Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.

Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.

My Ramblings:

Mind Games is Carolyn Crane’s much anticipated, debut Urban Fantasy novel and the first book in The Disillusionists Trilogy.

Coming from a dysfunctional family, it’s not surprising that Justine Jones has some serious issues of her own, hypochondria. Her deep seated fear is that she has a blood vessel about to burst. She just knows that the tingle she feels on her scalp is sign of the life threatening blood vessel on the verge of bursting, even if none of the doctors she frequents can find any medical proof of her condition.

On a celebration date with her boyfriend Cubby, Justine meets the strikingly good looking Packard who immediately recognizes her hypochondria with his own special insight. Justine recognizes Packard as a highcap, a person with unexplained special abilities. Packard offers Justine the opportunity to weaponize her fear against some of the vilest criminals in Midcity while alleviating herself of it at the same time by joining his vigilante group of extraordinary disillusionists. Is fighting the crime wave that has engulfed Midcity as black and white as Packard and his team of disillusionists have made it out to be?

When I first heard about Mind Games, it immediately claimed my attention with a hypochondriac heroine. I was curious how a heroine with health phobias would play out in a genre saturated with the usual mixing of vamps, shifters, witches and zombies. The creativity of the plot was beyond anything I would have imagined, Mind Games turned out to be a breath of fresh air in the Urban Fantasy genre. It was full of dangerous and wicked suspense that took off in directions I didn’t see coming from start to finish. I found this story to be full of scenes containing action, paranormal mystery and relationship intrigues threaded throughout the entire novel, and those scenes were “sit on the edge of your seat” tense.

The characters are all so original with personalities that add a quality of realism to the story. Justine Jones is an optimistic, who puts a lot of faith in good always prevailing over evil. Justine also just wants be an average, normal person without phobias. Packard is mysterious man, and deviling through the mysteries surrounding him is one of the main draws of this story. Then there’s Chief Otto Sanchez, and he is what I would call a debonair man with a flair for theatrics, his character is one you can’t help but like even when he calls criminals “evildoers” in such a dramatic fashion.

Mind Games needs to be a on everyone’s must-read-now list. Seriously – not kidding.

You can bet Double Cross, the next book in this trilogy, is at the top of my most anticipated books list now.

My Rating:

Places you can find Carolyn: Web Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

The Disillusionists Trilogy:

1. Mind Games
2. Double Cross – 09/28/2010

Other Ramblings:

• All Things Urban Fantasy
• Closet Writer
• Ellz Readz
• Writings Of A Wicked Book Addict

Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Kara Gillian, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 369 pages
Published: 02/23/2010 by Bantam
ISBN: 978-0553592368
Received From: Author

Back Cover Summary:

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL, MAN AND DEMON, SHE’S ABOUT TO FACE THE ONE THING SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE.

Welcome to the world of Kara Gillian, a cop with a gift. Not only does she have the power of “othersight” to see what most people can’t even imagine, but she’s become the exclusive summoner of a demon lord. Or maybe it’s the other way around. The fact is, with two troublesome cases on her docket and a handsome FBI agent under her skin, Kara needs the help of sexy, insatiable Lord Rhyzkahl more than he needs her. Because these two victims, linked by suspicious coincidence, haven’t just been murdered. Something has eaten their souls.

It’s a case with roots in the arcane, but whose evil has flowered among the rich, powerful, and corrupt in Beaulac, Louisiana. And as the killings continue, Kara soon realizes how much there’s still to learn about demons, men, and things that kill in the night—and how little time she has to learn it.

My Ramblings:

Blood of the Demon is the second novel in the Kara Gillian series by Diana Rowland and it's one that I've been anticipating since reading Mark of the Demon last year.

