supernatural Archives - Page 11 of 12

Yzabel / April 29, 2014

Review: The Oversight

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

“The end always happens faster than you think.”

Once there were hundreds of members of the Oversight, the brave souls who guard the borders between the mundane and the magic. Now there are only five.

When a vagabond brings a screaming girl to the Oversight’s London headquarters, she could answer their hopes for new recruit, or she could be the instrument of their downfall.

Review:

[I got an ARC of this book through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. Physical copy liable to change upon actual publishing.]

At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of this novel, not knowing if I’d like it or if it was starting too slowly to my liking. However, I soon found myself engrossed in the story—I only read it in more than just a couple of days because I was busy, otherwise I’d probably have gone through it much more quickly.

First, though, one thing must be made clear: this is book 1 in a trilogy, and while it doesn’t end on a strong cliffhanger, readers should be aware that not every single plot line gets resolved in it. The world building is quite complex, and only some of its aspects are revealed in this first installment. When one threat gets neutralised, another one appears; when one character is saved, another one gets into a predicament. All those things are meant to tie into the next book(s). If a reader’s all right with that, then there should be no problem.

I found the 19th century London depicted here to my taste: dark alleys and street urchins; gentlemen dealing with creatures they don’t fully understand; a travelling circus with a battle of “wizards”; the mysterious Oversight, who may be seen as “the nice ones”, but whose members can be just as ruthless as their enemies, if not more. This world is painted in more shades of grey than I could count; the purest-looking ones aren’t so innocent, and the darkest may not be so evil as they seem (the Sluagh’s vindictive attitude, for instance, partly stems from how they feel cheated: they were allowed to keep the forests/wild lands if they stayed out of the cities… but human cities are encroaching more and more upon the wilderness, making the deal somewhat obsolete).

The writing was descriptive and captivating enough, without making me feel that it was delaying too much the setting of the various plots. There was something magic-like to it that made me come back on a regular basis.

What makes this novel’s strength might be its downfall for some readers, though, in that it’s very much plot-driven. The author wove his story in a way that kept me guessing as to who was truly evil and who wasn’t, who was the enemy and who might actually be even more dangerous; on the other hand, while this was very well-done in my opinion, one might also find the characters not so well-developed in comparison. An example would be the relationship between Sara and Jack[Sara and Jack (hide spoiler)]: I could feel it, sense it, but it was perhaps too subtle, so in the end her decision to go through the mirrors[through the mirrors (hide spoiler)] seemed somewhat rushed. The story and the promises it holds for next volume prevented me from resenting this too much, but it could still be a problem, depending on one’s expectations.

Overall, a very intriguing novel which really caught my attention and makes me want to read the next one right now, but with the hopes that we’ll get to know the characters better.

Yzabel / April 22, 2014

Review: Iron & Velvet

Iron & Velvet by Alexis Hall

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

First rule in this line of business: don’t sleep with the client….

My name’s Kate Kane, and when an eight-hundred-year-old vampire prince came to me with a case, I should have told her no. But I’ve always been a sucker for a femme fatale.

It always goes the same way. You move too fast, you get in too deep, and before you know it, someone winds up dead. Last time it was my partner. This time it could be me. Yesterday a werewolf was murdered outside the Velvet, the night-time playground of one of the most powerful vampires in England. Now half the monsters in London are at each other’s throats, and the other half are trying to get in my pants. The Witch Queen will protect her own, the wolves are out for vengeance, and the vampires are out for, y’know, blood.

I’ve got a killer on the loose, a war on the horizon, and a scotch on the rocks. It’s going to be an interesting day.

Review:

A fun read in several ways. I quite liked the tone in general, as well as some of the characters. I think Elise remains my favourite, even though she doesn’t appear that much, and I can only side with Julian when she says, basically, that “very few people manage to give life to something inanimate, it’s a great feat of ancient, difficult magic… and most of the time, they use their creation as a sex toy.” But then, I’m always partial towards golems. And London, because I love this city. Blood magic and creepy fairies and a hive mind of rats. And there’s a Geat vampire prince. Seriously, how fucking cool is that?

