Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun (review)

Paperback, 377 pages
Expected publication: June 25th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:
I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they’ll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Review:

Anyone who is a fan of Jpop/Jdrama/Manga will find the setup of Ink really familiar. Except, in this case, the main character is a foreigner. A “gaijin,” as authors seem fond of saying. I am not saying I understand the context the word is used in in Japan but in Fiji, when we said the word equivalent to “gaijin,” it really wasn’t in a complimentary tone. Anyway. Katie Greene finds herself in Japan after the death of her mother. She’s a stranger among people who do not look like her, speak her language or act in a manner she’s familiar with. Then she happens on arguably the most gorgeous boy in school breaking up with his girlfriend in a very callous manner and she is fascinated. Yes, I am still wondering about that but more on that later.

I recently wrote a research paper on cultural appropriation in children’s literature – it is not something that is generally discussed. At all. I plan on changing that. But my point is, I am sensitive to issues of cultural appropriation but unlike in Stormdancer, I felt that the author respected the culture she was writing about and used the language appropriately without trying to redefine words and traditions to suit her ambitions where the plot of the novel was concerned. Somewhat. I felt that she researched her topic and skillfully wove some of that research into the narrative. Somewhat. I want to give credit where its due so I will say that it was handled with a lot more finesse than in the other book I mentioned. That said, there were more subtle and equally problematic discourses in the subtext of this novel.

First are the threads of post-colonial discourse implied in the novel. Katie Greene is white and shown to be “superior,” because she’s the one who will be deciding the course of the novel. She’s the one who comes in from outside and is somehow more important than all the natives combined. Yeah. No. Her refusal to care about the traditions gradually peters away to her accepting the culture and she does accept Japanese “culture” as the author defines it but that, too, is problematic.

There are several times in the novel when Katie speaks of “shame” in her interactions with Hiro. I don’t understand what she means by shame – unless she is insinuating (and thus creating the Oriental woman) that since she has absorbed the Japanese culture, she is reacting as Japanese women are usually portrayed as doing (submissive, timid, timorous, you get the idea) which doesn’t make sense because she has been brought up in North America and there is no way she has completely assimilated in the Japanese culture in a matter of months. Apart from exoticizing women, this is problematic for the feminist in me.

I also found it extremely bizarre that Katie was accepted so wholly by the friends she doesn’t really treat very well. Anyone who has any sort of familiarity with Japanese culture will know that your peers will not accept you without question or without hesitation and reservation – more so in a culture so emphatically closed off. Katie is also a bit of a Mary Sue. There are three boys extremely interested in her and she chooses the dangerous one, of course. There is barely any character development. Katie goes on vacation with her one friend just so that friend’s brother can move the plot forward by revealing some information. The brother remains a cardboard character.

Katie makes all these proclamations but the one I found most ridiculous was one that occurred on the vacation where she hears the name “Amaterasu” and her “blood runs cold.” Like really? She knows nothing about this goddess, there has been no information or world-building and why would the name of a goddess make her blood run cold? It’s bizarre how everything is all about her. Katie seizes the notion that she is somehow part of this “kami” culture or population even though her obvious foreignness makes it impossible. This unexplained connection is used to delineate Katie’s special snowflake status and is reiterated (usually by Katie) once and again.

The mythology could have been fascinating if handled more deftly than it unfortunately was. The romance is troubling because Katie does not consider that this boy broke up with his girlfriend seconds earlier in a notsonice way. The ex-girlfriend’s absence is also puzzling because considering the manner in which they broke up, I’d think the ex would have some bones to grind with Hiro. The ending has the most ridiculous cliffhanger I have ever come across and rather than make me want to read the next book, it made me roll my eyes and swear “never again.”

I went into this book with great expectations. I expected it to be good. It was researched acceptably where daily life and traditions are concerned. However, the novel is extremely unconvincing in its creation of a mythology that buoys the novel. The main character is entirely unlikable and the subtext is problematic. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Spirit and Dust (Goodnight Family #2) by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 304 pages
Published May 14th 2013 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Library

Synopsis:
Daisy Goodnight can speak to the dead. It’s not the result of a head injury or some near-death experience. She was just born that way. And she’s really good at it. Good enough to help the police solve the occasional homicide.

But helping the local authorities clear cold cases is one thing. Being whisked out of chemistry class by the FBI and flown to the scene of a murder/kidnapping in Minnesota? That’s the real deal.