Kara Gillian is a newly promoted detective for the Beaulac Police Department in Louisiana and she's just returned to her job after being presumed dead for several weeks. She's still emotionally distraught over the state and well being of her aunt's health plus the fact that the first two cases she lands aren’t typical murders. With her "othersight," a unique ability to see the energy flow of the arcane, she sees the victims have had their essence ripped from them, violently. With each killing the brutality of the murders keep getting worse. Kara's is on her own and at a loss because she's clueless to what preternatural being could be stealing the victims' essence. Kara reaches out to the sensuous, sexy demonic Lord Rhyzkahl for the answers but he wants something in return, he wants her to be his personal summoner. You see, Kara has the ability to summon beings from another plane that have been called demons for centuries for want of a better name. Ryan, a ruggedly handsome, FBI agent and a close friend of Kara's, who she wishes more often than not was much more, is angered when he finds out Kara is summoning Rhyzkahl for answers. A tension develops between the two resulting in a strain friendship.

Ryan and Rhyzkahl are both enigmatic and Kara is drawn to them both. I find Ryan to be the dependable, make you feel safe and secure kind of guy, while I see Rhyzkahl as more of the elusive bad boy type. Kara is tough, strong, and independent but she also has a softer side, one that is lonely and wants to feel wanted as a desirable woman. The romantic tension between Kara and Ryan escalates while the relationship with Kara and Rhyzkahl is still sizzling. Kara has definitely landed herself in a complicated love triangle.

Blood of the Demon has met and surpassed all of my expectations for this novel. The world building is creative and ever growing to show more dimensions that captivates a reader's attention. The suspense and mystery surrounding the arcane murders ignited my curiosity to a higher level with every page I turned, while the intrigue of decadent politics and the seedy rich of Louisiana add a licentious feel to the story. The characters are flawed and believable with personalities that draw you to them. I find myself yet again eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. I highly recommend this series to any Urban Fantasy fan out there; I seriously doubt any of you will be disappointed.

My Rating:

Places you can find Diana: Web Site | Blog | Twitter

Kara Gillian Series:

1. Mark of the Demon – My Review
2. Blood of the Demon
3. Secrets of the Demon - TBA

Other Ramblings:

• Alpha Heroes
• Amberkatze's Book Blog 
• Babbling about Books and More
• SciFiGuy.ca
• The Book Smugglers
• Writings Of A Wicked Book Addict

and Falling, Fly by Skyler White 
Stand Alone 
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback, 335 pages
Published: 03/02/2010 by Penguin Group 
ISBN: 978-0425232347
Received From: Publisher

Back Cover Summary:

In a dark and seedy underground of burned-out rock stars and angels-turned- vampires, a revolutionary neuroscientist and a fallen angel must put medicine against mythology in an attempt to erase their tortured pasts...but at what price?

Olivia, vampire and fallen angel of desire, is hopeless...and damned. Since the fall from Eden, she has hungered for love, but fed only on desire. Dominic O'Shaughnessy is a neuroscientist plagued by impossible visions. When his research and her despair collide at L'Otel Mathillide—a subterranean hell of beauty, demons, and dreams—rationalist and angel unite in a clash of desire and damnation that threatens to destroy them both.

In this fractured Hotel of the Damned, Olivia and Dominic discover the only force consistent in their opposing realities is the deep, erotic gravity between them. Bound to each other finally in a knot of interwoven freedoms, Dominic and Olivia—the vision-touched scientist and the earth-bound angel, reborn and undead-encounter the mystery of love and find it is both fall...and flight.

My Ramblings:

and Falling, Fly is told from both Olivia and Dominic's perspective, and their story is a tragic one while at the same time inspiring feelings of hope. Olivia has searched since the fall of Eden for the loophole that would return her to the heights of heaven, out of the ranks of the damned, but she ends up returning to the Hotel of the Damn, hopeless. Hopeless in that for eternity she will be a fallen angel of desire, never experiencing emotions but through the blood of others. Dominic is a driven neuroscientist, who is trying to find a treatment to his painful memories of past lives that he believes are hallucinations, unwilling to believe in anything outside of science. He reluctantly goes to the Hotel of the Damned, where he meets Olivia and believes the remedy lies in helping her.

