Full Blooded (Jessica McClain #1) by Amanda Carlson (review)

Paperback, 322 pages
Published September 11th 2012 by Orbit
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:
Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different—she’s feared.

After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.

But not everyone is on board. The werewolf Rights of Laws is missing text and the superstitious werewolves think that Jessica means an end to their race. It doesn’t help when Jessica begins to realize she’s more. She can change partway and hold her form, and speak directly to her wolf. But the biggest complication by far is that her alpha father can’t control her like he can the rest of his wolves.

When a mercenary who’s been hired by the vampires shows up to extract information about the newly turned werewolf only days after her change, they find themselves smack in the middle of a war and there’s no choice but to run together. When it’s up to Jessica to negotiate her release against her father’s direct orders, she chooses to take an offer for help instead. In exchange, Jessica must now swear an oath she may end up repaying with her life.

Review:

I really like how this book begins. We meet Jessica when she is in the middle of changing. In Carlson’s world, there are no such things are female werewolves so when Jessica does the impossible and becomes one, things get messy quick.

It has been a while since I read urban fantasy that I liked much. I’ve learned to go to my trusted authors and not try anyone new because of previously unsavoury experiences. However, Carlson has created a world teeming with interesting supernatural creatures, a likable heroine and fun side characters. There is a reverse harem of sorts and while the novel is sexy, it is moderately so and not the orgiastic deluge that comes with Laurell K. Hamilton’s novels.

The pacing is very fast. Things happen and keep on happening and then we take a breath and read the next book but that’s another review. The breakneck speed works for the genre so I didn’t mind it at all and I also liked how Jessica gains her powers gradually. It’s not all “I woke up one day and I was awesomely powerful.” I liked how Carlson created Jessica’s “wolf.” She seems to be a personality of her own, independent of Jessica’s feelings and thoughts. And okay, their internal monologues are funny, especially where one werecat is concerned. I think the “mate” thing came about a bit too soon because I would have liked Jessica to become more comfortable on her own, as a werewolf, before being saddled with the emotional drama that comes with having a mate who is not even your own species.

However, the series is off to a snazzy start. I like it and people who like Ilona Andrews, Karen Chance and other similar authors will appreciate this as well.

Black City – Elizabeth Richards (review)

Hardcover, 384 pages
Published November 13th 2012 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons BYR
Source: ARC provided by Publisher

Synopsis:

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Review:

Reading this was a painful experience. I cringed my way through the novel and I will try to explain why I couldn’t get into the story. I may end up making a garbled argument that you will not understand but in any case, I urge you to make your own mind.

The synopsis of the novel excited me a whole bunch because I still like vampires. I like them even though they never seem to be represented well in young adult fiction – I have yet to read a vampire I can like, honestly. Anyway, Black City presented me with Darklings and Ash, a twin-blood – human and vampire. What is up with the name Ash and young adult love interests anyway? Well, I guess as long as it’s not John. Ash has many issues, the biggest one of them being that he lives in a city where he is treated as something worse than scum. The city has been divided by a huge wall which keeps Darklings (aka vampires) on one side and the humans on the other. Oh, and Ash gets to live on the human side due to his human part. Hur.

Then there is Natalie. The daughter of the grand dame in charge of the city. I think her mother is called the Sentry. The mother is all kinds of horrible and just reinforces the age old trope that any woman in power is corrupt and bound to go evil. Anyway, the mother may just get worst mother ever award but who knows, we may find a better candidate somewhere down the line. Natalie is…I want to say flaccid. She has no personality. She is protected by pretty boys, one of them a glorious specimen of ego called Sebastian. I have a predilection towards feisty heroines so I may be biased but seriously, the girl does not redeem herself in a way I could totally get behind.

When you put Ash and Natalie together, you get an explosion and something called Blood Mates. Which is a creepy way of saying Soul Mates. Natalie makes Ash’s heart pound for the first time ever only that doesn’t work because Natalie’s heart is not even hers. Her evil mother stole it from a female twin-blood who didn’t need it. So in actuality Natalie is not the Blood Mate but Evangeline is. Ash is full of desire for Evangeline and proceeds to snog her quite enthusiastically in front of Natalie until he gets bitten by the flea of remorse and makes like a drenched Romeo. He finally wins Natalie over cuz it’s true lurve and all and then there proceeds to be some killing and confessing and noble idiocy. But no one dies because Ash is cool like that and the book ends with the main villain dude finally making an appearance and throwing around threats that sound like something a tired Bollywood villain would say.