However, after a while, some of the recurrent sass became a little, well, too recurrent—notably Kate’s “Huh” and her tendency to underline the crappy situations in which she put herself in (“Here lies Kate Kane, blah blah. Beloved daughter. Sorely missed.”). She didn’t strike me as a good investigator, spending too much time running here and there grasping at straws, too easily distracted, and I felt that the lead she needed rested too much on happenstance, and was made for plot convenience, rather than something a talented investigator could deduce (or maybe she should have deduced it, considering her origins?). At times I wanted to bang my head and call a too stupid to live on her.

I really didn’t connect with the Kate/Julian relationship. I do get lust, physical attraction, spur-of-the-moment desire, but I tend to find it hard to believe when it turns into strong ties in barely a few days. Certainly not when 800-year-old immortals are concerned (I’d expect them to be more jaded about that). The “sweeting” bit got on my nerves pretty quickly—but I have a hard time with pet names in general. Also, every other female wanted to do Kate, or had been her girlfriend, it seems, and this is treading too much into Mary Sue territory to my liking. As for the sex scenes, they weren’t so exciting—too much purple prose and weird metaphors (“She lay underneath me like an unexploded grenade”… How to put it… Uhm, no?).

I still don’t know if the hints at other stories (Patrick, for instance) are intentional, winks, or lack of inspiration. They’re fun, in a way, but… I don’t know.

2 or 2.5 stars, not sure. I can’t say I disliked this novel, because it does contain elements that make me go squee; however, I can’t say I loved it either.

Yzabel / April 14, 2014

Review: King’s Crusade

King’s Crusade by A.D. Starrling

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

The perfect immortal warrior.
A set of stolen, priceless artifacts.
An ancient sect determined to bring about the downfall of human civilization.

The exciting, action-packed follow-up to Soul Meaning and the second installment in the supernatural thriller series, Seventeen.

When a team of scientists unearth scriptures older than the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave in the Eastern Desert mountains in Egypt, a mystery lost to the tides of time is uncovered. Heading the expedition is Dimitri Reznak, the Head of the Crovir Immortal Culture & History Section. But the monumental discovery is spoiled by evidence of looting and half the priceless artifacts Reznak has been seeking for centuries have disappeared.

Alexa King is a covert agent for the Crovir First Council. When she is approached by her godfather for a mission that could help elucidate the enigma of her lost past, she finds herself delving into the dangerous and shadowy world of secret religious societies. Assigned by Reznak to assist her is Zachary Jackson, a gifted human and Harvard archaeology professor.

In their search for the missing artifacts, King and Jackson stumble upon the existence of a deadly sect whose origins are as mystifying as the relics they are searching for. From North Africa to the doors of Vatican City itself, they unveil a centuries-old plan that aims to shatter the very structure of civilized society.

With the help of Reznak and a group of unexpected allies, King and Jackson must stop the enemy and uncover the astonishing truth behind the missing artifacts and King’s own unearthly origins before all is lost.

Review:

[I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

3.5 stars. I had read and reviewed the first installment a couple of months ago, and I liked this one a little better. The action-to-revelations ratio seemed better paced to me, and didn’t leave me with the same dizzying sensation as Soul Meaning did. There is a lot of action—the characters are, after all, up against a sect that doesn’t hesitate to shoot whoever gets in the way, and whose arm reaches several countries—but I thought it felt more compact, and put to better use. It might be confusing sometimes, in that the author describes various kinds of moves, so if a reader doesn’t know those terms, picturing said moves could be difficult; fortunately, it wasn’t a problem for me (at least those Body Combat classes taught me the names of various kinds of kicks). I keep thinking that, just like Book #1, King’s Crusade would make a good action movie.

At first, I wasn’t sure about what to think of the conspiracy/archaeology side, because it’s been played a lot in so many stories already. On the other hand, though it’s a bit cliché, I do enjoy my dose of sexy-looking archaeology geek professors who find themselves embroiled in secret societies wars.

Speaking of which, I liked Jackson as a character. In the beginning, I was afraid he’d turned some kind of womanizer (when Alexa recruits him, he’s in bed with a woman), but it quickly appeared that once on the job, he’d do it seriously, and involve himself even though things were clearly dangerous. He’s in in for the money, the mystery, the scientific/historical interest, not for the nookie. Neither he nor Alexa let themselves get distracted by feelings in the middle of a fight, and proved to be competent in their respective fields. As for Alexa, she knew what she had to do, she did it well, and she was the no-nonsense kind of character I like.

What dampened my enthusiasm:

– We don’t get to know Alexa that well. What I mean is that she’s got a bit of an amnesia thing going, although it’s only when it comes to her early childhood; and I would’ve liked to find out what happened to her, what led to the events of the prologue, before Dimitri found her.
– I don’t really agree with the ending. Part of me is glad that Alexa and Jackson managed to remain together. However, another part thinks that it seemed a little too easy. I could sense that kind of HEA coming from ten miles, knowing what happened to Reid at the end of book 1.
– Sometimes the characters were a bit… too competent? For instance, early enough, we learn that Alexa has never died, contrary to all the other immortals, and Jackson turns to be a tad bit too skilled when it comes to fighting, even though he isn’t on par with the overtrained immortals, of course.

I couldn’t decide between giving it 3 or 4 stars. I’m giving it 3 on Goodreads—well, I did like it—but if the points I’ve raised aren’t a bother for you, definitely consider it a 4.

Yzabel / April 6, 2014

Review: Midnight Riders

Midnight Riders by Pete Clark

My rating:[rating=3]

Summary:

“Gather ‘round people and you shall hear
about a bunch of bullshit that is clear.
Of riders and horses and monsters too;
your parents lied – they can still get you.
Hardly anyone who was there is alive
to dispel the rumor, uncover the lies,
but there was more than one man who rode that day
and more than just Redcoats who got in their way.”

Along the way, Longfellow lost something in his translation it seems.

Everyone has heard of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. However, they have not heard about them this way! The American founding fathers had a lot more to deal with at the end of the 18th century than tariffs and tea; avoiding hurled trees from Wendigos and gargoyles falling from the sky took a lot of patience. How is Samuel Prescott supposed to hunt the leader of the Rippers when the British keep infringing upon the colonists’ rights?

Review:

[I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

The promised combination of paranormal, American history and humour of this novel appealed to me, and I must say I spent quite a good time reading it. While the plot itself is actually quite serious (the War of Independence and the couple of decades that preceded it, seen through the prism of “what if supernatural creatures had plagued the colonists on top of it?”), it also makes fun of a lot of events, tropes, and famous characters—often directly, but sometimes also in a more subtle way. If you want to read a really serious supernatural retelling of history, the humour might break it; on the other hand, if you’re looking for a funny story, and don’t mind a bit of swearing and jabs at political correctness at times, then it may be for you. (As a word of warning, though, it’s best to brush up on your American history first, otherwise some hints and jokes won’t work so well.)

What may contribute to a reader liking or not liking this novel—depending on personal tastes:

* The characters aren’t too developed. The story spans over 20 years, and partly rests on assumed knowledge of the historical personas it makes use of. For instance, don’t expect to be carried on a journey into Paul Revere’s life, thoughts and feelings. Too many characters are involved for this to happen. However, you’ll find a lot of known names.

* Tropes. Lots of tropes. Allusions to red shirts, and the likes… I like when a novel plays on those, so I was glad whenever I found some. Since humour is part of the story, they work for me, much better than clichés thrown into a “serious” plot. (There’s one character in particular who likes pointing out every time a Deus Ex Machina pops up.)

* Recurrent jokes, like zombies and werewolves regularly coming to crash a battle or skirmish. (I must admit that after a while, some of them became a little old in my opinion, though.)

* Historical accuracy: not 100% accurate. Mostly the research was well-done in my opinion, but sometimes, a character will find him/herself in a place a few days too early, compared to what really happened. This said, the novel also plays on those “wrong facts”, using them to lean on the fourth wall. Scratch that: to punch a hole through it, actually. Again, this worked for me, but may not do so well for a reader who dislikes such occurrences.

* The writing: a bit dry in places, but otherwise befitting the humorous undertone. I’ve seen better, I’ve seen worse.

3.5 stars. It has its faults, and sometimes overdoes it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and laughed regularly.

Yzabel / February 13, 2014

Review: By Blood

By Blood by Tracy E. Banghart

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

For 17-year-old Emma Wong, spending a summer in England should be a dream come true. Gorgeous scenery? Check. Lots of hot guys with accents? Yes, please.

Throw in an estranged mom, annoying new stepdad, and drooling baby half-brother, and it’s a disaster even her favorite cherry red leather jacket can’t fix. Even worse, there’s (hot) live-in research assistant Josh to contend with. The only thing more embarrassing than drunk-kissing him hours after they meet? Knowing he’ll be witness to her family’s dysfunction all. summer. long.

But when Emma meets a mysterious girl who happens to be a Druid, her vacation suddenly promises to be far more intriguing than she anticipated. Powerful rituals, new friends, an intoxicating sense of freedom…and Simon, the sexy foreign stranger she was hoping for. It’s all a perfect distraction from dirty diapers and awkward family dinners.

Trouble is, intriguing doesn’t often mean simple. And Emma is about to discover just how not simple her life really is.

By Blood is a novel about the ways that blood can bind us to others – or tear us apart.

Review:

(I received this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

2.5 stars. I enjoyed parts of this novel, while others seriously grated on my nerves. It wasn’t a bad story; it contains its share of good elements, only I may have read it at a moment when the ones I didn’t like bothered me more than in other circumstances.

I liked the idea of Druids-related beliefs, and how they were introduced into the story. On the one hand, Emma seemed to join in a little too easily; on the other, she was confused, had to leave her country, learnt some troubling things about her family, and it made sense that she’d want a place, a group of people to belong to. In that, the author did a fairly believable job. 17 is still an age at which you can be impressed by many things (hah, you can be that even later in life, after all), and some of her mistakes are somewhat understandable. Not to mention that the girl who introduced her to the whole thing was bubbly and likeable.

Another thing I found nice enough, although it took too much time to my liking to happen, was how Emma grew up somehow throughout the story. She started as an insufferable, self-centered person, and I must admit her tantrums sometimes made me roll her eyes and think “can we stop now?” However, in the end, she opens up and becomes more accepting, more mature. She drops the bratty attitude, and this is good.

What I really didn’t like:
* For someone who grew up with a cop father, who took and even taught self-defence classes, I found her too gullible and too prone to putting herself in tricky situations. I’ve never attended such classes, but I suppose one of the things they teach you there is how to avoid putting youself in dangerous situations for starters. At least, this seems logical to me. Emma, on the other hand, seemed to seek those, which totally clashed with how she was portrayed at the very beginning of the novel. Being confused should only take you so far.
* It was too heavy on the drama. I may have enjoyed this if I had been younger (I imagine it would ‘speak’ to a lot of teenagers, since those are the years when a lot of us feel rejected—sometimes justifiably so, sometimes not). But it leant a little too much towards woe-is-me moments. For instance, she gets the only small, closet-sized room in the house while her baby brother and basically everyone else get a gorgeous one. It may not seem like much, but considering her overall circumstances, the latter were enough for me to understand her unease; no need for more.
* Love triangle, good boy/bad boy. Predictable.

Yzabel / January 31, 2014

Review: Savor

Savor by Kate Evangelista

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

See this post.

Review:

(I was given an e-copy of this book by the author, in exchange for an honest review.)

Having reviewed Taste a couple of years ago, I was intrigued by the premise of this novel, wondering how it tied into it, and what role would the characters play in it. I’ll get back to this at the end of my review, but for the moment, I’d simply advise that: if you haven’t read the “prequel” yet, it’s probably best not to do it right now, and focus on Savor instead.

I’m going to start with one problematic thing for me: sometimes I thought the story was going too slowly. It’s nothing too definite, just a feeling I had. Perhaps because of some of the descriptions? But then, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with descriptions—and in a paradoxical way, I can appreciate a detailed description while still finding it too long. Don’t ask.

On the other hand, those make the photo shoots very easy to picture, and in turn, you realise they must be absolutely gorgeous. At the end of each shoot, I wished I could see Dakota’s photos IRL.

I liked Dakota as a protagonist. She’s the right amount of sassy, refuses to be victimised and behave like a victim, in spite of what happened to her, she doesn’t wallow in safe-pity, and she does her best to place the job she wants to do first… although the temptations around her are pretty strong. She’s not perfect, and has her shortcomings. There’s that one scene, for instance, where Luka does to her what she did to him before, and she flips out because it’s unacceptable to her: double standard alert. However, she also realises that her reaction is unfair, acknowledges it, which made her likeable again after that, uh, unglorious episode. (I really don’t do well with double standards.)

The other characters: they all had their little quirks. I really liked Dray and his “fact of the day” attitude, which was funny and ador(k)able. I wish we had known more about Calixta, though. She seemed to have the part of “the one who resents the new arrival in the family”, but I didn’t really understand why. Was it just instant dislike the way, well, the way it sometimes happens in real life? Or something else? (If the latter, then it wasn’t too clear.)

The mysterious aspects: very lightly spread throughout the story. You have to pay attention and not miss them. Once I reached the ending, I started to think in retrospect: “OK, so maybe this and that part actually hinted to that, I must check and re-read those.” Personnally, I like when I find myself having to do that.

The romance itself: if you like this genre, you’ll probably enjoy it. There’s a rather twisted edge to it, but the characters are aware of it, and I didn’t feel like they were trying to make excuses, or to pretend everything was perfectly OK. I much prefer when they face the potential consequences, rather than when they’re presented as perfect models but are in fact pompous self-righteous judgmental people. There’s not mistaking it here: something fishy’s going on, we know it, they know it, and I didn’t feel myself cheated like I did with many other romance stories.

The writing: I found it more mature than in the previous book I read from this author. (In that book, I thought she used a lot of weird similes; it’s not the case here.)

One thing that confused me highly, but that I won’t hold against the story nor the author because, frankly, I just didn’t do my research about it, didn’t read her blog or whatever; maybe this was explained somewhere, maybe not. I’m mentioning it because others might have felt the same, but I want to make one thing clear: this is because I read Taste first. It doesn’t bear in any other way on Savor, and the latter is enjoyable regardless. Heavy spoiler ahead. I’m confused about the way both stories are linked: is Taste a real prequel, or is “The Vicious Feast” series a sort of alternate universe follow-up? Several elements didn’t seem to match. In the “prequel”, we learn that the whole band, except Phoenix, is from another race, and they’re several centuries old; however, Dakota finds a photo album with pictures of them as kids, which prompted me to wonder. Were those fake, touched-up pictures—in which case, shouldn’t Dakota be able to tell, considering her own experience? Or is there something else altogether to the story? Also, why is Calixta working with them? How did things change between them? However, I’m saying it again: I didn’t check with the author; nowhere in the blurb does she say that it’s a direct follow-up to Taste; and this doesn’t detract from one’s enjoyment of Savor. This is just me having perhaps missed something, since I didn’t read the book all at once, and not always in conditions favouring focus.

Conclusion: I’m giving it 3.5 to 4 stars. A little too slow at times for my taste, but with beautiful descriptions and ideas for the photos, and an interesting protagonist, flawed in a believable way.

Yzabel / November 25, 2013

Review: Reaping Me Softly

Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

Review:

(I got this book from its author through ARR #144 in the We ♥ YA Books! group, in exchange for an honest review.)

I’ve had a hard time rating this novel, and am still not completely sure. I guess I’d give it a 2.5: nice enough in some parts, and difficult for me to get into in others.

What I liked:

* The world of Death and the Reapers. Their hierarchical, bureaucracy-like organization formed an interesting counterpart with how some of them, at least, seemed to look out for each other. Death is a harsh master, but also one who can show some forms of concern—or the contrary, depending on the situation and on how you see it.

* The Reapers being immortal in a different way: through reincarnation. This gives them the means to appreciate every step of human life, and I think this is a great idea.

* Carrie. Her positive attitude and optimism, in spite of her predicament, were real sunrays, and reminders that life is fickle, and that all things considered, most of us should really be happy with what we have: bodies that aren’t perfect, but that do their job nonetheless.

* Ben. Such a sweet guy.

* Ari being in love with Niko for years: no insta-love for her, but something that had had the time to develop and get stronger. This is believable for me.

What I couldn’t wrap my mind around:

* Sometimes the text really went in convoluted ways, with similes that just didn’t make much sense, or at best felt weird. I didnd’t understand the need for those.