While reading and Falling, Fly I had an ambivalent relationship with this book. It required my full attention, and it wasn't one I could blaze through, that at times left me feeling frustrated. The lyrical writing demanded that I read every line thoroughly because the words weren't straightforward in their meaning; I had to find their meaning. But the mystery behind the release to Olivia and Dominic's eternal damnation kept making me want to blaze through the story to find its conclusion. Then I would find myself stopping and thinking about what I just read, then rethinking about what I had read in the previous the pages, reforming my ideas of what might lay ahead. Throughout reading I keep thinking which is the truth, science or myth, which one should I believe is the reality in this book?

and Falling, Fly is a dark and lush, uniquely told love story that isn't to be taken lightly. A definite reading requirement for those who like a book that makes them think and remain in their thoughts long after it's put down.

My Rating:

Places you can find Skyler: Web Site | Twitter | Facebook

Other Ramblings:

1. Dark Faerie Tales
2. Dear Author
3. Fang-tastic Books
4. Fantasy Literature
5. Goodreads
6. LibraryThing
7. Lovin’ Me Some Romance
8. mis(h)takes 
9. My World
10. Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog
11. Smexy Books
12. Strictly Reviews
13. The Book Lush
14. Tynga's Urban Fantasy Reviews

Shade Fright by Sean Cummings
Valerie Stevens Series, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 416 pages
Published: 3/1/2010 by Snowbooks
ISBN: 978-1906727468
Received From: Author - eArc format

Summary:

"I fell into this job quite by accident, when I discovered that I possessed the ability to see the preternatural world. There are a handful of people with similar abilities, and part of my job is to locate them, since Government Services and Infrastructure Canada likes to keep track of these things. Don't ask me why."

There's a malevolent force in town, and it's quite literally Valerie Stevens' job to determine who's behind it and why they want to destroy the world, starting with Calgary.

She'll have help, in the form of her best friend (now more or less a zombie, unfortunately), a powerful dwarf troll, and the ghost of former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King (but he goes by 'Bill' these days). But that's not all - Valerie has some tricks up her sleeve and, she hopes, luck on her side. Oh, and her boyfriend, Dave. He drives a dump truck.

My Ramblings:

Valerie Stevens works for the Government Services and Infrastructure of Canada. Her job description isn't one that you'll see written anywhere because her job is to collect supernatural commodities for government profit and act as a broker with supernatural beings, so the preternatural world stays unknown to the population at large. It's Valerie's supernatural abilities that help her in the everyday responsibility of her job as a civil servant but those in the preternatural world would call Valerie a sorceress, Valerie prefers to be called an alchemist.

A mysterious and very evil presence has made itself and its deadly intentions on the city of Calgary known to Valerie. Now Valerie has to race to find a way to stop the evilest presence she has ever encountered but she's not alone in this deathly race. Valerie has an eclectic cast of friends to help her fight this ultimate evil. There's Valerie’s buddy Caroline who's a wise-cracking zombie, the eccentric uptight ghost of the former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King (who Valerie has dubbed Fifty-Dollar Bill, since his picture is on the Canadian $50 bill), an exceptionally gifted mage who's a two thousand year old dwarf troll plus a satchel full of tricks.

Shade Fright was an interesting and different take on the world of the supernatural, steeped in the history of Canada and a nice mixture of different folklore, told from Valerie's point of view. I found it to be enjoyable for the most part but a few parts in the story lost my attention when too much detail for my taste went into the political subterfuge of the supernatural world.

Valerie proves to be a strong and self-reliant heroine, the type I can appreciate because she doesn’t ask anyone to do or sacrifice more than she is willing to herself. The secondary characters help give the story an air of variety. Caroline was one of those characters. I just loved Caroline’s attitude and her dry sense of humor. I also thought that it was interesting that Valerie’s boyfriend Dave played more of a support role. A sort of role reversal between a man and woman. Dave offers Valerie the steadfast companionship of a man whose comfortable with himself. He also loves the opera, cooks gourmet meals, drives a dump truck and he sports a gunslinger's mustache. What a combination!

The overall story arc in Shade Fright was well written and interesting enough that it kept me reading plus there are a couple of subplots that could play out into more books, that I would be most interested in reading.

