• Black Wings
• by Christina Henry
• Paperback: 295 pages
• Publisher: Ace
• Available: November 30th 2010
• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Source: Publisher
• Reviewed by: Catherine

Escorting souls into the afterlife leaves Maddy little time for socializing-until devilishly handsome Gabriel Angeloscurro agrees to rent the empty apartment in her building. But when demons start appearing on Maddy’s front lawn, she realizes there’s more to her new tenant than meets the eye.

This book turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise. Urban Fantasy books seem to be hit or miss with me. First person narrative is not a favorite of mine—it makes me feel like I’m living in a vacuum—and too often I don’t like the heroine. It’s hard for me to read and enjoy a book when I’m stuck in the head of someone I don’t particularly like. I’ve also noticed that quite a few heroines seem to be bitchy and argumentative as shorthand for strong. Unfortunately, bitchy does not equal strong for this reader. My point with this surplus of information is that I actually liked this heroine. She hit me just right.

Another strong point in the book’s favor is the lack of love triangle. Thank you Christina Henry for not including that. I hate them! This book has enough tension and roadblocks in the relationship without the added headache of another man.

This was an incredibly quick read. Once the action starts it just doesn’t stop. You’ll find yourself sucked in and unable to set it down until you read just one more chapter. The writing is smooth and the author did a nice job of spicing the narrative with humor. It achieved a nice balance with the action and never strayed into the slapstick.

Maddy felt very real. Her reactions were more in line with a regular person’s, so it was easy to relate to her. There was even one part where she got her ass kicked and threw up from the pain before passing out. Now, you may wonder why vomit stuck out in my mind enough for me to mention it, but it’s just one more example of her atypical UF heroine behavior. She didn’t gracefully get beat up and still manage to not break a nail. Maddy had some knock-down-drag-out fights and she didn’t always win on her own. She doesn’t come out of the fight with her pride untarnished either. Some of those people cleaned her clock! But I liked it because it was way more believable than an invincible bad ass.

I really loved Maddy’s relationship with Beezle. He was so cute and protective. He was just like a grumpy teddy bear that you wanted to cuddle! His interactions with the people who interacted with Maddy were a lot of fun too. I love when characters have that wise talking sidekick, like Bob in the Harry Dresden series.

This is a UF that actually felt like a UF instead of leaning toward a PNR. There was the beginning of a possible romantic relationship, but that was just a small focus in Maddy’s new life. The most sexual contact you’re going to get is a kiss or two. I didn’t mind though—I actually think it made the book better.

The author did a good job of hooking my interest into Gabriel though. The things that we learned about his past made him very sympathetic—especially because he doesn’t seem to recognize that his life should be any different. Also, the reality that they face with Maddy’s new political position makes me invested in seeing them work it out. I’d probably root for them on pure principle even if I didn’t like them together just to thwart a certain someone who thinks that he can rule Maddy’s life now no matter what.

I really liked the details of the world. Maddy’s job really interested me. I especially was intrigued by the politics of it. How interesting! The new political world that she has stepped into also seems like it’ll be quite fascinating to learn more about. The only real complaint I had about this book was the lack of world building. Don’t get me wrong, I understood her world and I enjoyed it, but there was just something missing for me in the development of it. Possibly the author will add depth as the series unfolds a la Kate Daniels.

The only warning I would give is for those that do not enjoy books that play with how bad Lucifer actually is. If you don’t enjoy anything but the traditional role of Hell and fallen angels you might just want to pass on this one. They weren’t presented as boy scouts or anything, but they weren’t quite as reviled as some might prefer. So be warned!

That leads to one last comment I’d like to make about the author’s style. She had a very clean writing style with the occasional flip into a more descriptive, powerful style. I also really liked the way the angels were portrayed as beautiful, but it was almost a terrifying beauty.

pg. 32: …opened her eyes to find the dark angel blocking out the sky, and all she could see was his awful beauty, haloed in starshine and moonlight, and his black burning eyes. He whispered her name, and his voice wound into her ear and down her throat and under her ribs, and she knew what he had come for.

I just loved the way it was written!

I urge all of you who are interested to go grab a copy of this book and try it out for yourself. Hopefully it works as well for you as it did for me!

Favorite Quote:

pg. 100 His dark eyes were lit by starshine, and I felt I was falling again into the heart of the universe. Not by some spell of Gabriel’s, but by my own foolish wants and needs. He had kissed me to save me–this much I understood. But my heart, my very lonely heart, ached for what I had never known before.