Before the promotion can go to Daisy’s head, she’s up to her neck in trouble. The spirits are talking, and they’re terrified. There’s a real living girl in danger. And when Daisy is kidnapped by a crime boss with no scruples about using magic—and Daisy—to get what he wants, it looks like hers is the next soul on the line.

Review:

          Rosemary Clement-Moore is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. While I have not loved all her books, I have liked them all and found in them a joie de vivre that works so well for me. Her protagonists are always so spunky and even when they have their share of insecurities and flaws, they are always easy to relate to and likeable. I remember Daisy from the Texas Gothic and I remember thinking that she had a colourful character about whom I wouldn’t mind reading more about. I got my wish in this book as Daisy sets off on an adventure that could rival Katniss’s trials and tribulations in the games arena.

Being a Goodnight, Daisy has seen more than her share of things that other, more mundane, people would write off as crazy. She is a consultant for the FBI, using her considerable supernatural powers to help them find murderers and other elements from the criminal world. The novel is fast paced and thrilling as things go from bad to worse when Daisy is kidnapped by what seems like a mob boss and then partnered with his son to find his missing daughter. What follows is a whirlwind race from one state to another, stealing cars and avoiding capture by not just the bad guys but the FBI.

Carson, the love interest, is so delicious. He is smart and witty and absolutely fun to read. But it’s Daisy who won my heart. She is practical and not given to moaning and whining. Even when things are not going her way which is most of the time. She doesn’t make any stupid decisions that make me want to pound my head against a wall and despite her attraction to Carson, she doesn’t let all the feels consume her and distract her from the primary purpose of her mission – to find the mob boss’s daughter so he can remove the geas from her.

I would have liked to see more Goodnights but the two we have are more than enough. And the plot is rather more complicated than one would have thought it to be with secret agendas and motivations holding sway. We get a glimpse of the lengths a person can go to for power and how a person’s desire to do good can be twisted and utilized to commit actions that would have the opposite effect.

I loved this book a whole lot and if you are looking for something thrilling and wondrous, this is for you. If you dislike the cover on the hardback, the paperback has the beautiful original cover. Get it, read it and enjoy it.

Born Of Illusion by Teri Brown (review)

Hardcover, 352 pages
Expected publication: June 11th 2013 by Balzer & Bray
Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis:
Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Review:

Born of Illusion is, I can tell because I have superior powers (just kidding), the first in a series. It will either be a trilogy, no, it most probably be a trilogy. The novel is set in the 20s, as, for some reason or another, YA novels are wont to be. The setting does not play as large a part in the novel as it does in Bray’s The Diviners but the narrative is nicely sprinkled with meaty tidbits that situate the reader firmly in that decade.

My favourite part of this novel is Anna van Housen. Oft times, in my experience at least, I may  like a main character, I may even empathize with her but once the book is done she will be, ultimately, lost among all the other main characters so plentifully present in YA novels. Anna feels real. Her mommy issues are genuine and understandable and her small actions to separate herself and grow as a person in her own right rather than as an extension of her mother makes for intriguing reading. I think the dynamics of the relationship between mother and daughter with the layered conflicts and rich emotional payoff is what makes this novel so successful. Oh, the mythology, the paranormal aspect is gripping enough but Brown’s skill is in the way she creates believable and seemingly genuine relationships between people.

Anna’s mother is beautiful and uses this beauty and the accompanying charisma to further her business as a mentalist. She pretends to hear the voices of the dead and fleeces grieving parents/sons/daughters off their money. Oh and she also tells the world that Anna’s dad is Harry Houdini. The Houdini question is never answered explicitly but enough is implied that it is easy enough to read between the lines. Anna is the one who has the true powers, powers that she does not necessarily need or even want. There is a secretive society made up of magic practitioners and a supreme villain looking to harness the powers of the uninitiated for his own nefarious plans. Oh, there’s also this loveable inventor whose inventions come in very handy. All that’s missing is a talking cat but one can hope that the next few installments will provide that as well.

The romance I liked. There is a bit too much mush but I’m forgiving because the love interest is so interesting in his own right and evinces qualities that are not usually common to a love interest. He has a personality! Haha.

I had two main issues with this novel. First, the pacing seems intentionally slow. The novel is 352 pages and I think some tighter editing could have culled it down without losing anything but heightening the tension. The mystery, such as it was, was a bit too predictable and since I connected the dots so very easily, I wondered why Anna didn’t. Also, I wonder why there wasn’t more information given about Anna’s otherworldly powers but I have a feeling that Brown is saving that for the second book which, from the hint given to us at the end of this one, is going to be pretty darned awesome.

Get your hands on this book, guys. It has a wonderful protagonist, a kissable love interest and some fantastic action.

 

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) by Kasie West (review)

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published February 12th 2013 by HarperTeen
Source: Library

Synopsis:
Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Review:

I saw some really mixed reviews of this book and I was disappointed because it has such a fascinating premise and I really wanted to read it. So I went ahead and read it anyway.

(See, this is how negative reviews do not stop me from reading a book I truly want to read!)

And boy, was I glad that I did. There is this trend in YA recently (and this trend will get its very own post) where the main character either splinters or two or has dual identities or has two separate people living in one body. While Pivot Point does not unfold along those lines, it does have a duality to it that intrigues me.

Addison can see the future. Or rather, she can see the future as it pertains to her and the choices she makes. She can see what would happen if she chose something or other. She can see both paths. Pretty darned cool ability to have, I say.

When her parents split up and she goes “Searching” for what her future would look like were she to choose her mother or her father, she lives six weeks of very different lives. She falls in love with two different people and ends up losing people in both these lives. The question at the end for her is, who can she stand to lose?

The fact that she is in her bedroom, safe, throughout the story, even as she is in dangerous situations grounds the reader and lets them enjoy the tension, the danger without being too perturbed by what is happening. There is a love triangle but not a conventional one. I started out cheering for one dude and ended up changing my mind because the author built it up so superbly that I couldn’t help but go with the dude she chose. Kasie West writes some of the swooniest scenes.

I liked the sharp wit, the crisp prose and the character creation. I especially loved how both paths have parallel storylines that are shown from different distances depending on the decisions Addison makes in each life she is leading. I thought that was quite genius, actually. I also loved the whole supernatural compound deal. Even though these people had powers etc, they still dealt with the same problems faced by “Normals” as we mere humans are called.

Pivot Point is a very strong debut from Kasie West and I can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeve. Definitely recommended.

 

Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox (review)

Hardcover, 448 pages
Expected publication: June 11th 2013 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Source: ALA

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Canny Mochrie’s vacation takes a turn when she stumbles upon a mysterious and enchanting valley, occupied almost entirely by children who can perform a special type of magic that tells things how to be stronger and better than they already are. As Canny studies the magic more carefully, she realizes that she not only understands it–she can perform the magic, too, so well that it feels like it has always been a part of her. With the help of an alluring seventeen-year-old boy who is held hostage by a spell that is now more powerful than the people who first placed it, Canny figures out the secrets of this valley and of her own past.

Review:

This book is strange and wonderful. And so deliciously different.

Elizabeth Knox is a New Zealander (or as we call them, Kiwi) and Mortal Fire reflects the geographical location of the writer even though the book itself is set in a parallel world where some things are similar but others aren’t. Actually, the book is set in the same world as her Dreamhunter duology though this novel does not speak about them at all apart from a solitary mention.

There are some things I loved about this novel and other things I did not like quite as much.

I liked how dedicated Canny is to her best friend. I like that this dedication is not a mark of her flawlessness but rather her decision to be brave and visit her friend in the hospital every single day. I also really like Canny’s mother who is rather cool and very different from many of the other adults populating YA novels. I like that there is a discussion of racial discrimination even though the book is not focused wholly on that. I liked the portrayal of nature; everything seems lush and inviting, as though the seasons were stuck on later summer and harvest. I liked how peculiar Canny is. She’s different on so many levels.

I moved from Fiji to Canada when I was in grade 12 so I did most of my grade 12 here and the first thing I realized was how grown up kids here are. I re-realized this when reading Mortal Fire because even though Canny is sixteen or so, she still sounds much younger when you compare her to North American adolescents and it made me wonder, does childhood last longer on that side of the world and also, why are our children growing up so much faster? It would  make an interesting paper, actually. Maybe someday.

I also really like Finn. I don’t know how much I feel about the Found One but my ambivalent feelings aside, I mostly liked Finn. The mythology is different and fascinating, rather folksy actually, and I liked how removed this is from the rest of the stuff on the market currently. The narrative unravels in interesting ways and things fit into place with an almost audible click.

However, I felt that Knox spent way more time than warranted on the mining incident. I know that it has important implications to the character of one of the main players but honestly, I think Knox delved into it at a depth that wasn’t necessary and that served to slow the pace way down and frustrate the reader at the lack of things happening in the story. Also, the Found One appears rather abruptly and I think readers and the narrative would have benefited from some gradual development where it was concerned.