My Rating:

Places you can find Sean: Web Site | Twitter | Blog

Valerie Stevens Series:

1. Shade Fright
2. Funeral Pallor – July 2010

Other Ramblings:

• Smexy Books
• Strictly Reviews

Cat's Claws by Amber Benson
Callipe Reaper-Jones, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 311 pages
Published: 2/23/2010 by Penguin Group (USA)
ISBN: 978-0441018437
Received From: Publisher for review

Summary:

Calliope Reaper-Jones is Death's Daughter. She owes a debt to Cerberus, the three headed dog that guards the gate's of hell-a debt that involves a trip to Purgatory, Las Vegas, ancient Egypt, and a discount department store that's more frightening than any supernatural creature she'll ever encounter.

My Ramblings:

Calliope “Calli” Reaper-Jones is trying to live a normal life in New York City, that includes a boring cubby job and hunting for the next sale at Barney’s, all of which Calli is perfectly content with. But Calli also happens to be daughter of the president at Death, Inc., who is also known as the Grim Reaper, and she’s next in line for the job.

Cerebus, the three headed hellhound that guards the gates to Hell, has called in the debt that Calli owes him. Now, in order for Calli to keep Runt, her hellhound friend, and pay her debt off, Calli has to find an architect from the times of Ancient Egypt and return him to Cerebus. The catch, she only has 24 hours to find the lost architect or not only will she lose Runt, she’ll end up with a fate far worse.

Calli bumbles and stumbles her way around the world and the underworld in her search for the architect but that’s part of Calli’s charm. And this time around Calli is more willing to embrace her supernatural side and is even looking forward to honing a few magical skills that could end up being a perk in the long run. I definitely liked the growth I saw in Calli’s personality and attitude, while keeping her sarcastic humor intact.

Cat’s Claws was a fun, snappy read to the tune of a chick-lit writing style, set in a colorful supernatural world. It’s a charming mesh of several myths with an unconventional modern day twist that hosts a cast of quirky, likable and diverse characters. This series is starting to show a lot of potential.

My Rating: 

Places you can find Amber: Blog | Twitter

Callipe Reaper-Jones Series:

1. Death’s Daughter (My review)
2. Cat’s Claw

Other Ramblings:

• ScifChick.com

Jordan by Susan Kearney
Pendragon Legacy Trilogy, Book 3
Genre: Paranormal Romance Futuristic
Format: Paperback, 416 pages
Published: February 23, 2010 by Forever
ISBN: 978-0446543330
Received From: Hachette Book Group

Summary:

A DANGEROUS MISSION
Vivianne Blackstone devotes herself to her career, putting her love life on hold. Her latest project is a spaceship designed to protect Earth from the deadly Tribes. But its engineer, the alluring Jordan McArthur, now threatens both her job and her wary heart . . .

AN UNDENIABLE DESIRE
Jordan's past goes back to King Arthur, and he must find the ancient artifact that can save the galaxy. Vivianne's ship is his best hope, but convincing the fiercely independent beauty won't be easy. Especially when the passion flaring between them burns through their defenses - and love is the last thing they need to survive.

My Ramblings:

Vivianne Blackstone brought herself up from having nothing to becoming the CEO and owner of a billion dollar business, Vesta Corporation. Vesta Corporation is now in the public eye while it builds the spaceship Draco, which is the one hope Earth has against being conquered by the terrifying Tribes. Jordan McArthur, who had fought against the Tribes the first time they tried to conquer Earth, has secured a position as one of the lead engineers building Draco. Information has come to Vivianne’s attention that puts suspicion on Jordan as a possible member of the Tribe.

Jordan has to find an ancient artifact, the only thing capable of saving the galaxies from the Tribes. To do this Jordan launches the Draco prematurely with Vivianne and a handful of engineers on board, to search for the artifact. In prematurely launching the Draco Jordan has only heightened Vivianne’s suspicions of him plus Jordan’s secretive nature doesn’t help Vivianne’s opinion of him either.