Series list:

1. Madeline Black

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Alpha  by Rachel Vincent  Paperback: 472 pages Publisher: Mira Available: October 1st 2010 Genre: Urban Fantasy Source: Purchased by reviewer Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc, and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder, and treason. Yeah, we’ve been busy. But now it’s time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother’s death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It’s not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I’m heading for a final showdown that can–that will–change everything forever. A showdown I’m not sure I’m ready for. But life never waits until you’re ready.

Yet another one of my favorite series has come to an end and it’s bittersweet.  I’m sad that this is the end but on the other hand so glad to see loose ends tied up and happy for the closure on some very intense relationships.  This won’t be a comprehensive review since it would be really hard not to spoil with all the things I want to talk about, but I did want to take a moment to say a few things about this book and the series as a whole since it’s been such an amazing ride with Faythe, Marc, Jace and the rest of Rachel Vincent’s shifters.

Faythe and the South Central pride have been through more than their share of trials and tribulations throughout this series.  In Alpha we see a Faythe Sanders that has come a long way from her early days as a rebellious young woman who tends to act before she thinks.  Although she has matured a great deal, Faythe is still quite flawed even in this final book in the series.  She is still recognizable as the frustrating but very likable character from early on and still retains the qualities that set her apart and make her a stand-out heroine. Her growth throughout the series has been tremendous and yet, she is still Faythe, making me want to throw my Kindle one minute and then cheer her on the next.

Although I knew without a doubt that it was inevitable that certain things had to happen in this book, there are still plenty of surprises and a few shocking moments that kept me riveted and near tears.  I say near tears but in fact I cried all the way through chapter 15.  Rachel Vincent is not afraid of taking chances with beloved characters that will leave you stunned at some point.  I know this from reading previous books in the series but was still surprised as to the truly violent world in which these characters exist.  No character is safe in this world and knowing that, my heart was thumping during the final action scene. 

I had read, previous to reading Alpha, that Rachel Vincent had promised that she would not take Faythe’s big decision away from her by creating a situation where she was left with no choices.  I am so pleased that she held to that promise and in the end, although it was difficult for all involved, it was up to Faythe to make her own decisions regarding her future.  The love triangle has been a heart breaker since the two gentlemen involved are both so deserving of love and happiness.  I’m pleased with the outcome since, to me it was how it was meant to be, however still very sad. 

My only slight disappointment with Alpha is in the ending, I felt it was  abrupt.  While the rest of the story was nicely paced and it was a good build up to the finale, suddenly the end was upon us, loose ends wrapped up quickly and it was over.  Perhaps because I knew this was the end I wanted a little more beyond the final showdown.  I’ve spent a lot of time with these characters and wanted a small peek into their lives beyond the words The End.  I’m selfish that way I guess.

Alpha is a wonderful and exciting end to a favorite series and although I’m sad it’s come to an end I’m happy with how it all played out. 

 

Favorite Quote:

[…] Pain is what I feed from when nothing else will nourish the noxious fury in my heart. It’s what I cling to when everything else – everyone else – slips right between my grasping fingers.

 

 

 

Books in the series include:

• Stray (Shifters, #1)
• Rogue (Shifters, #2)
• Pride (Shifters, #3)
• Prey (Shifters, #4)
• Shift (Shifters, #5)
• Alpha (Shifters, #6)

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Firewalker by Allyson James  Paperback: 329 pages Publisher: Berkley Available: November 2nd 2010 Genre: Urban Fantasy Source: Author Reviewed by: Sophia (FV) 

When Mick goes missing, it’s up to Janet to find him and figure out how to keep him safe. She’ll need a little help from her friends, old and new: Nash and Coyote; Cassandra, a wicked Wicca, and a few strange beings who are stirring things up in Magellan.

When Janet receives a desperate magical plea for help from her firewalker boyfriend Mick, she and Sheriff Nash Jones race to rescue him.  Mick has been trapped in fiery prison by the dragon council and it’s up to Janet to find and save him.  Mick is awaiting trial on charges that he disobeyed a direct order to kill Janet whom the dragon council think is evil incarnate and a threat to all kind. 

Janet is the daughter of an Indian shaman and a hell goddess.  She possesses both good earth magic and evil beneath magic and the two sides of her are constantly at battle.  As Janet fights to control her beneath magic from consuming her, she must fight to save Mick from a death sentence for disobeying the dragon council. 

In the small town of Magellan where Janet lives, the grizzly remains of a tourist have been discovered in the desert.  Sheriff Nash Jones is suspicious of everyone and is determined to crack the case even questioning the whereabouts of Janet and Mick at the time of the murder.  When Janet realizes that the murder is supernatural in nature she fears her hell goddess mother or some other god from beneath is involved.  Not only does Janet have dragons breathing down her neck, now she must solve a grizzly murder all while she fights a battle of good and evil within herself. 

Stormwalker is fast paced and action packed, full of gods, magic and mysticism.  It starts off with a fight in lobby of Janet’s hotel and the action just never stops.   Although Mick and Janet’s relationship is still somewhat turbulent at times, we get a little more romance and relationship development than we did in Stormwalker. They spend less time between the sheets this time but the relationship grows  as each realize the depth of their feelings and the lengths they are willing to go to protect each other.

As with the previous book, I am impressed with this paranormal world in which this story takes place.  It’s not overly complicated however Allyson James has created a setting that is vivid, gritty and dangerous, incorporating Native American mysticism into a world where magic is ever present and the paranormal population must govern themselves not only for their own survival but for the survival of all kind.

The secondary characters take on a life of their own and compliment the story well. Their secondary relationships and storylines are both supportive and written with a nice touch of humor. I looked forward to scenes with the magic mirror (yes I consider the mirror a secondary character), and the ongoing rocky relationship between Nash and Maya as well as the ever developing and complicated friendship between Nash and Janet.  And I can’t forget the mysterious horny god who goes by the name Coyote, who may or may not be a threat to Janet.  *g* 

In Firewalker, Allyson James combines mystery and suspense with non-stop action in a world where danger is always present.  The relationship between Janet and Mick is both romantic and scorching hot and with the interesting revelation near the end of the book I look forward more from this series. 

Favorite Quote:

“I don’t give a demon’s dick if they end up pinning one of your wings to the wall in the trophy room”

Series list:

• Stormwalker
• Firewalker
• Shadowwalker (June, 2011)

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Play Of Passion  by Nalini Singh Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Berkley Available: November 2nd 2010 Genre: Paranormal Romance Source: Publisher

In his position as Tracker for the SnowDancer pack, Drew Kincaid must rein in rogue changelings who’ve lost control of their animal halves- even if it means killing those who’ve gone too far. But nothing in his life has prepared him for the battle he must now wage-to win the heart of a woman who makes his body ignite…and who threatens to enslave his wolf.

Reviewed by: Catherine 

I’ll be honest, I enjoyed the main characters in this book a lot, but even if they were mediocre I might have given this book at least a 4 anyway. The excitement of getting back into the Changeling world and the ultra-excitement of getting to see way more of Hawke would have probably won me over even if Indigo and Drew were lame. Luckily they weren’t, but I’m just saying…

I liked Indigo–although I did have a few issues with her that I’ll get into– but what I felt for her comes nowhere near my love of Drew. Wow, Nalini Singh has hit the jackpot here! I’ve liked a lot of the other guys in the series, but none of them have ever hit the level of sheer lovability that Drew did. He was so sweet and determined! But he still managed to be utterly masculine and hot at the same time. That may sound like an easy thing to portray, but for me it’s not. It infrequently comes off as a good balance, but here it did.

Drew knows (has known for a while) who he wants and he’s determined to win her. He tried to play it smart and approach her the best way possible, but sometimes he just couldn’t. I loved that we got to see him mess up his approach again and again. It really gave me a great opportunity to watch him grow and be bigger than his pride or anger. He would admit when he was wrong and he would put himself on the line again and again to repent. It was so romantic to watch.

That’s actually where my irritation with Indy comes into play. As the story unfolds I, the reader, get to learn about Indy’s hang-ups right alongside Drew. It did make her more sympathetic for me, but it was really hard to watch her shut Drew down again and again. A comparison was made in the book of Indy’s attitude resembling a Psy. That was so apt! I just had a hard time sinking into that mindset with a Changeling. She was just not what I was expecting, so it was hard to like her at times.

I’ll be honest, she could be pretty cold. I still liked her, but Drew was so much more approachable that it was hard not to align my sympathies with him. I could see why he was so upset and struggled to define himself. Her attitude and her refusal to accept him when her narrow mind couldn’t see his position really irked me. It’s what ultimately dropped the grade a ½ point. I found myself really frustrated at times.

There are just a few more things that I have to give a nod of acknowledgement to. The first is the conversation that Judd and Drew have. I just have to point out how hysterical I think it is that Judd was giving Drew relationship advice! Even Drew is taken aback. On page 40 he said:

Judd sighed. "That’s not your strength." "You’re giving me dating advice?" Andrew was dumbfounded. "I’m mated," Judd pointed out with a cool arrogance that almost hid the laughter in his voice. "You can’t even get the woman you want into bed. I’d listen if I were you."