That said, the book is still very readable. Not everyone will love it but for those who can sit through (or skip) the whole mining details (skim it) and read to the end, will find themselves satisfied by the denouement of the story. I recommend it.

The Shambling Guide to New York City (The Shambling Guides #1) by Mur Lafferty (review)

Paperback, 368 pages
Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by Orbit
Source: Net Galley

Syopsis:
Because of the disaster that was her last job, Zoe is searching for a fresh start as a travel book editor in the tourist-centric New York City. After stumbling across a seemingly perfect position though, Zoe is blocked at every turn because of the one thing she can’t take off her resume — human.

Not to be put off by anything — especially not her blood drinking boss or death goddess coworker — Zoe delves deep into the monster world. But her job turns deadly when the careful balance between human and monsters starts to crumble — with Zoe right in the middle.

Review:

I have made it a mission to check out all accessible UF novels as I am attracted to novels featuring kickass female protagonists. Who are flawed but have qualities that make me root for them and their happiness despite their flaws. Protagonists such as Rachel Morgan and Cassandra Palmer. Though Lafferty has quite an impressive backlist, I haven’t read anything by her so I went into The Shambling Guide intrigued but not expecting anything. I was very pleasantly surprised. The writing is smart, crisp and to the point.

Urban Fantasy is a genre in which lyrical prose really doesn’t work. It is fueled more by the plot unfurling than by character development. Lafferty delivers perfectly on that count. We meet Zoe as she searches around a seemingly decrepit bookstore. There she sees a job ad for an editor in chief. A position she has just lost due to her affair with her boss without realizing he was married. I am a bit skeptical about that. How does a man hide his wife? Especially when she’s the chief of the police in the area? Wouldn’t she drop by the office? Wouldn’t other people know? Do men really hide their wives like that?

Anyway, I’m getting distracted. As I said, flawed protagonist. And while I don’t condone adultery and cheating at all, I will take Zoe’s flimsy excuse that she didn’t know he was married. The novel is jam packed with action. Things are happening at full speed and there is just the right amount of tension and danger. There’s even a slightly yoda-ish lady and a crazy surprise at the end that I liked. There is a little romance and Lafferty does awesomely well in making the romance a side plot. I hate books that promise to be UF and end up as romance novels disguised as UF.

What I especially liked about this novel is that while the setting and characters are fantastic, they’re realistically fantastic. There are overweight vampires, zombies who bring brains for lunch, incubi who are creeps and change appearances according to their targets and hunger level (that was quite fascinating). All the supernatural creatures mentioned are fascinating and unique and have something to themselves other than the stereotype popular culture has foisted on them.. Zoe is a very likable protagonist and she completely won me over. I look forward to following her on more adventures as she writes/edits traveling guides to other cities. Strongly recommended.

Lady Lazarus (Lady Lazarus #1) by Michele Lang

Paperback, 320 pages
Published August 31st 2010 by Tor Books
Source: Author

Synopsis:
With the romance of Twilight, the suspense of The Dresden Files, and the delicious thrills of True Blood, the enthralling saga of Magdalena Lazarus unfolds. Descended from the legendary witch of Ein Dor, she alone holds the power to summon the angel Raziel and stop Hitler and his supernatural minions from unleashing total war in Europe. The Nazis have fighters more fearsome than soldiers, weapons more terrifying than missiles, and allies that even they are afraid of SS werewolves; the demon Asmodel who possesses a willing Adolf Hitler, and other supernatural creatures all are literally hell-bent on preventing Magda from possessing the Book of Raziel, a magical text with the power to turn the tide against Hitler’s vast war machine.

Magda, young and rebellious, grew up in the cosmopolitan city of Budapest, unaware of her family’s heritage. When her mother dies, Magda–ready or not–is the Lazarus, who must face the evil that holds Europe in an iron grip. Unready to assume the mantle of her ancient birthright, but knowing that she must fight, she sets out across Europe searching for the Book. Magda is desperate enough to endanger her soul by summoning the avenging angel Raziel. When she sees him in the glory of his celestial presence, her heart is utterly, completely lost…

Review:

Lady Lazarus has this otherworldly feel to it. It gave me the same feeling I get when I read books set in Russia or anywhere that is not here, actually. It’s set in a place steeped with history, blood, tears, laughter, joy and sorrow. It is Holocaust literature but it re-envisions that period with werewolves, witches, demons and angels. There is a strong thread of spirituality and religiosity, specifically Judaist traditions, running through it and I found it fascinating to delve into places and events that I have very little knowledge about.

What fascinated me most about this novel was Magda’s gradual decline, if you want to call it that. She is, rather unfairly in my opinion, sent on a suicide mission by her sister to retrieve a book that belongs to her family and that was written by the angel Raziel. Traveling during Hitler’s attempt to eradicate Jews was dangerous enough but throw in a crazy wizard who wants the books for himself, Nazi werewolves, demonnesses and general despair. I liked the world building and I liked that the darker aspects of Magda’s nature are explored. When she returns from the dead, she loses a bit of her spirit and she does it willingly because to fail is to consign her sister and best friend to certain death.

The romance is a bit awkward and too fast, I needed some gradual development in that area but I won’t quibble with it. But it is nothing like Twilight and for the synopsis to compare the two does this book an injustice. Yes, I said it. The portion that Magda spends out of her body and stuck in an envelope is in turns fascinating and frustrating because it halted the story a bit. However, the narrative flows in a way that answers important questions but I think a lot of it may be a bit abstruse for some readers.

I enjoyed it because Magdalena is a fantastic character. Her journey, physical and spiritual, is fun to follow. Couple that with rich history, fascinating settings, thrills and danger, and you’ve got a winner. While the romance is not explicit in the novel and a bit awkward, I did enjoy it more than many others I have read.  I will definitely be reading the next one in the trilogy.

Rift (Nightshade Prequel #1) by Andrea Cremer (review)

Hardcover, 430 pages
Published August 7th 2012 by Philomel
Source: Library

Synopsis:
Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer’s internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother’s life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

Review:

I have had Cremer’s Nightshade (purchased mostly  because the cover was so gorgeous I couldn’t resist) for a long while now. As it happens (and it usually does happen this way), I ended up reading the first book in her prequel trilogy. I think what discouraged me most from reading Nightshade was the general reactions of friends who were reading the third book in that trilogy when I was deciding to read it or let it linger. They did not like the guy the main character ends up – they did not like him at all.

Anyway, what’s up on the review board is the prequel and I liked it. It is a bit meatier than your run-of-the-mill YA fantasy; the writing style is also a lot more mature and developed. The world is pretty well developed and there was never any jarring moment where the narrative tossed you out into the world because of inconsistencies with the time and the writing. I also appreciated the breadth of the novel. It reads more like a proper high fantasy than a YA fantasy which is focused more on the romance than the fantastical elements. This is not to imply that this novel does not focus on romance, it does but it almost feels like a secondary trajectory and not the focal point of the narrative as it usually is.

What I found really interesting about this novel is how little of the narrative is concerned with the so-called main character. She is an important character – yes – but she is just one of the important characters. She, so far, is not the one though things may change. The characterizations in the novel are strong in that you get an actual sense of the character and not cardboard (and regurgitated) stereotypes. The pacing is spot on though there may have been moments when it lagged a bit. But hands down, the most fascinating aspect of the novel is the gradual development or should I say breakdown of the warrior woman who becomes the villain of the piece. Her arc in the novel is very well done. She starts out with pure intentions and perhaps she still has them by the end but the fanaticism that had been lurking in her all throughout comes to a surface helped by elements and beings who, while promising her liberty, enslave her. It’s a very close look at what humanity is made out of and this aspect of the novel gives it more substance than it would have had otherwise.

In conclusion, I thought this was quite entertaining. It had all the elements common to the trope but it also incorporated some new things in the narrative that made it more than just fluff. I recommend it.

Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2) by Amanda Carlson (review)

Paperback, 320 pages
Published April 23rd 2013 by Orbit
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:
It hasn’t been the best week for Jessica McClain.

Her mate has been kidnapped by a Goddess hell-bent on revenge — but Jessica is playing for keeps.

Because she’s the only female werewolf in town…it comes with its own set of rules…and powers.

Aided by two vamps, two loyal Pack members, and one very reluctant human, Jessica must rescue her man while coming to terms with what being a wolf really means.

All in a day’s work for a girl.

Review:

The Jessica McClain series continued in Hot Blooded where Jessica, her twin brother, another werewolf, a cop and two vampires (whew) set off to rescue Jessica’s mate from a vengeful goddess who is determined to keep Jessica’s mate for herself. That was a mouthful.

The novel continues in the same vein as the first one in the series. It is chocked full of action, supernatural creatures, danger and goats. Yes, man eating goats that provide much needed humour in the novel. The vampires are interesting and though there are some corny bits in the writing (kind of cheesy, actually) the novel is fun.

Jessica discovers new things about herself and she gains some new powers or rather discovers abilities and skills that she didn’t know she had or could access. She makes a female friend in  the vampire (there are barely any females in the novels). The male to female ratio is extremely skewed but ah well, this series is a guilty pleasure.

The goddess is on the wrong side of crazy (and not in a good way either) and the ending complicates things even more. However, the mate is rescued (as if there was any doubt) and then commences a lot of snogging and some extremely cheesy dialogue until things go crazy once a gain and this is when we take a breath which we will release when the third book in the series is released. Hopefully soon. As I said before, fans of Ilona Andrews, Karen Chance and Seanan McGuire will appreciate this series.

River Road (Sentinels of New Orleans #2) by Suzanne Johnson (review)

Hardcover, 332 pages
Published November 13th 2012 by Tor Books
Source: Publisher

Synopsis:
Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but the preternatural storm rages on in New Orleans. New species from the Beyond moved into Louisiana after the hurricane destroyed the borders between worlds, and it falls to wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the preternaturals peaceful and the humans unaware. But a war is brewing between two clans of Cajun merpeople in Plaquemines Parish, and down in the swamp, DJ learns, there’s more stirring than angry mermen and the threat of a were-gator.

Wizards are dying, and something—or someone—from the Beyond is poisoning the waters of the mighty Mississippi, threatening the humans who live and work along the river. DJ and Alex must figure out what unearthly source is contaminating the water and who—or what—is killing the wizards. Is it a malcontented merman, the naughty nymph, or some other critter altogether? After all, DJ’s undead suitor, the pirate Jean Lafitte, knows his way around a body or two.

It’s anything but smooth sailing on the bayou as the Sentinels of New Orleans series continues.

Review:

I enjoyed River Road a bit better than I did its predecessor. I found the prose flowed better and the situations, as they occurred, were better planned out. The pace, too, was quick and as this genre functions primarily on the thrills it gives readers through the action scenes, this was a good thing.

I also like that Drusilla, unlike the many tough-talking badass UF protagonists out there, doesn’t know how to handle a gun. She’s a bit softer than a UF protagonist usually is and I liked how that makes her distinct. She’s not super strong but she is smart and so she has to find ways to make up for the lack of physical strength. I also like how Drusilla’s elven nature is coming to the fore and her heritage is going to be discussed possibly in the next book. I can’t wait to see how that pans out.

The descriptions of New Orleans feel authentic and the world-building is very well done. However, the characters, apart from the main two, could do with a bit more work. Three years have passed (in book time) since the events of the first book and I expected that to have a lot more bearing on the characters than it actually does. Drusilla is unchanged as are Alex and Jake. It seems weird that Alex wouldn’t have told Drusilla that she was “going out” with him and who goes out with one person for three years without the family ever meeting her? And the city isn’t that big, how has Drusilla managed not to run into Jake despite her partner living in the flat above Jake’s bar. Stuff like this detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

Additionally, there are two other things that still bother me about this novel. One is Drusilla’s many suitors. Alex is cute and I can accept that there is friction between Dru and Alex, then there is Jacob, who, okay, his presence has a lot of potential for tension and conflict and I understand his presence too but then there is Jean LaFitte. She’s nowhere like Anita Blake but three guys is pushing it.

Two, this girl is judgmental as hell. I dislike slut shaming. I don’t think a woman’s morals should be judged by her sexuality or the clothes she wears or the twist of her hips. If you feel insecure about another woman’s beauty, confidence and sexuality, the issues and the insecurities are yours. There is no problem with the other woman being as she is. Besides, the “slut” in question is a nymph so it’s her nature.

I hated that Drusilla described a nymph as a slut. And mentioned it once and again. I also disliked that Drusilla didn’t want to wear red because it was reminiscent of a brothel or she didn’t want someone’s mother’s thoughts to go that way. I also didn’t like her saying “Happy Hooker” to describe what she’s not with regards to her own sexuality. I think the author needs to have more sensitivity and a keener awareness about the messages that she may be unintentionally sending through Drusilla. I like the world and the settings. I like the mythology and I like the idea of a Beyond. However, I do not like rape culture.

I will read the next book though, with the hope that Drusilla will get more sensitive, more aware and less judgmental.