I know just enough about the tale of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, that Kearney's intergalactic twist on the this old legend was a very entertaining and fast read. Jordan had just the right combination of adventure, mystery and romance. The romance between Jordan and Vivianne was absolutely believable; Vivianne doubted and believed in Jordan at the same places I did as I read. Jordan was steadfast, brave and loyal; all qualities that I admired in hero. And the passion between these two was red hot from the get go.

I especially enjoyed the secondary characters of engineers; they were just geeky enough that the geek girl in me got a real kick out of several scenes in the book with these inexperienced space travelers.

One thing that really caught my attentions were the quotes at the beginning of each chapter from various book characters plus a few outside ones. These quotes were hints to the oncoming chapter. Here are two non-spoiler quotes that resonant with life in general:

"If you love someone, you'd give up everything for them. But if they love you, they won't ask you to." - Lady Guinevere

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin

Jordan was an exciting and satisfying conclusion to the Pendragon Legacy trilogy. For me all ends were tied and I was very satisfied with the ending. While each book in this trilogy can be read as a stand alone, I think to get the full enjoyment out this trilogy you should try giving all the books a go.

My Rating:

Places you can find Susan: Web Site

Pendragon Legacy Trilogy:

1. Lucan
2. Rion
3. Jordan

Other Ramblings:

• Goodreads
• LibraryThing
• My Reading Addiction
• Smexy Books

Solace & Grief by Foz Meadows 
The Rare, Book 1
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 363 pages
Published: March 1, 2010 AU and June 30, 2010 US by Ford Street Press
ISBN: 978-1876462895
Received From: Author for review

Summary from Goodreads:

Solace Morgan was born a vampire. Raised in foster care, she has always tried to keep her abilities secret, until an eerie encounter with a faceless man prompts her to run away. Finding others with similar gifts, Solace soon becomes caught up in a strange, more vibrant world than she ever knew existed. But when the mysterious Professor Lukin takes an interest in her friends, she is forced to start asking questions of her own. What happened to her parents? Who is Sharpsoft? And since when has there been a medieval dungeon under Hyde Park?

My Ramblings:

Solace Morgan grew up in a group home in Australia, that was more often than not filled with damaged and problematic kids. She was home schooled and spent much of her time by herself growing up, not having any real friends. During all this time she always knew she was different from the other kids because of her mysterious food allergies, low tolerance for the sun and special abilities. Solace suspects that she's a vampire.

The day before her birthday, Solace feels the urge to leave the group home after several mysterious messages saying "You don't belong here" and a harrowing experience with a man who instills fear in her without even seeing his face. So for the first time ever, Solace leaves the only home she has ever known on her seventeenth birthday.

Solace soon runs into a group of misfit teenagers at a club in downtown Sydney, and she ends up staying with them at an abandoned warehouse. Solace soon begins to realize that her new friends may just be as different as she is, thus begins her journey into new friendships, self discovery, and the excited world of the Rare.

Solace & Grief starts out at a good pace with a strong touch of mystery in the prologue. But I found the pace slows down after the prologue until about the middle of the book, then the pace explodes and the questions start getting answers plus the actions of certain characters are demystified, especially Solace’s actions.

I didn’t feel a connection with Solace at the beginning because there were a few times where her choices didn’t ring true and she didn’t strike me as a carefree personality who’d make those type of choices. One of those times is when she meets her new friends and takes up with them immediately, I felt she was entirely too trusting with them. But by the end of the novel I did find myself liking Solace a lot more.

I liked the eclectic cast of supernatural characters, who all had their own quirks and gave the story a sense of Alice in Wonderland feel, which I found to be entertaining. Even though the beginning was slow, I just loved the the ending. I’m just itching to tell my favorite part but I can’t because it’s a major part of the ending. The end left me feeling absolutely thrilled about where this series is heading.

Overall, Solace & Grief is a good setup novel for the start of what I see to be an excited and different take on the world of vampires, shifters and the magical. I think Solace & Grief has darker elements than what’s normally seen in YA urban fantasy, that older teens and many adults would enjoy reading.