LOL! The other thing involved the Platypus. I read about it and I COMPLETELY melted. Awwwww! I dare you to read about it and not feel a little gooey.

I cannot end this review without mentioning more about the Psy and the developments with Hawke. Not much happened regarding the Psy. Don’t misunderstand, there was information about the council and new developments, but that was definitely not the focus of the book. I feel that this is one of the more character driven stories in the series. There’s much, much less politics and maneuvering than in a lot of the others.

Now, the Hawke developments… I can’t tell you what they are!!! But rest assured that there are many, many excellent details and developments with him. How could there not be? We’re in the Snow Dancer den constantly. I bounced on my toes quite a few times after reading something particularly interesting and looked around in vain for someone to talk to about it. Alas, there was no one. Except my husband, of course. ;P Poor guy got stuck listening to me gush.

I’ll leave you with one final quote from page 240 that made me giggle.

"Did you really steal her phone and record your voice howling her name as the ringtone?" "Maybe."

 

 

Click HERE for other books in this series.

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Web Of Lies by Jennifer Estep Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: Pocket Available: May 25, 2010 Genre: Urban Fantasy

Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I’m Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man . . . dead or alive.

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

Since this is the second book in an ongoing series it is possible there will be mild spoilers if you have not read the first book in the series. 

Quick Rundown:  Gin has now retired as an assassin and owns the Pork Pit, the restaurant she inherited from her mentor, Fletcher Lane.  Life has settled down until the Pork Pit is robbed by a couple of young, dangerous punks.  Gin foils the robbery but it turns out one of the punks has a powerful father with connections that could cause Gin all kinds of trouble.  Also, a mysterious customer has come in search of The Tin Man, AKA Fletcher Lane.  She’s seeking his help but doesn’t realize Fletcher is dead.  When a sniper takes a shot at this mysterious girl in the restaurant, Gin decides to help her and her grandfather who was an old friend of Fletcher’s. 

Impressions after the first chapter: We start of right in the middle of a robbery and Gin is as badass as ever. Don’t mess.

The Heroes: Detective Donovan Caine is still wrestling with his feelings for Gin and his conscience.  He’s in a constant state of emotional conflict when it comes to Gin.  I’m still not on team Donovan Caine, and wish he would either come to terms with his feelings or move on.  But there’s a new stud on the scene and he’s got eyes for Gin.  Owen Grayson is the brother of one of the girls that was in Pork Pit when it was robbed and he is grateful to Gin for protecting his sister.  He’d like to show his gratitude in more ways than one and he’s not wrestling with those pesky moral issues. 

The Heroine: Gin, although she is technically retired, is still the assassin with a heart.  She learns more about her mentor and the kind of man he was and has an opportunity to carry on his legacy by helping out an old friend.  She still finds herself  attracted to Detective Caine seems to be holding on to a shred of hope they can be together.  However, there might be a spark where Owen Grayson is concerned. 

What worked: As with the first book in the series, I loved that Gin is badass to the core.  She’ll slit a giant’s throat in a heartbeat but she doesn’t kill unjustly. 

[…] opened his mouth to scream. I left the knife where it was in his heart, clamped my hand over his fat lips, and yanked him forward so the blood gushing out of his chest would fall into the bathtub and not spatter onto the tile floor. And so we stood there, seesawing back and forth over the tub, […] trying to jerk away, and me pulling him closer, my hands digging into his face.

She is also fiercely loyal to those she considers family and would do anything to protect them.  In this book we get to look a little deeper into Gin’s past and where she comes from making her an even more appealing character.  I’m looking forward to learning more about the long lost sister Bria.

What didn’t work: Again, I never got on board with the romance between Gin and Donovan Caine.  I’m intrigued to see how things will play out now that Owen Grayson has his sights set on Gin.

Final conclusion: I adore this series for it’s unique setting, action, suspense and mystery but most of all for it’s amazing heroine Gin.  This series is well on it’s way to becoming a favorite of mine.

 

Favorite Quote:

I didn’t know what bothered me more. The fact Mab Monroe had considered taking me up on my fake offer to fuck her or the fact I’d left the Fire elemental in her own bathroom with a dead body in the tub. Either way, things were starting to get out of hand.

 

Books in the series:

• Spider’s Bite
• Web Of Lies
• Venom (September 28, 2010)
• Tangled Threads (May 2011)
• Untitled (October 2011)

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Check back tomorrow morning for my review of Venom and then later in the afternoon for a guest post and a giveaway from Jennifer Estep.