The novel is full of clichés with cardboard characters and plot turns that feel staged and not organic to the world. There are parts that are potentially interesting, for example, whatever happened in the mountains or wherever Natalie’s dad took the Darklings to kill or to keep, that story would have been interesting to read but this whole Natalie/Ash fiasco is a tired reiteration of teenage drama and angst. The writing is choppy and the transitions are awkward. The characterizations…what characterizations? It reads like an extremely bad soap opera and I really think you ought to skip this one but who am I to stop you from your pleasures? Natalie thinks that the Darkling servant her family keeps should feel honored to wear an ID bracelet that announces her servitude. Ash snacks on drugged up girls for breakfast. Natalie loves her mother despite being treated like trash and telling her that she doesn’t love her as much as she loves her sister. I can understand the loving part – I just don’t get the lack of anger and bitterness. Is that normal to anyone besides long-suffering, weakly developed young adult novel protagonists?

Look, this is my review so I’m just going to say it. I didn’t like the book. A lot. The above should illuminate the reasons why but in case it doesn’t, just take my word for it. Okay?

This Case is Gonna Kill Me – Phillipa Bornikova (review)

Paperback, 1st Edition, 320 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2012 by Tor Books
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

What happens when The Firm meets Anita Blake? You get the Halls of Power—our modern world, but twisted. Law, finance, the military, and politics are under the sway of long-lived vampires, werewolves, and the elven Alfar. Humans make the best of rule by “the Spooks,” and contend among themselves to affiliate with the powers-that-be, in order to avoid becoming their prey. Very loyal humans are rewarded with power over other women and men. Very lucky humans are selected to join the vampires, werewolves, and elves—or, on occasion, to live at the Seelie Court.

Linnet Ellery is the offspring of an affluent Connecticut family dating back to Colonial times. Fresh out of law school, she’s beginning her career in a powerful New York “white fang” law firm. She has high hopes of eventually making partner.

But strange things keep happening to her. In a workplace where some humans will eventually achieve immense power and centuries of extra lifespan, office politics can be vicious beyond belief. After some initial missteps, she finds herself sidelined and assigned to unpromising cases. Then, for no reason she can see, she becomes the target of repeated, apparently random violent attacks, escaping injury each time through increasingly improbable circumstances. However, there’s apparently more to Linnet Ellery than a little old-money human privilege. More than even she knows. And as she comes to understand this, she’s going to shake up the system like you wouldn’t believe….

Review:

Whoever named this novel must have been on crack because honestly, along with book covers, no, more than book covers, it is the titles of books that lure me in and This Case is Gonna Kill Me does not, in any way, attract me as a reader. The book could have been called so many other things that would have aptly, more attractively, reflected the story within but alas.

Moving on, the novel has a very interesting set up. Vampires, werewolves and fairies all inhabiting the world of law. Lawyering and law are hardly the stuff made for excitement – unless it is criminal law of course. But Bornikova succeeds in creating a fresh new world where vampire lawyers exist and female vampires do not. Where werewolves are violent and faeries are fae. Linnet is a human lawyer who is also a vampire fosterling and following her acceptance at one of the most lauded law firms, gets inexplicably embroiled in hair raising situations. She has an uncanny knack for survival and this tells me that there is more to Linnet than meets the eye. Where law, lawyering and the business are concerned, the writing is crisp and on point. The plot, while predictable, is exciting and keeps you turnings the pages. What I had problems with is the romance.

Bornikova needs to work on her characterizations.  Linnet is not very interesting or compelling but the love interest, the fae whose name I can’t remember, is even flatter. I do not understand why he drops everything to help her out – to the point that he even got out of bed with another woman to come rescue her. The mush factor is huge and feels very improbable. The love interest is created more as an ideal partner than a person in his own right, with his own foibles and flaws. Linnet has, not very originally, gay best friends. She also is not very secure about her looks. I would have thought that someone with the smarts to be a lawyer would have more esteem and confidence that she shows.

Despite my quibbling, however, I did enjoy the novel. I just hope that the sequel tones down the romance and fleshes out the characters.

Dark Companion – Marta Acosta (Review)

Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Tom Doherty Associates
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.
They are.

The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….

Review:

Are you ready for a long, involved discussion? Because that’s what you’re going to get. I felt like this book had lots of layers to it. Some of them I quite liked and others, I didn’t quite care for all that much. First, I appreciated how subtly clever the author was with the epigraph. (An epigraph, in literature, is a quotation/poem/etc at the beginning of a chapter or a novel that does two things: one, sets the mood of the novel/chapter and two, contextualizes the work or induct its among the ranks of a preexisting canon.) Acosta’s first epigraph is from a novel by Ann Radcliffe and if you know anything about Brit Lit, you will be aware that she was important where the Gothic genre is concerned. This epigraph lets readers know that Dark Companion is a Gothic novel and tells them to expect the eerie mood and atmosphere characteristic of Gothic novels. This is setting the mood of the novel without even writing a single word, people! Genius stuff. Acosta follows it up by naming the Headmistress Mrs. Radcliffe which I personally thought was a bit overkill but that’s just a personal preference.

There are several things I really liked about this novel. Let me tell you about them. The characterizations are well done. The characters pop out of the page at you and I have to admit, my favourite characters are Jane’s female friends. I love love love Mary Violet, she of the creative vocabulary and expansive gestures. Her brand of craziness is right up my alley. I also really liked the dynamics of their friendship. Obviously there’s an imbalance in their social and financial status – between Jane and the rest – but there’s an inherent honesty between them that makes the status thing obsolete. The writing is a pleasure to read as Acosta does not shy away from using words that may not be present in the vocabulary of every day teens, rather she revels in playing with language. I also appreciated how Acosta approached the Mean Girls. There were some present but they weren’t given as much prominence as they usually are. Another thing that I thought was well done was how Acosta took time and thought to portray Jane’s lack of choices where her life was concerned. She did this to prepare readers for a decision Jane makes that would seem like anathema to most of us (hopefully) but as she shows readers, Jane has literally no other choice. We are snug in our bedrooms, content in the knowledge that we are loved and have a roof over our heads and therefore, we may find it easy to judge Jane for her decisions. I’m not going to lie – I did. In fact, I got a squicky feeling that had me re-evaluating how much I liked the novel. Even though I realized that Jane had no other choice left to her if she wanted to get ahead in life – I still felt that she ought to have had fashioned for herself a different choice. Perhaps that’s just me and my personal limits and boundaries that I don’t see myself crossing no matter what.

What I didn’t care for at all in the novel is the romance. I understand this is a Gothic novel and I reckon this is a matter of personal preference but I cannot stand a main character who behaves stupidly where a boy is concerned. Especially one who is supposed to be street smart and cynical. On the flip side, this may exactly be why she behaves this way – because never before has she had so much attention showered on her by a guy who looks like well, who looks as gorgeous as he supposedly does. I honestly felt that the romance was the weak point of this novel. Jane’s justification about the change in her object of affection is frankly unbelievable and I would have accepted it once or twice but the repetitiveness of her justifications (but I love him!) drains away my patience. And then the sudden change makes things even more unbelievable. I was all for the change but come on now, make it a bit more gradual and not such a sudden epiphany. However, once my grumbling is done, I found Jack to be a very interesting love interest and Lucky…well, he’s Lucky, the less said the better. I will say, though, that once the mess was resolved, I quite liked how Jane and the guy she ends up with interact. It was cute.

I wish there had been more page time devoted to that wood creature that Jane seems to have such an affinity for. I wanted Jane to have some power of her own that offset the hideousness of her earlier life. I felt that she deserved it.

In conclusion, Dark Companion is a very readable book. It offers you intrigue, adventure, thrills and glimpses of very strong friendship. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Acosta comes up with next.

A Perfect Blood – Kim Harrison

Hardcover, 438 pages
Published February 21st 2012 by Harper Voyager
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth–a would-be creator is determined to make his (or her) own demons. But it can’t be done without Rachel’s blood, in this latest blockbuster by a “New York Times”-bestselling author.

Review:

Another rollercoaster ride but one that I did not love as much as the one before it. That one was kinda awesome so I am not surprised that A Perfect Blood shone a bit dimmer in the face of its brilliance. Also it might be because I read both within a space of twelve hours and my mind was reaching oversaturated levels in Brimstone (jnsiders will get this). Anyway, at the end of the last book, Rachel’s demon-ness was established and her absolute lack of rights in the human world was also alluded to. This novel elaborates on the premise laid down in the previous novel by showing how exactly circumstances have changed for Rachel especially with regard to the way she is treated by human and supernatural alike.