My Rating:

Places you can find Foz: Web Site & Blog | Twitter

The Rare Series:

1. Solace & Grief
2. TBA
3. TBA

Dead Matter by Anton Strout 
Simon Canderous, Book 3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Published: February 23, 2010 by Ace
ISBN: 978-0441018444
Received From: Penguin Group (USA)

Summary:

When the paranormal raises its otherworldy head in New York City, the Department of Extraordinary Affairs executes a flawless, stick-the-landing smackdown. That’s the idea anyway, and Agent Simon Canderous can usually count on help from his mentor, Connor Christos. But Connor’s left Simon to handle a double case load as he cashes in on five years worth of saved vacation time. Simon suspects that Connor isn’t Club Medding so much as Club Deading it up—investigating the disappearance of his long lost brother.

Simon especially needs Connor when the spirit populace of Manhattan is shaken and stirred by someone intruding on their well-deserved R.I.P. But Connor’s relentless ghost whispering has sent him off the deep end; he’s haunted every night by visions of his brother’s ghost at his window. Simon’s partner may be going crazy—or worse, maybe he’s not...

Tiffany’s (Kindle Vixen) Ramblings:

Anton Strout's books continue to get better me with each new release. Dead Matter, the third book in the Simon Canderous series is a fast paced and exciting urban fantasy read. While it is #3 in a series, I think it stands on its own just fine if you absolutely can't read books 1 and 2.

Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, a super secret branch of the government dealing with paranormal activities. The backstory of the agency gives the series a humorous twist as the characters have to face big bad evil guys as well as red tape, paperwork, and stereotypical government shenanigans. Simon was recruited to the D.E.A because of his unique power to see the history and events around objects with the touch of his hand, aka psychometry.

In book 3 Simon's partner, Connor, is on extended vacation leave, forcing Simon to pick up the extra work. A late night call to check out some unusual ghost activity leads Simon to a disturbing discovery, Connor on the edge of madness as he tries to find out what happened to his brother 20 years ago. Dead Matter has Simon reaching out to help his partner only to find himself in the middle of outlandish circumstances and trying to prevent an all out war.

Simon continues to grow as an agent and person in this third installment of the series. We find him questioning the black and white of Good and Bad, looking closer into the shades of gray. It makes him and his story interesting. Connor's subplot surrounding his missing brother gives the storyline a touching boost and made me keep reading even when I thought I would need toothpicks to prop my eyelids up.

Dead Matter introduces us to a creative take on vampires and I really enjoyed their addition to the story. The conflict resolution around their existence in the end seemed a bit too easy for me, but it didn't damper my enjoyment of the story. Actually, it may have piqued my curious a bit because now I am curious to see where Mr. Strout takes this new group of characters and how they will fit in later.

Lastly, on a purely selfish note, I was relieved to have less Jane in this book. I am not fond of her and she is one of those characters I love to dislike for completely unfounded reasons. She is otherwise occupied throughout the story and I can't say I missed her.

Overall, Dead Matter starts off with a bang and keeps a fast pace all the way to the end. It is filled with funny lines, dangerous situations, and high action suspense all of which combined to keep me up far past my bed time.

Tiffany’s Rating:

Places you can find Anton: Web Site | Blog | Twitter

Simon Canderous Series:

1. Dead to Me – Tiffany’s Review
2. Deader Still – Tiffany’s Review
3. Dead Matter

Other Ramblings:

• Goodreads
• LibraryThing

Death’s Daugher by Amber Benson 
Callipe Reaper-Jones, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 368 pages
Published: February 24, 2009 by Ace
ISBN: 978-0441016945
Received From: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig's List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss...

But when her father—who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil's Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle— only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first.

My Ramblings:

Calliope "Calli" Reaper-Jones has had a Forgotten Charm put on herself so she can lead a normal mortal's life in New York City, trying to break into the world of fashion. The Forgotten Charm has made Calli forget about her family and her past. But Jarvis, a faun and her dad's assistant, shows up one day, breaks the charm's spell, makes her remember everything and tells her that her father, who is also know as Death, has been kidnapped.