* Why did Niko remain oblivious to Ari for years, even though they shared some classes, but suddenly started paying attention to her? I wondered if it had to do with his depression, but the latter having been lasting for longer than just a few weeks, I’m not sure.

* The extent of Darla’s influence. Of course, bullying does exist, and there will always be cliques and people who twirl others around their little finger. However, having everybody in her pocket, teachers included? Not believable. I would’ve liked to see more of what was going on behind the scenes with her, to ‘get’ how she managed all that. She seemed close to a sociopath profile, yet we don’t learn enough about her to know for sure.

Overall, it kept me entertained enough, but I admit to rolling my eyes quite a few times.

Yzabel / October 27, 2013

Review: Shifting Selves

Shifting Selves by Mia Marshall

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

Aidan Brook’s world was shattered when the actions of a brutal murderer revealed long-buried secrets about her past. A powerful elemental, Aidan discovered she possesses the wrong kind of magic. It’s a secret that could cost her sanity—or even her life.

What she needs is some peace and quiet. What she gets is a phone call from a division of the FBI so secret it doesn’t even have a name, asking for her help with a series of shifter disappearances.

Before Aidan can settle into a new routine of pancakes and evenings by the fire, the case develops claws. She quickly finds herself caught between uptight bears, deadly mountain lions, overprotective parents, and unhappy federal agents. Throw in a stalled romance with an enigmatic shifter and the slow dissolution of her chosen family, and it’s hard to say which will drive her mad first: her magic, or her chaotic life.

Review:

(I got this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

I read the first installment to this series a few months ago, and enjoyed this second one just as much, although I think I’d have liked to see more development in some places.

This time, Aidan and Sera, as newly employed by the FBI, are caught into a series of kidnappings involving shifters, but whose consequences could affect elementals as well, in more than one way. Aidan is also faced with the gloomy prospect of suffering from her true nature, and the events happening throughout the story are constant reminders for her that she must absolutely keep herself in check; and the stakes are high, since she could very well end up causing harm to those she love, including the man she’s been falling for. Finally, she must also contend with the potential slow dissolution of the new family she believed she had found, as each of her friends have lives of their own they wish to resume.

“Shifting Selves” was an enjoyable read, but perhaps a little too slow in parts to my liking, notably when it came to Aidan’s relationship with Mac. I can’t exactly pinpoint what made me think that, because it was more a faint feeling than anything else, though it lasted throughout the book. I’d say that Mac and Aidan kept running in circles for a little too long, and that in the end, things evolved without really evolving between them. The hints leading to the truth behind the kidnappings felt a little weak, too; I guess I’d have liked to see more of them—more false leads, perhaps.

On the other hand, the group dynamics remained as strong as it was in the first book, and I liked how we got to see more of the politics going on in the world of shifters and elementals (and not to mention the shifter otters: utterly adorable AND badass at the same time).

Definitely a solid 3.5 stars for this one.

Yzabel / July 28, 2013

Review: Broken Elements

Broken Elements by Mia Marshall

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

“It’s happening again, Aidan. We didn’t stop it, after all.”

As an elemental, Aidan Brook holds the power of water at her fingertips. A descendant of the earth’s oldest magic, she can cause tides to ebb and flow, put out house fires without calling 911, and give anyone who’s annoying her an impromptu shower.

But even her magic has its limits. After it fails her one terrible night, she hides from the world and everyone she once loved, trying to escape the memories that haunt her. Ten years later, her exile is brought to an abrupt end when her former best friend appears on her front porch. An elemental killer is once again murdering her friends, and she must return to the scene of her own crimes.

Lake Tahoe proves more than she bargained for. Between a sadistic killer, some clever FBI agents, an annoyingly attractive landlord, and way too many new roommates, she has a pretty full plate. Add in a past she’s desperate to escape and her own uncontrollable powers, and Aidan Brook is having a very, very bad month.

Review:

3.5 stars. “Broken Elements” reads fast and with ease. While elemental powers are nothing new in itself, they were woven into the story in a seamless way that made sense.

I really liked the relationship between Aidan and Sera, and their interactions that were sometimes bumpy, but always speaking of their underlying affection for each other. The downside was maybe that compared to these two, the other characters seemed a little flat, less defined—albeit still enjoyable (I quite liked Simon’ behaviour). I also appreciated that the romantic interest was woven in gradually, and didn’t end up in full-blown eternal-love-at-first-sight: there’s still room for evolution in it, that will hopefully span over the next book(s), and this seems more natural to me than the contrary.

The author took care of avoiding info-dumps as much as possible; however, there still was a big one in the first chapters, which seemed a bit forced. I was also left dubious about the involvement of some of the human characters (no names here, to avoid spoiler), who I expected would have been more suspicious after the revelation of elemental powers: after all, it was the girls’ word against their meager knowledge, so how would they be sure said girls told the whole truth? Finally, I thought that sometimes, the characters reacted a little too much like “young” people: they have lived for several decades, so I’d expect more wisdom from them. (But this is something that I always find tricky in books dealing with older-than-they-seem and/or immortal characters; it’s clearly not an easy job to do.)

All in all, though, I still enjoyed this story, and will very likely pick the next volume to learn more about the world and characters presented in the first one.

Yzabel / July 17, 2013

Review: Real Vampires Don’t Sparkle

Real Vampires Don’t Sparkle by Amy Fecteau

My rating: [rating=1]

Summary:

Matheus Taylor didn’t ask to be murdered.

To be fair, the percentage of people actually asking to be murdered is probably small enough to be safely ignored, but he felt it was worth stating regardless.

His life might have been ordinary, but it was his life and he wasn’t done with it yet. Quin didn’t care. A seventeen-hundred old Roman, Quintus Livius Saturnius had a different view of morality than most people. Killing Matheus and hijacking his undead existence seemed perfectly acceptable to him.

Now, Matheus spends his nights running for his life, questioning his sexual orientation, and defying a mysterious new threat to the vampires within his city. Not that he set out to do any defying; he just wanted to be left alone.

Unfortunately, that was never going to happen.

Review:

(I got this book from NetGalley, in exchange for a honest review.)

There are good ideas in this novel, but I think it’s in need of serious editing and cutting for the story to become more interesting. While there was some humour in it, and a few dialogue lines that made me smile, things tended to go on for too long in between plot points, without necessarily providing information and/or character growth. It made me feel like the story was dragging on, and in turn, I had a hard time pushing myself to read it.

The characters have their interesting sides, and some dialogues had a nice dynamics—what can I say, I like a dose of healthy snark. On the other hand, too often they behaved like drama queens, with a lot of pouting, glaring and other behaviours I’d associate to teenage girls rather than to grown-up men, especially when those are supposed to have lived for centuries and be all badass otherwise. Matheus struck me as childish most of the time, and only in the very last part did he seem to partly grow out of this. I expected Quin to be less patient with his antics, and show him things the hard way, instead of letting him pout and whine, with the occasional outburst. (Same with Alistair, who in my opinion should have been old enough to get over it.) Not to mention that Quin kept too much to himself, which led to Matheus not understanding, demanding answers, being denied them, throwing a tantrum, then dropping the matter—only to run after Quin when the latter went out to do something dangerous.

As for the plot itself, it’s quite hard to define. It was partly too full (the hunters, Zeb’s book, Milo’s role, Bianca, the ‘real bad guys’…), and yet at the same time went too slowly, being glazed over in favour of what I might called “filling up”. Also, in the end, several things remained to be solved. Was there a traitor? Why did Quin claim Matheus, what prompted him to turn him instead of just murdering him? Perhaps this story would have fared better if divided between two books, and with less bantering in between turning points. For instance, Matheus discovering the world of vampires, going on his first hunts, being confronted to Grigori and the others, and to the hunters, would’ve made a complete story in itself. The way things were, I found those aspects weren’t explored enough, and left too much room instead to those behaviours I mentioned above—which sure didn’t fit well with what the title had led me to expect.

It looks like this is the first volume, and another one will follow, hopefully bringing answers. However, I’m still convinced it would’ve fared better with more editing, even if this meant going with two books instead of the one. The war mentioned in the last third would really deserve its own story, set apart from the rest—or be made the main plot from the beginning, without all the interruptions in between.