The humans, who have not really been key players in this series, come to the surface in the novel and complicate things a whole lot, showing that things are a lot more complex than Rachel and in extension, we the readers may have realized. It also reworks the supposed hierarchy which features the supernaturals at the top of the food chain. It also exposes some of the uglier aspects of human nature and I was very ready to become a witch by the end of the novel. Rachel’s growth in the novel was frustrating and there were moments when I wanted to scream at her for her stupidity and her thick headedness and her stubborn need to learn every lesson the hard way.

But she does learn those necessary lessons and if she has scars to prove that she did, well, it’s her fault. What’s more interesting is the way Trent is developed in this novel. I really enjoyed seeing him in a way different than what we had been shown previously. Since Pale Demon, his character has been slowly unraveling to reveal someone more approachable, more…human for lack of a better word and someone who is, again, more complex than we had been shown. And his relationship with Rachel becomes a lot more interesting though she is still mooning over her bodyguard’s butt who is also making her offers of unattached sexytimes. I don’t know. If Harrison goes down that road, I am going to very disappointed. Hm. I enjoyed this book, there were glimmers of Al as a more substantial character and more hints about the conclusion of the novel. The next three books in the series promise to be really, really good and I can’t wait to read them.

Pale Demon – Kim Harrison

Hardcover, 432 pages
Published February 22nd 2011 by Eos
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passenger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

Review:

Oh what a fabulous read. Dear Writers of Young Adult Trilogies/Series, please take notes. THIS is how you write an installment in a series/trilogy. So I took an unplanned year off reading The Hollows series. I don’t know why I didn’t. I think I just got distracted reading too many other books to give attention to what remains after 10 books my favourite urban series ever. Kim Harrison’s YA series? Does not hold a handle to her adult series. I’ve been waiting for this novel ever since I found out that Rachel and Trent were going on a road trip together. Of course I didn’t realize that there would be so many other passengers in the car along with them but I didn’t really mind in the end.

I’ve compared reading The Hollows novels to riding rollercoasters and Pale Demon was no exception. There are car chases, assassin Elves, creepy day-walking demons, kidnapping pixies and Jenks, who remains my 4 inched hero. His curses remain awesome (Tink’s a Disney whore the most common of them yet) and he makes up for what he lacks in size (being a pixie) with his presence and contribution to the novel as well as his enduring relationship to Rachel and Ivy. There are some awesome moments between Ivy and Rachel that were a long time coming and I am glad that they finally talked about it and things happened. I think this book gives the first hint that the series is reaching its conclusion (and it will be a very sad day when I read the last book).

There are also those heartbreaking moments where your heart wants to fold into itself – when Rachel realizes she has been betrayed albeit unintentionally and the sheer stupidity of the Council will make you want to aim some arrows a la Katniss. However, what I most want to talk about is Trent and his, dare I say, non-relationship with Rachel. I have had my suspicions that Harrison would go this route for the longest time and in this book, I get the first inkling that my suspicions may have been founded. Trent is as flawed as they come but that is okay because Rachel probably wouldn’t fit perfect even if it was custom made for her. The sexual tension has been between them since the first book but this is the first time there was something more involved. I am still cautious about it though I hope that Harrison takes it forward to its natural conclusion. Rachel’s romantic entanglements have never been the focus of the novels and I liked how neatly it was woven into the narrative this time around too. And that kiss. Swoon city, you own me.

Also the ending was ace too. I love it when books in a series are still standalone books that can be read and enjoyed. Some YA authors should be taking notes about how to end an installment in a series too. If you leave a reader satisfied, she is more like to come back and read the second book. Cliffhangers do nothing but frustrate and aggravate.

Pale Demon is, I believe, my favourite out of the series so far. So, so, sooo good.

The Immortal Rules – Julie Kagawa (A Review)

Hardcover, 485 pages
Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Review:

Let me preface this review by announcing to all and sundry that I, yes I, actually liked The Immortal Rules. It’s not a perfect novel by any means but I liked it. Not for its plot really because there’s nothing novel about it but because I liked Allison. I also still like vampires. I don’t know why. I don’t think of them as sexy…there’s the whole corpse thing. Okay no, I might be persuaded to think of them as sexy should the words find themselves in the hands of the right author but I think they are intriguing. I think it’s the whole immortal bit. I know it’s supposed to be all oh my goodness, eternity is sooo tiring but dude, I’d like the chance to find out for myself. Know what I mean? Yeah? Yeahhh.

Okay, another reason I like TIR (because typing out the entire thing is takes too long and I’m lazy) is because it’s so smartly written. Yes, it’s smart. Kagawa situating her protagonist’s origin in the “Fringe” gives the reader a direct, first row view, into life on the other side of the fence, that is, as a blood suckee instead of a sucker. The clarity of the description about life on the fringes of society, heck, humanity gave me a new appreciation for my status as fully human right now. Also, the emphasis on reading etc? Loved that. Anyway, beginning the novel before Allison gets turned lets the reader understand and empathize with the internal battle that rages inside Allison for the better part of the novel. I mean, sure I’ve read this before. The good vampire being all sad because you know, munching all little humans is bad. But here I actually can see where Allison is coming from.

So good job with that.

I also like how kickass Allison is. But no surprise there. What did surprise me was the relative lack of pathos in the novel. Even though she was tortured by the internal struggle within her, her battle to be human despite not being human, she was not hung up and melodramatic about it. There were facts and they were facts and the people might not like them but they were facts. Ya know? I liked that. Being a vampire comes with a certain set of conditions, mainly the Hunger and a set of pointy fangs, and I liked the sparsity of that description. I also like how Kagawa did not romanticize them with descriptions of their hedonistic palaces overflowing with…wait, there was some description but I think Kagawa stuck to her dystopian/apocalyptic setting and kept things faithful to the world.

Now that I’ve spent a bit of time on the things I liked, let me talk about the not so awesome aspects of the novel. Namely the romance. I didn’t like it. I’m developing this simmering hate for the “forbidden romance” trope where the love interests will be different species that CANNOT BE TOGETHER EVHAR but then somehow at the end get together anyway. I don’t like it. I especially didn’t like the romance in this one because I think it is just so overdone. The vampire falling for the human. Like seriously? Why can’t Allison find another vampire to fall for? Please, Ms. Kagawa? A cute one whose ass she can kick around without feeling bad about it?

Okay, I get it. I know why the love interest is human. To keep Allison human. But she’s not human any longer. She’s non-human, in fact, humans say “moo” to her now and usually, you don’t kiss your food. I can see Allison being made to feel like crap because she cannot deny her vampire nature, oh I saw the lips tightening at the end of that one scene, I saw it and that’s the conclusion I drew. His morality will make her feel like the worst non-person around. And I’m kind of sick of that.

Anyway, other than that, I found the novel to be very readable and I’m quite invested in the tale. In fact, I can’t wait to read the next book. Especially if it contains a vampire who is more Spike-like than goody-two-shoes like…I don’t know anyone that good. I think you should read the book and then come talk to me about it.

The Gathering Storm (Katerina Alexandrovna #1) – Robin Bridges

Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: January 10th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe’s royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina’s strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar’s standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina’s help to safeguard Russia, even if he’s repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Review:

I have a confession: I am completely enamored by stories set in imperial Russia. There is something so attractive about the tsars, duchesses, princesses and other royalty that inevitably dot the landscapes of these novels. The sleds instead of carriages, beautiful dresses, lights, the attractive love interests and if you throw in magic…well, you’ve got me. The Gathering Storm is a strong beginning to a trilogy by debut novelist Robin Bridges. I liked the fantastic breadth of the novel and there are many other things that I really do want to talk about so settle in.

I appreciate the time Bridges devoted into constructing and maintaining the various family dynamics of the characters in the novel. Oftentimes, the only relationships that get much attention in YA novels are the dysfunctional ones and the romantic one but Bridges carefully created many different threads that bind people together. There is friendship between friends, respect between Katerina and her father, love for her mother and brother. Even the more villainous characters come with their own set of family relationships that are no less complex.

The world building is off to a good start and it is not at all difficult to envision the world Bridge sets her story in. The pacing is brisk and the writing does not hinder the story. The love interest is very um…interesting and I would have loved to see their courtship stretched out so I could get maximum enjoyment before stuff goes crazy but alas, that does not happen. Now, let’s talk about the things I had problems with.

Katerina is a very interesting character and she is no doormat but there were moments when she drove me absolutely nuts. She doesn’t DO anything to get out of the troubles she invariably finds herself in.  And okay, the one thing that I really do not have any patience with is when a character is forced to do something because “otherwise we’ll hurt your family/brother/dog.” That’s a very outdated method of pushing your plot forward and all it does is create frustration in the reader. There is no reason the parents/brother/dog will be unable to fend for themselves because they are their own people and fine, I understand the emotional blackmail but just, don’t use it. It was jarring and it took me out of the narrative as I kept on getting angrier.

Other than that, I found the book to be compelling and a breath of fresh air in terms of the newness of its setting to the YA genre and the mixture of preexisting mythology woven together to create the unique mythology original to the story. And don’t get me wrong, when Katerina does start acting, she goes for it but the lead up to her becoming an active player rather than a passive victim is frustrating. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series because book one ends on an promising note and the possibilities are endless. And besides, what girl can resist the promise of more passion, intrigue and magic?

Books New On My To-Read List

So hello peoples. I am back. Still not fully because I have one more final left but I have *looks at date* yeah, seven more days before I have to go through that hell so…I shall blog! I thought it would be interesting to share some of the recent additions to my ever-growing to read list (745 and counting, eep!).

Silence – Michelle Sagara

Two things you need to know about M. Sagara: 1) She’s Canadian and 2) She’s an awesome writer. I love her Chronicles of Elantra series which has managed, so far, to achieve the perfect balance between romance and fantasy (some, maybe many, will disagree with me about the romance, it’s okay, I can live with it). Her world building is amazing and if this book is anything at all like The Chronicles of Elantra, I’m going to be a happy reader.

Burnt Snow – Van Badham

This one sounds amazing and because it’s Australian, I’m inclined to believe the raving reviews. However, because it’s Australian, it’s going to take me a while to get my hands on it but I will have it sooner or later. Hurhur. (Do I sound vaguely creepy to you cuz I do to me. :\)

The Sweetest Spell – Suzanne Selfors

I feel vaguely embarrassed by the fact that I have this book on my list simply because it’s so out there. So, it is being marketed as the retelling of The Ugly Duckling but I don’t know… the synopsis does not seem at all similar. Anyway, apparently the protagonist can turn milk into chocolate milk and that makes her really desirable… yeahhh….out there. We’ll see. It might be worth it for the potential lulz.

New Girl – Paige Harbison

So I hear tell that this is the retelling of Du Maurier’s Rebecca of which I am a big fan. So, I was in and lucky enough to grab a copy from Net Galley. I’ll let you know how it is.

And finally

A College of Magics – Caroline Stevermer

High fantasy for the win! Why didn’t I see this before? I can’t wait to get my hands on this.

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) – Jennifer L. Armentrout (Review)

Paperback, 281 pages
Published October 18th 2011 by Spencer Hill Press
Source: Library

Synopsis:

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem–staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Review:

If you are a fan of the Vampire Diaries, you are going to love Half-Blood Covenant. Alexandra and Dru read really similarly. Instead of Dimitri, there is Aiden who, surprise, surprise, is Alexandra’s sensei in all things assassin-like. They are in a school that divides the pure bloods from the half bloods annnnnd there are vampire like things who, I’m thinking, drain especially the pure/half bloods of their, um, blood. And have I not mentioned the smoldering chemistry between Aiden and Alexandra? Well, let me correct that oversight. Alexandra and Aiden have smoldering chemistry. There’s even a male best friend who is strictly platonic which is certainly very nice for a change. Oh, and there’s a triangle to this love story but the other corner does not yet read love rival. Right now he’s hovering between “might get more interesting” and “is a total horror story waiting to happen.” He’s intriguing, this guy whose name I don’t remember. I can’t wait to find out how exactly he develops in the next book and whether his relationship with Alexandria changes. Because while Aiden represents everything hero-like, stereotypical in a hero in a YA novel, this guy is the mystery factor. He does not read like the second lead in a novel and while he could fit as a primary love interest in his own right, fact remains that he isn’t.

The plot is complex and layered and just when you think you know a character, it turns out that you really don’t. I like that. I also like the characterizations and the brisk pace of the plot. There’s no lingering in unnecessary descriptions – honestly, dawdling, taking up space in descriptions drives me nuts – unless it’s done in a very different way, I don’t want to know the exact colour of the leaves of the pine tree in your backyard. Seriously. But yeah, this book does not uses descriptive prose judiciously and I am very grateful for that.

The world building is interesting too. It’s not very original as you may realize from its similarity with the Vampire Diaries but in my opinion, it takes some of the most fun elements of the Vampire Diaries and gives it its own twist, making it work. There is a little melodrama to be wary of and there is plenty of mean girl action going on but nothing too acute that it drives me away – or maybe I have a high tolerance threshold.

I enjoyed the book. It entertained me. If you are looking for something compelling, a feisty heroine facing odds and beating them, I suggest giving this a try.