A reluctant and unhappy Calli heads to home to fill her father's shoes but finds that she has to complete three seemingly improbable tasks before she can become the head of the family business, Death, Inc. While Calli tries blundering her way through these tasks, she runs into competition for the job with Daniel, who happens to be the Devil's Protege and super model sexy.

For the most part I enjoyed reading Death's Daughter, especially since it had a bit of a Buffy feel to it. There were plenty of fun characters, a lot of snarky and funny dialogue, overall entertaining. I like how Hell and Death, Inc. were run like corporations including a board of executives, definitely not my usual idea of either. Calli was sarcastic and hilariously funny at times, and her speak-before-thinking personality gets her into plenty of jams while trying to complete her three tasks for the job of Death. The downside of this book was as times I found Calli too long winded in her self-dialogues with herself and she had a few misplaced tantrums, especially when the book was a pivoting point. All in all, I like Death's Daughter well enough to read the next book. I just hope some the rambling is toned down and I find a little more grown up Callie in Cat's Claw.

My Rating: 

Places you can find Amber: Blog | Twitter

Callipe Reaper-Jones Series:

1. Death’s Daughter
2. Cat’s Claw

Other Ramblings:

• Darque Reviews
• Fang-tastic Books
• Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Blog
• Fantasy Literature
• LoveVampires
• Michelle's Book Review Blog
• Patricia's Vampire Notes

The Battle Sylph by L. J. McDonald
Sylph Trilogy, Book 1
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Published: February 23, 2010 by Leisure Books 
ISBN: 978-0843963007
Received From: Publisher

Summary:

In a world where Elemental Sylphs are used for slave labour, Solie thought her biggest problem in life was avoiding an arranged marriage with an older man. That is, until she finds herself kidnapped for use as a human sacrifice in the luring and binding of a Battler, the most dangerous kind of Sylph there is. Terrified but determined not to die, Solie fights back and finds herself suddenly the master of an immensely powerful, shape-changing creature who can take on any form she wishes.

Heyou, however, isn't the only Battle Sylph around, and the two of them are forced to run, pursued by men determined to destroy them both. With no other options left to her, Solie flees with her newfound allies to the only source of sanctuary left to them, but death is tracking them down and Heyou is filling her with desires that threaten to change the world.

My Ramblings:

The Battle Sylph was a unique read for me and yet at the same time it wasn't. There were elements that seemed familiar such as the summoning of the battle sylph by luring them from another world with a virginal maiden. Once summoned, the battle sylph is bonded and compelled by these bindings to obey their master's every command. This scenario I have seen several times but what makes it unique are the characters and where the story goes from time you start reading and finish it. The world building was terrific and I never once felt bogged down trying figure out or remember the different elements created for this story.

While reading I experienced feel-good moments, a bit of humor, a lot of excitement and some sad, heart rendering scenes. This is definitely a story that gets to you on an emotional level as you follow not just fiery Solie and her randy, battle sylph Heyou but other engaging characters, whose journeys end up entwined with each other. I also like that this story was told from the different characters' point of views throughout. This story leans more towards romantic fantasy but the story surrounds the romance and the romance isn't always the main focus throughout it.

There is one little thing that kept niggling me, it was the dialogue. The story's setting is in time that was obviously long ago but the dialogue had some modern day speak in it. I'm not saying this a bad thing but while I was reading along, every now and again, a phrase would pop up and it kind of threw my rhythm in the story. It gave the story a bit of a an odd edge but didn't take away from my enjoyment.

I think The Battle Sylph was a great beginning to the Sylph trilogy.  It was a fast paced, imaginative story that ended on a satisfying note but hints of things to come and few side stories that I would love to see closure on.

My Rating:

Places you can find L. J.: Web Site | Blog

The Sylph Trilogy:

1. The Battle Sylph
2. The Shattered Sylph – March 30, 2010
3. The Queen of the Sylphs – November 2010

Other Ramblings:

• Fresh Fiction
• Goodreads
• LibraryThing
• The Book Pushers

Servant of a Dark God by John Brown
Dark Gods Saga, Book 1 
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 488 pages
Published: October 13, 2009 by Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765322357
Received From: Koritz Communications

The launch of a towering new fantasy series introduces an elaborate new world, a strange and dark system of magic, and a cast of compelling characters and monsters. Young Talen lives in a world where the days of a person’s life can be harvested, bought, and stolen. Only the great Divines, who rule every land, and the human soul-eaters, dark ones who steal from man and beast and become twisted by their polluted draws, know the secrets of this power. This land’s Divine has gone missing and soul-eaters are found among Talen’s people.

The Clans muster a massive hunt, and Talen finds himself a target. Thinking his struggle is against both soul-eaters and their hunters, Talen actually has far larger problems. A being of awesome power has arisen, one whose diet consists of the days of man. Her Mothers once ranched human subjects like cattle. She has emerged to take back what is rightfully hers. Trapped in a web of lies and ancient secrets, Talen must struggle to identify his true enemy before the Mother finds the one whom she will transform into the lord of the human harvest.

Patrick's (Preternatural Reviews) Ramblings:

John Brown’s novel delivers on both the “classic” fantasy score as well developing a “dark” fantasy novel as well.  Using the young, inexperiencedTalen to tell the story does remind you of many of yesteryear’s fantasy story.  However, Brown’s expert world building of an entire cosmology for Servant of a Dark God is nothing short of amazing with this being a debut novel.  The dark magic that permeates this book really does help stop this book from just being a fantasy novel of old where a young nobody is suddenly thrown into circumstances where he and only he can save the world.

The Divines who rule every known land, and the dark ones, literal soul eaters, know secrets That only one of them should.  The secret that human life can be brought or stolen.  Not a secret that should get our especially amongst evil that eats souls.  Unfortunately forTalen the Divine who rules his land has gone walkabout and no one seems to know where.  Without the Divine to stop them, the soul eaters begin to ravageTalen’s land. 

The Clans of Talen’s lands begin a hunt for the soul-eaters running rampant through their land.  Talen however comes to their notice and becomes a target of their hunt as well.   As if this weren’t problem enough, Talen discovers that a being with power like no other has arisen.  An entity whose ancestors once kept human beings as livestock, devouring the days of men at their leisure.  This being of power intends to bring the “good old days” back, and nothing is going to stand in her way.

This new powerful being is hunting for one person in particular, the one that she can transform.  The one she intends to become the new Lord of the human harvest.

As I mentioned before, Brown’s world building is nothing short of stellar.  I do not read “straight” fantasy all that often, but this alone made me keep reading and forced me to care for all of the characters in Servant of a Dark God.  Another great and surprising fact in this novel is that all of Brown’s characters are important.  His family that consists of his father Hogan, his brother and sisterKe and River and his uncle and cousin Argoth and Nettle.  Plus, what I guess you could refer to as an anti-enemy named Hunger.

The problem that arises in most first time novels is present as well.  There are parts to the story that are mechanical and workmanlike.  This is something that I intend Brown to improve by his next novel since he will not have as much back story to tell.  His talent shows through, even with these small, but expect-able flaws.  There is a greater story going on here since Servant of a Dark God is marketed as a trilogy.

The best thing about Servant of a Dark God is that it is one complete story.  Unlike most books of today where the first of a trilogy mainly only lays groundwork while leaving the reader with a cliffhanger, Servant tells a complete story that gives you an amazing ending whilst making you wish for the second volume.

Patrick's Rating:

Places you can find John Brown: Web Site | Blog | Twitter

Dark Gods Saga:

1. Servant of a Dark God
2. Curse of a Dark God - Jan. 2011
3. Dark God’s Glory - Jan. 2012

Other Ramblings:

• Book Love Affair
• Debuts & Reviews
• Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Blog Review #1 | Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Blog Review #2
• Fantasy Book Critic 
• Grasping for the Wind 
• Neth Space 
• Only the Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy