supernatural Archives - Page 7 of 12

Yzabel / June 28, 2015

Review: Thirteen Days of Midnight

Thirteen Days of Midnight by Leo Hunt

My rating: [rating=4]

Blurb:

When Luke Manchett’s estranged father dies suddenly, he leaves his son a dark inheritance. Luke has been left in charge of his father’s ghost collection: eight restless spirits. They want revenge for their long enslavement, and in the absence of the father, they’re more than happy to take his son. It isn’t fair, but you try and reason with the vengeful dead.

Halloween, the night when the ghosts reach the height of their power, is fast approaching. With the help of school witchlet Elza Moss, and his cowardly dog Ham, Luke has just thirteen days to uncover the closely guarded secrets of black magic, and send the unquiet spirits to their eternal rest. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.

Review:

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

3.5 stars. Entertaining and somewhat funny at times, while still conveying a sense of danger—alright, maybe not terribly frightening per se for me, as I don’t frighten easily when reading books, but I think it has the right potential nonetheless. Half the Host at least was creepy in more ways than one, from the Shepherd with his glasses to the Prisoner with his shears… and even the Innocent, for the questions he raised (who would leash a *baby* as their pet ghost, really?!). The Host wasn’t a bunch of good guys, apart from a couple, and even those remained on the fence and never said the whole truth, only intervening at a “right” moment that could’ve been just a tad bit sooner for good measure.

As I’m a sucker for necromancy in general, of course I couldn’t help but look for the questions it raised. And there were several. The baby I mentioned, for starters. Why Luke’s father turned to such a type of magic, and why he bound such a large Host, when nothing at first indicated he even needed one (this is explained later in the book). Whether Luke would accept this part of his inheritance and be lured towards a desire for power, or try to remain who he was and have a normal life. Choices to make, and forgiveness. This wasn’t just about getting rid of a bunch of ghosts, but also choosing to protect or to condemn other people.

I liked the dynamics between Luke and Elza—there’s a smidge of a budding romance in there, one that doesn’t detract from the plot, and develops slowly: good! Luke realised he couldn’t clutch forever to his little life as one of the “popular” crowd, in the face of something much biger and dangerous. Elza was resourceful, and overall a nice person, trying to help people who had been treating her like an outcast just because she didn’t want to fit their mould. Holiday, too, was a bit of an ambiguous person: picking her friends among the popular ones and discarding the others, but not to the extent of becoming a mean girl. She was barely more than a crush, yet at least she was a believable one. As for the lawyer, well… Even though you don’t get to see him much, he was perfectly cast in his role.

Oh, and Ham. Ham the deerhound. A very short part of the novel is actually from his point of view, and that was quite funny. It would’ve been annoying if it had been longer; kept to a few paragraphs, it wasn’t, and definitely made me smile.

Other characters were less defined, unfortunately: Mark, Kirk, even Luke’s mother, who remains ill/asleep for most of the novel. That last one was a bit of a letdown, as in turn, it was difficult to properly get to know her and to share Luke’s worries for her for any other reason than “she’s his mom”.

Sometimes Luke’s reactions made me cringe, as he seemed to switch from one to the other real quick. It didn’t happen that often, and it could be explained by panic and worry; only it made me wonder why he’d get such reactions. (For instance, when it’s been made clear that you’re haunted by ghosts and that those have put a certain person in a coma, dragging that person to a hospital won’t be very useful, especially not considering all the people who die in a hospital.) A couple of times, too, I picked some absolutely obvious clues that totally eluded the characters (re: the familiar); on the other hand, all things considered, maybe that’s a case of being too genre-savvy on my part, so I can’t very well hold it against characters who were either totally new to the supernatural, or barely fledglings (Elza admitted herself she was self-taught).

There was a slight lull in the middle while the characters were powerless and trying to figure out what to do—not that Luke’s father had been very helpful to begin with. They came up with an interesting idea in the end, so I forgave them.

The writing was OK, nothing exceptional, nothing blatantly annoying either. It should flow nicely enough for the intended audience. (Also, my Kindle copy was a bit oddly formatted; however, this is an ARC, so likely to change.)

Conclusion: 3.5 stars rounded to 4, because in spite of the points I mentioned, I pretty much enjoyed it. The story is also self-contained, yet open-ended enough to leave room for a sequel (someone’s bound to come back and collect their dues here, not to mention what may or may not happen between Luke and Elza, and how their fellow pupils would react to it).

Yzabel / June 17, 2015

Review: The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume Nine

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume Nine by Jonathan Strahan

My rating: [rating=5]

(I received a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

4.5 stars. Usually, collections of short stories are hard for me to rate, as they always contain the good, the bad and the ugly, so to speak. This time, I can say this was a different experience. There’s no story in here I didn’t like at all: at worst, I was slightly indifferent, and only to a few of them. This anthology’s definitely worth the read (unless you don’t like horror stories being mixed with SF/F, which is a point of view I can understand).

My favourites:

* Moriabe’s Children: in which a parallel is drawn between deep-sea monsters and all-too-human monsters dwelling on the shore.

* Ten Rules for Being an Intergalactic Smuggler: Even though the world developed here isn’t particularly original, I found this story pretty entertaining and fun to read.

* Tough Times All Over: A romp in a city full of thieves, smugglers, mercenaries and various other shady types, all running after a mysterious parcel that keep eluding them and passing to yet the next person in the chain.

* Cold Wind: Predators and preys from long ago, in a modern city that has forgotten who they once were.

* Interstate Love Song (Murder Ballad No.8): Psychopaths on a road trip, and the way they perceive their journey and the people they meet. Not the easiest story to get into at first, due to its writing style, yet this style then contributed to keeping me me enthralled all the way.

* I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There: In which con-artists and magic collide, told from a somewhat jaded yet mischievous point of view.

* Grand Jeté (The Great Leap): A widower about to lose his daughter too decides to invest into forbidden technology to create what could amount to a golem. However, his own child isn’t dead yet… and accepting the one who’s going to “replace” her isn’t so easy.

* Shay Corsham Worsted: A retired secret services agent tries to prevent an old weapon from becoming a problem… but the secret’s been so well-kept that nobody seems to know what it was about anymore.

* Tawny Petticoats: Another story of con-artists in a fantasy world, where nothing goes as planned and everybody’s trying to outwit the other parties. Fairly enjoyable.

* The Fifth Dragon: A story of love, friendship, choices and loss, as the moon’s being colonised and gravity-related physical issues start getting in the way.

* Four Days of Christmas: Very short but to the point. The story of Santa toys, from their manufacturing to how they get rediscovered much later, their harshness-denouncing journey made creepier due to these being “jolly” toys.

* Covenant: A good twist on the theme of serial killers, repentance and irony of fate.

* Cimmeria: From the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology: A group of academics expand on the theme of “what if Cimmeria was real, and how it would have evolved in our contemporary world.” A story where imagination becomes real, giving birth to a whole nation completely escaping its creators.

* The Scrivener: This story meshes fairy tales with subverted themes of writing and literary criticism.

* Amicae Aeternum: A girl has to leave, and wishes to spend her last night with her best friend, saying goodbye to all the things she’ll never see or have again. Both very nostalgic and full of hope for the future.

In-between:

* The Long Haul from the Annals of Transportation, The Pacific Monthly, May 2009: Marriage dynamics in an alternate world where the Hindenburg disaster never happened, and where airship became a norm in contemporary times.

* The Insects of Love: Mysterious and hinting at memory/time slippage. I would’ve liked it to be a little clearer on this latter part, though.

* Shadow Flock: A heist story, enjoyable but a little wanting in terms of a conclusion.

* Mothers, Lock Up Your Daughters Because They Are Terrifying: Adopted teenagers girl gather and perform black magic in their quest for identity. The apparently ineffective spell gives them what they want… at first.

* Kheldyu: Action, stealthy infiltrators, interesting techological evolutions, and an “ecological” plot.

* Calligo Lane: Fascinating space-bending magic based on origami. However, the plot wasn’t really defined.

* The Truth About Owls: A tale about a young girl exiled from her country, having to adapt to a new life but also unable to fully embrace her own roots.

* Collateral: (Already read in Upgraded) In which an enhanced soldier has to face the consequences of her choices and training, and come to conclusions after sifting through what’s right and what’s wrong.

The ones I liked the least:

* The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family: Interesting, especially for the theme it wields, but it wasn’t rooted enough in sci-fi or fantastical elements for me. (Not a bad story.)

* The Devil in America: The mix of slavery and ancient magic could’ve been interesting, but it was so disjointed that it made it hard to follow.

* Someday: I kept thinking “why not” when it came to this society’s depiction of mating and having children, but in the end I couldn’t decide what was actually the point.

Conclusion: A recommended read. A few of the stories lacked a properly defined plot and punchline, but this is something that was much more pronounced in other anthologies than this one.

NB. When I write “punchline”, I don’t mean “the most original one in the world”… just an ending. Leaving things too open-ended in short stories always seems weird to me.

Yzabel / June 11, 2015

Review: The Gates of Atlantis Complete Collection

The Gates of Atlantis Complete Collection by Wendy Knight

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

Centuries ago the great city of Atlantis had to be hidden from humans. Now magically buried in the depths of the ocean, it is the source of all magic. All is well in the magical world…until the leaders of Atlantis listen to the whims of a mad man.

A group of teens set out on their own unique quests to fight for the world they love. They face dangers they didn’t know existed. As they battle their way through mysterious tunnels and secrets of the ancient world, they find themselves in a race against time. One by one, the mad man will shut down the Gates of Atlantis and destroy the magic. Can these unlikely heroes stop him before it’s too late?

Book 1, Banshee at the Gate by Wendy Knight: Half-human, half-banshee Seven loves her life with her awesome brother Haran and her dad while delivering souls safely to death…until Death comes calling for Haran.

Book 2, Guardians of the Gates: Mermaid Talia wants to be a Guardian. Exander wants to leave Atlantis and explore the upper world. An accident at one of the gates gives them both their chance, but they also make a startling discovery—someone is destroying the gates.

Book 3, Secrets of the Mine: Adam believes in myths and magic. Clancy doesn’t. Two normal kids’ lives change when they embark on the adventure of a lifetime on the back of a sea kelpie…if only they can get away from the strange creatures that are determined to stop them.

Book 4, Magicians of the Deep: A trip to Ireland changes Colin’s life when a bite from a mysterious fish awakens unlimited knowledge and dormant magical powers. He knows exactly how to save a magical world, but can he get there before it’s too late?

Book 5, Madness Behind the Throne: Phoibos, bullied and taunted by other kids, believes something is wrong with Atlantis. His charm with the nobility and skill as warrior as he grows make him believe nothing will stop his quest to purge Atlantis from everything he finds impure.

Book 6, Battle for Acropolis: Talon keeps getting in trouble. It’s not his fault things around him randomly burst into flame, but he’s not sticking around to find out what happens next. When foster sister Hattie encourages him to run, they make a break for it, only to find an unexpected destiny awaiting them in Atlantis. They just have to get there first. When they do, they find a lot of help. Characters from all the previous books appear to help fight Phoibos. These unlikely heroes risk it all to save the magic and fight for Atlantis.

Review:

(I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

Banshee at the Gate:
2 to 2.5*

+ Interesting in terms of mythological content, especially as banshees aren’t so often featured.
+ Nice and heart-warming relationship between Seven and Haran, and fun dynamics between them and their allies.
+ No stupid love interest out of nowhere, for a change. This is meant to be adventure, and adventure we get.
– Confusing in how Atlantis was tackled in the beginning, presented as something obvious all the characters know about; I felt like there was a previous story I had missed. Perhaps I did.
– Villains too easy to get rid of in my opinion. Coming into banshee powers too easy as well.
– Plot sometimes a bit silly.

>> So far this reads definitely more like children/middle grade than truly young adult—I wouldn’t recommend it to readers above 12-13 (Seven, the protagonist, is 13, too).

Guardians of the Gate:
2*

+ Merfolk with a strong backstory of friendship and loyalty. Again, no useless romance.
+ Wily Leprechaun and good lessons about “careful what you wish for (and how you wish for it)”.
+ More info about the other ancient races (Giants, Dragons).
+ Ties into the first book.
– Plot dragged in parts and I found myself skimming at times.
– Adults shown as idiots who can’t/won’t do anything to help, which is too often the case in books, and isn’t believable.
– Lack of consequences (shouldn’t the villains try to act against the young heroes by now?).
– Some more ties with the first book would’ve been appreciated, especially at the end of this one.

>> Confirming this is definitely for kids, and not YA.

Secrets of the Mine:
2.5 to 3*

+ The kelpie. I liked reading about him.
+ Archaeology and finding forgotten civilisations.
+ Antagonistic characters that learn to cooperate.
– Slightly annoying characters (childish instant dislike).
– The writing wasn’t too exciting.

Magicians of the Deep:
1*

+ Learning more about Indiatlantis.
+ The way magical creatures are actually affected by the portals closing one after the other.
– Seems to be for an even younger target audience.
– Too much telling.
– More pronounced than in Book 2: how much Atlantis is like our (Anglo-Saxon) world: school, malls… Why couldn’t it be more different, as mysterious as it’s supposed to be?
– Repetitive crossovers with book 2.
– Callous characters (the Laytons seem like a nice enough family, at least the parents, but Colin just doesn’t seem to care? Also what he learns about his family later was dropped like a brick.
– This particular book jumped from one thing to the other (for instance, discussing an important matter, then suddenly, “anyway, let’s go to the mall”). It reminded me of how I’d sometimes play when I was younger, but in terms of plot and writing, it didn’t sit well at all with me. To be honest, I’m really not sure I would’ve liked reading this as a kid.

Madness behind the throne:
3.5*, possibly 4*

+ More mature characters, possibly because Callidora is an adult, but also because Phoibos even as a child kinds of grows up fast.
+ Political intrigue that is easy to understand for younger readers.
+ The stakes do seem more dangerous here than in the previous books
+ Though the “bad guy” has no excuses, we’re also shown what contributed to shape his vision/madness.
+ Atlantis shown as technologically advanced (computers in the age of Plato), while still being different—more magic, less malls and 20th-century-like American names.
+ Hints about who Phoibos really is
– …Though they make it fairly obvious to guess what his secret is (or not? We’ll see…)
– A few of the adult characters (the king, Lisandra) are somewhat childish.
– The relationship between Callidora and Titanos progressed so fast (although Calli does acknowledge that she doesn’t know herself why that was, and that it didn’t make sense).
– Atlantian years being 100 human years, reconciling both was a bit hard (considering what happened in the previous books, it feels like Phoibos took his sweet time to get to closing the doors, when it was described first as it happening within a mere few days).

>> So far, definitely the one I preferred in the series, because it deals with more political themes and shows more of the other side of the conflict, all this in a way that is easy to grasp by middle-grade readers without being dumbed down.

Battle for Acropolis:
3*

+ Everything comes together and without a repeat this time, since it’s the direct follow-up to previous books’ events.
+ Hattie was adorable.
+ Surprises that were predictable, but in a good way (you know they’re coming, yet you’re happy to see them coming, and happy when they’re finally here). The “finding the grandma” part definitely made me smile: expected, but cute.
– Some characters got discarded pretty quickly, and didn’t feel as regretted as they should’ve been.
– Villain decay at the end—not as epic an ending as I had expected.

>> Enjoyable throughout, although the finale felt somewhat flat.

Conclusion:

2.5/3 stars overall. It was OK for me as a light reading (2/2.5 stars), but I think a middle-grade audience would enjoy it more, hence my higher rating in the end—after all, I’m not really the targetted readership.

On the plus side, the relationships between the characters in general rang true. The creatures that appear in the novels are a good introduction to mythology in general, even if other series dive into this more deeply (Percy Jackson, for instance): Irish (banshees), mermaids, dragons, nymphs…

On the downside, Atlantis itself often felt too much like your average contemporary setting (high school, mall, etc.). Not saying I wanted to see only guys in togas living like in Grecian antiquity—and this setting makes it easy for kids to find their marks—but I expected something more different, not a copy of our modern world (I’m positive young readers wouldn’t mind, and wouldn’t have a hard time to embrace it either).

Yzabel / May 27, 2015

Review: The Shadow Revolution

The Shadow Revolution by Clay Griffith

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

They are the realm’s last, best defense against supernatural evil. But they’re going to need a lot more silver...

As fog descends, obscuring the gas lamps of Victorian London, werewolves prowl the shadows of back alleys. But they have infiltrated the inner circles of upper-crust society as well. Only a handful of specially gifted practitioners are equipped to battle the beasts. Among them are the roguish Simon Archer, who conceals his powers as a spell-casting scribe behind the smooth veneer of a dashing playboy; his layabout mentor, Nick Barker, who prefers a good pub to thrilling heroics; and the self-possessed alchemist Kate Anstruther, who is equally at home in a ballroom as she is on a battlefield.

After a lycanthrope targets Kate’s vulnerable younger sister, the three join forces with fierce Scottish monster-hunter Malcolm MacFarlane—but quickly discover they’re dealing with a threat far greater than anything they ever imagined.

Review:

(I was given a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

Magic, werewolves, Victorian London, crazy inventions, and alchemy: what could go wrong, right?

Well, I did like this novel, but not as much as I had hoped and wished. Perhaps because I remembered liking these authors’ Greyfriar book a lot, and was expecting something similar? I’m not sure. It has a nice mix of adventure, banter, fights and magic, but somehow I found it a bit lacking. Not bad per se, just lacking.

I really liked the descriptions and the London depicted in this first installment. I could easily imagine its streets, its rookeries, the characters as they were introduced, Penny’s inventions, and the various supernaturals (I’ll add the homunculi to this category, not only the werewolves). The Bedlam part was creepy and terrific. The atmosphere reflected what I’d imagine as an early gaslight/steampunk urban fantasy backdrop, and while some of the contraptions were maybe a tad bit too modern, I didn’t really care, because they integrated well enough within the overall picture.

The characters had a nice dynamics going, too. They were somewhat cliché (the dashing gentleman magician, his friend who seems to spend his time in less commendable places, the Scottish werewolves hunter, the inventor, the feisty alchemist), but again, for some reason, I thought they worked well together. I will easily forgive tropes if I manage to find them exciting, and in this case, they fit the theme and what I expected of it.

I found the writing style a bit too rough in general, though, in that the action scenes especially seemed like they could’ve benefitted from more editing, in order to be less confusing. Same with the first chapters: the reader’s quickly thrown into it, which is usually good, yet something felt abrupt and slightly jarring. It got better in some parts, and not in others. There were a lot of such scenes, perhaps too many, and they got repetitive after a while. The werewolves were also a bit too squishy depending on the moments: the first one looked so impressive and hard to kill, while others could be shredded like paper. At some point, the weres got described as not being all the same, with a lot of them being ‘runts’ of sorts, that couldn’t very well control their powers; in this case, it would make sense… only the way it was explained wasn’t too clear.

Second, I wondered why the authors hadn’t made up more concepts and words. Sure, too much techno- (or mystico-) babble can get old pretty fast; however, whenever I read something like “he muttered strange words (to create a spell)”, I couldn’t help but ask myself: “What words are those, andwhy would they be strange to him, since he’s a magician?” In such instances, I’d definitely have appreciated some made-up “babble”.

Third, a lot of threads were left dangling. This is both a good and a bad thing. The book is clearly presented as volume 1 in a trilogy, no secrets here, so everything can’t be solved at once, and these threads are obviously openings into books 2 and 3. On the other hand, they’d better not be forgotten then, otherwise they’ll look like sloppy work.

I’d rate this book 2.5 stars: lots of fun, with the clear aim of being entertaining, and definitely good potential in terms of character dynamics and family stories, but only if it gets realised and not bogged down in confusing scenes. Reading the next volume, which I also have, will likely tell if what I’m hoping for will become true.

Yzabel / May 24, 2015

Review: The Gateway Through Which They Came

The Gateway Through Which They Came by Heather Marie

My rating: [rating=2]

Blurb:

To seventeen-year-old Aiden Ortiz, letting the dead walk through his body to reach the other side comes with the territory. Being a Gateway isn’t an easy job, but someone’s gotta send Bleeders where they belong. Heaven. Salvation. Call it whatever you want. Dead is dead. But when his search for Koren Banks––the girl who went mysteriously missing seven months ago––leaves him with more questions than answers, he finds himself involved in something far more sinister and beyond his control.

With the threat of the Dark Priest’s resurrection, and his plan to summon his demon brothers from hell, Aiden is left to discover his identity before the Dark Priest’s curse infecting his blood consumes him, and before the world as he knows it succumbs to the darkness of hell on earth.

Review:

(I was given a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

An enjoyable book, good for a leisurely day, though I would’ve wanted to learn more about Aiden’s abilities in general and how he had received support—as a reader, I too often felt left in the dark.

The writing style itself wasn’t the best I’ve ever seen, but it wasn’t anything unbearable either: I didn’t notice many blatant typos and mistakes, and it flowed well enough to carry the story. Aiden’s “voice” felt enough like a boy’s; it was easy to follow his struggles throughout the novel, how he realised something dark was growing inside him, how he was trying to battle it. There isn’t that much action, as it’s more internally-focused than translated into physical fights—there are a couple of exceptions to this, and they highlight the internal battles well.

At first I wasn’t sure about all the religious-themed surroundings (Catholic school and church, a priest as Aiden’s mentor, a religious mother…), but all in all, they remained surroundings only in my opinion: I didn’t feel they were used to shove anything down my throat, which was a good thing, as I wouldn’t have liked a preachy book. For instance, while there are talks about God, I never was under the impression that the souls going through the Gateway went to *either* Heaven *or* Hell, or that there weren’t any Gateways from other faiths than the Christian one. The religious part seemed like “one system of belief among others, that are just as valid”, so this was alright with me.

There’s a bit of romance, of the bittersweet kind, and one that plays a role throughout the story without being its main focus. That was good enough for me; I’m definitely tired of stories with high stakes where the characters are too busy pondering which girl or boy to choose, instead of focusing on the actual problem.

I wish there had been more information given to readers, though. The subplot behind Koren’s disappearance was introduced abruptly, and I would’ve liked to see more of her before that, even though this might have meant using more flashbacks. A lot of information was kept from Aiden, or presented in an “oh, read this book once you’re at home” way; wouldn’t it have been easier and faster if his mentor had explained things to him directly? It’d probably also given Aiden opportunities to talk about some of the people he had met, and realise sooner what was wrong. As it was, I felt like it was a method of keeping information from the reader too for as long as possible, and I’m not too keen on such a method. The villain’s identity was also easy to guess, and it was a wonder Aiden didn’t realise it sooner.

The other characters also weren’t too developed. They were supportive throughout, and I could feel their support, all the more after some of them witnessed Aiden changing yet still decided to forgive him and stay by his side (that’s friendship); however, I kept thinking they could’ve been brought into existence more efficiently.

2.5 stars. I’ll still read the next book, as I also have it, but I hope it’ll shed more light on the Gateways in general, on what exactly Aiden could become if he were to give in, on the other characters (especially Julie and Michael) and on the Brethren’s plans.

Yzabel / May 23, 2015

Review: The Devil’s Detective

The Devil’s Detective: A Novel by Simon Kurt Unsworth

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

Welcome to hell…

…where skinless demons patrol the lakes and the waves of Limbo wash against the outer walls, while the souls of the Damned float on their surface, waiting to be collected.

When an unidentified, brutalised body is discovered, the case is assigned to Thomas Fool, one of Hell’s detectives, known as ‘Information Men’. But how do you investigate a murder where death is commonplace and everyone is guilty of something?

Review:

(I received a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

First thing first: if you’re looking for nice things, Happy Ever Afters and something else than bleak prospects, this is not the book for you. But the fact it’s set in Hell, only in Hell and nowhere else, makes this fact kind of obvious anyway.

Thomas Fool is one of Hell’s few “Information Men”, meant to investigate crimes yet knowing that whatever the outcome, it won’t matter. Whether murderers get punished or not doesn’t matter, whether people die or not doesn’t matter—it’s Hell, and it’s nonsense, and the whole nonsense of it bears down upon every inhabitant, even the demons themselves. There are rules to follow, and all of Hell’s prisoners do, in the flimsy hope of being Elevated someday, freed and sent to Heaven, following a process of selection whose rules themselves are all but logical. Joy and hope? Of course there is: so that they can be better quashed.

It was sometimes a little difficult to make up my mind about this novel, as some of its defects also contribute to making its strengths. The characters in general are sort of bleak, unremarkable, lost within an investigation that doesn’t really seem important, like puppets stringed around while being totally aware of what they are. It was somewhat tedious at times, yet it fit pretty well into the Hell setting, into its “why bother” atmosphere. I would not necessarily care for what happened to whom, yet at the same time, I did, because it reinforced the feeling of a twisted structure here. (I was peeved however at the women’s roles: they were either absent/in the background or clearly too stupid to live anyway.)

Hell’s descriptions were vivid and made it easy to picture what Fool and his partners had to go through, as gruesome and malevolent as both places and inhabitants were. In the beginning, I expected more; later, it didn’t feel so important, as what was described became enough for me to form my own vision of Hell, and adding more would’ve actually been too much.

Dialogues were definitely of the weak sort, especially because of the various repetitions and name-dropping. For instance, one character kept calling Fool “Thomas” several times in the span of a few sentences only, and this happened more than just once of twice. Fool’s and some others’ lines were also often reduced to “Yes” or “No”, and those became quickly annoying.

Another issue: guessing who the perp was. Way, way too easy. It made sense fairly early in the novel, and it was equally annoying to see Fool & Co not doing the math. Granted, their investigations often fell into the “Did Not Investigate” category (Hell made it so that it was pointless for them to investigate most crimes in general), and I guess one could say they weren’t “used” to doing it, but… It was still annoying when Fool openly admitted to himself not understanding something that should’ve been obvious.

2.5 stars for the depiction of Hell, and how the story made clear that pointlessness, twisted logices and bleak surroundings can be turned into something as terrible as fiery pits and physical pain. The reader doesn’t get hammered with God and Satan, and has to make their own idea of whether this would truly be a kind of Hell for them. As an investigation/mystery type of story, though, or in terms of interesting characters, it didn’t work well.

Yzabel / May 20, 2015

Review: Nine by Night

Nine by Night: A Multi-Author Urban Fantasy Bundle of Kickass Heroines, Adventure, & Magic by S.M. Reine

My rating: [rating=1]

Blurb:

Nine books. Nine bestselling authors. Nine heroines that take names—and chances—while confronting dark foes, whether by force of arms or magic, that threaten their entire world.

Over fifteen hundred pages of epic reading await! Let the adventures begin!

From NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author, SM REINE – WITCH HUNT –– Shaman on the run. Isobel Stonecrow speaks with the dead…for the right price. She brings closure to the bereaved and heals broken hearts. But when she resurrects someone for the wrong client, she ends up on the OPA’s most wanted list.

From NYT and USA Today Bestselling author, CJ ELLISSON – DEATH’S SERVANT –– Jonathan Winchester has clashed with his werewolf alpha one too many times. He returns to Virginia to find work and meets a young waitress, Raine. As their relationship progresses, Jon’s embroiled in more intrigue than he bargained for and a danger bigger than he can handle.

From bestselling author, LINDSAY BUROKER – TORRENT –– When Delia chose to major in archaeology, she imagined herself as the female Indiana Jones of the Southwest. She didn’t imagine herself stumbling across decapitated bodies in old mine shafts or learning that monsters are real…

From USA TODAY bestselling author, ANTHEA SHARP – SPARK –– What if a high-tech game was a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie? Superstar gamer Spark Jaxley’s life might look easy, but she’s part of an elite few who guard a shocking secret; the Realm of Faerie exists, and its dark magic is desperate for a foothold in the mortal world.

From bestselling authors BOONE BRUX and CJ ELLISSON – DEATH TIMES TWO –– The V V Inn has a ghost problem. New grim reaper, Lisa Carron, accepts the job. She quickly learns the hotel is full of the dearly departed—and she’s working for vampires. Throw in Asa, a young vamp hot enough to melt the Arctic ice, and Lisa realizes she’s way out of her element.

From bestselling author, JC ANDRIJESKI – ROOK: ALLIE’S WAR EPISODES 1-4 –– Like most humans, Allie distanced herself from Seers, a race of human-like beings discovered on Earth. Yanked out of her life by the mysterious Revik, Allie finds out her blood may not be as “human” as she thought, the world is nothing like it appears to be…and she has more in common with Seers than she ever wanted to believe.

From bestselling author, ANNIE BELLET – JUSTICE CALLING –– Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe. As long as she doesn’t use her magic…

From bestselling author, JESI LEA RYAN – ARCADIA’S GIFT –– Teenager Arcadia (Cady) Day’s family tragedy unleashes a hidden power. After experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, her home life crumbles. As her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…

From Urban Fantasy author, KARA LEGEND – WILD NIGHT ROAD –– One innocent hex sets off a chain reaction of trouble among the shifters of the Kinraven that threatens war between werewolves, seraphim and witches. Lilith Darke will do anything to be free of her seraphim master. All hell breaks loose when rival packs face off only to discover a new, deadly threat that will take all their magick to survive.

Review:

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

This collection of nine novels is, obviously, huge to read, so I tackled each book one by one. Which took me quite some time.

Overall, I was rather disappointed. Apart from one novel that made me feel like reading some of the author’s other works, mostly the stories ranged from “it’s OK” to “no” for me. I can think of two major explanations to this:
1) Mostly the stories were of the sex/romance-oriented kind, and this isn’t really what I’m looking for in urban fantasy—not because of the themes themselves, but because they too often take precedence over the plot. I want to read urban fantasy, possibly with a dash of romance, not romance with a dash of supernaturals thrown in.
2) I’m still feeling cheated by the “kickass heroines” line. I didn’t find many of them kickass. At all. Being a witch or a demon hunter doesn’t make a kickass heroine if she stil lturns to mush at the first sight of The Male.

If these are your things, good for you… They just aren’t mine.

Breaking down Nine by Night to individual short reviews, the way I had posted them over the months while reading it novel by novel:

WITCH HUNT

2*
A quick, easy read, with a lot of action and not many breaks, which fits the theme of “man on the run, trying to find the answers before his enemies catch up to him”. No problem with that, although it was rather short, and so the characters weren’t that well-developed. The world seems interesting, with a Men In Black feeling combined with department-to-department tensions and underhanded maneuvers.

In general, it’s César’s decisions I had a problem with: he didn’t strike me as particularly savvy, considering the job he’s had for the past two years. Sure, going back to the crime scene to start looking for answers is as good a beginning as any, but he didn’t do it in a clever way—and the same pattern repeated throughout the story. The ending was unsatisfying: César wasn’t the one who actually solved the problem, he was more of a spectator at times, and I didn’t like how a couple of key clues turned out to be just there by chance.

(Also, the NbN cover blurb spoke of “strong women protagonists”, but I’m still looking. The only two prominent women here either don’t appear that much, or are more like the must-protect-her type under a varnish of strength.)

DEATH’S SERVANT:

2*
I haven’t read the V V Inn series, so I feel like I’m missing something here—kind of as if some things weren’t developed, character-wise, because readers are supposed to already know Jon, Dria and Rafe from the actual series? This prequel will likely be of more interest to those who want to know more about Jon before V V Inn, since it seems to answer some questions, but maybe not so much otherwise.

TORRENT:

1*
I struggled to finish this one. Overall I found it rather boring, the plot was muddled with too much running in circles, and too much was left unsaid at the end for the reader (there was a monster, but I still have no idea what it was, what the main threat was, who/what the strangers were, etc.) As for the characters, they felt really childish and too stupid to live. Also, cracking a whip doesn’t an archaeologist make. Indiana Jones would weep.

SPARK:

3*
A light and enjoyable read, but one that felt a little confusing at times, in the beginning: I hadn’t realised it followed a previous trilogy. However, it made me feel like reading said trilogy (perhaps I’m even more interested in it than in the second one, actually). I have a soft spot for stories where gamers have to face real dangers in a virtual world, and video games combined to traditional faerie lore seemed like a good blend. Spark also deals with the gamers’ real life, showing sides of their lives that aren’t always terribly glamorous. I’ll probably pick the first volume in the Feyland trilogy at some point, to see what exactly led to the Feyguard being established (even though it’s easy to guess, it doesn’t mean there’s no point anymore, after all).

DEATH TIMES TWO:

1*
I couldn’t get into this one at all, never knowing if it was supposed to be humorous or serious. Lisa seemed a silly stereotype, and apart from Asa, the other characters were just brushed over, in a way that made me feel that the ghost-reaping plot had to be solved as fast as possible for the protagonists to finally have sex. Which might have worked, why not, only the almost slapstick-like side of the story didn’t mesh well with it in my opinion (I contemplated facepalming for real when it came to a point where Lisa asked Asa to put his hands in her pants while kissing her so that a ghost couldn’t enter her to possess her). It read more like an amateur fic (with typical vaguely porny vocabulary) than an actual novel.

ROOK: ALLIE’S WAR:

0.5*
DNFed at 56%. I tried, really, I did, but I just cannot push myself to go on. This book is so terribly confusing, adding present/preterit shifts to a 1st person/3rd person mix I already have problems with in general. I get the reasons behind this choice, but they don’t work for me, and it makes for a painful reading.

I don’t understand the characters, who suffer of chronic cases of ain’t-telling-you-nothingitis. A.k.a “All those things we know because we’re telepaths/empaths, and you don’t because you’re human? I can’t tell you because you’re supposed to ask that guy, there, who’re not telling you on his own becasue Reasons.” So what does the heroine do? Not ask. For weeks. Then everybody assumes she knows, but she doesn’t, which leads to stuff like “why did you agree to marry him”, and… wait, when did that happen, and what did she do to make everyone and their dog think the two characters are married? Also are they in love, attracted to each other, wanting to have sex with each other, not wanting to have sex…? This isn’t even angst or conflicted feelings anymore; it’s just one huge muddle. (Interspersed with regular diving into some structure of light, Pyramid and other psychic-powerish mumbo-jumbo that doesn’t make much sense, all the more when it’s thrown into action scenes.)

The premise looked interesting. The first couple of chapters drew me in. And then… nope, sorry.

JUSTICE CALLING:

1*
Too short to allow for much character development. The story goes fast, but remains very formulaic—down to the hardened guy showing up to provide a love interest that Jade immediately starts fantasising about for… no reason? I’d have much preferred getting to know the characters better, and see a couple of actual twists and turns. As it is, the “villain” was dispatched too quickly, the promising plot wasn’t exciting, and Jade was just… annoying.

I read it because I needed to do something while waiting at the airport. I don’t think I’ll be back.

ARCADIA’S GIFT:

2.5*
Mostly an OK story, but one that I wouldn’t really qualify of “urban fantasy” (see my above comment, though—if not considered as part of this bundle, then disregard it). More like YA paranormal romance. I liked that the romance part developed more naturally than in most novels pertaining this genre, although I admit I’m not a good target audience for that in general. I also liked how it took into accout the whole family after the tragedy, not only Cady and her feelings for a boy. However, I didn’t like the way she reacted in the end (I would’ve expected such an outburst sooner, but not after everything that happened). Overall, it was an alright story, yet one that won’t leave me with much of an impression, I’m afraid.

WILD NIGHT ROAD

1*
Terribly confusing, and looking more like chapters plucked from a larger story. There seemed to be complex dynamics behind the shifters, witches and seraphim, that weren’t really explained, so the characters’ predicament was never really tangible. I didn’t feel close to any of them, the whole weres/alpha male/bonding thing was strange (way to give the “kickass women” room to decide and fend for themselves, huh?), and everything moved too fast, without enough development in between.

1.5 stars overall. (Not rounding to 2 because of the misleading “strong female protagonists” angle that was everything but.)

Yzabel / May 4, 2015

Review: Black Dog

Black Dog: Hellhound Chronicles by Caitlin Kittredge

My rating: [rating=2]

Blurb:

Ava has spent the last hundred years as a hellhound, the indentured servant of a reaper who hunts errant souls and sends them to Hell. When a human necromancer convinces her to steal her reaper’s scythe, Ava incurs the wrath of the demon Lilith, her reaper’s boss.

As punishment for her transgression, Lilith orders Ava to track down the last soul in her reaper’s ledger… or die trying.

But after a hundred years of servitude, it’s time for payback. And Hell hath no fury like an avenging Ava…

Review:

(I got an ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.)

Interesting setting, but ultimately the characters didn’t keep me invested enough in the story. I wasn’t sure at first why; in the end, I think it was because they were presented as badass, did have an etremely badass-y potential, yet didn’t make enough use of this potential.

The good thing was that it made them vulnerable, more human, not the kind of characters who win all the time and tear through their enemies like there’s no tomorrow. Ava had a painful past, was abused and betrayed, and this makes it quite ironical that she ended up as a hound, expected to show the loyalty that was never really shown to her when she was alive.

On the other hand, there were also several moments when they were too weak, didn’t see through their enemies’ ploys, ended up in dire situations because they hadn’t been careful enough (though they knew they should have been)… Here’s a Hellhound and a warlock who keep being on the wrong end of the stick, being the underdogs (pun intended), and it’s not something I had expected from them. Obstacles and trials? Sure… Only not with such similar endings (character gets into problems, gets beaten up, blacks out, wakes up in an unknown room with someone who may or may not be an enemy…). This was all the more annoying with Ava, who’s supposed to be close to a century old, and not just a budding Hellpuppy. Ava who keeps making wrong decision after wrong decision. You’d think she’d learn. (Also, akward sex scene out of nowhere.)

The setting itself was OK, with elements that could easily be used and developed later again: Leo’s father and his thugs; what happened in Hell; whether Ava will be really free or not; the way boundaries aren’t so well-defined when it comes to demons and angels, as being a meanie isn’t limited to “the bad guys”… There’s potential here as well, including vampires and shifters— not the most original I’ve ever seen, but not the cheesiest either. And necromancers. Shall I state once again how partial I am to necromancy?

Good ideas in general. My main beef with the book were the characters, whom I mostly found unremarkable, when they should have been.

Yzabel / April 28, 2015

Review: The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath

The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath by Ishbelle Bee

My rating: [rating=3]

Blurb:

1888. A little girl called Mirror and her shape-shifting guardian Goliath Honeyflower are washed up on the shores of Victorian England. Something has been wrong with Mirror since the day her grandfather locked her inside a mysterious clock that was painted all over with ladybirds. Mirror does not know what she is, but she knows she is no longer human.

John Loveheart, meanwhile, was not born wicked. But after the sinister death of his parents, he was taken by Mr Fingers, the demon lord of the underworld. Some say he is mad. John would be inclined to agree.
Now Mr Fingers is determined to find the little girl called Mirror, whose flesh he intends to eat, and whose soul is the key to his eternal reign. And John Loveheart has been called by his otherworldly father to help him track Mirror down…

Review:

(I got an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

Hmmm. A hard one to rate. I liked it, but not as much as I thought I would. Maybe 3.5 stars / between “I liked it” and “I really liked it”?

The setting, characters and writing had a twisted fairy tale-like quality, rather close to what I’d expect from authors I love (like Neil Gaiman). Victorian England, for starters, with a dash of the Egyptian craze. An Egyptian princess whose soul may have travelled to another human vessel via a clock. A clockmaker who makes very specific implements using inhuman means. A group of young boys raised by the Lord of the Underworld, all ending up twisted in various ways. People fighting against death and aging, going against time, ready to whatever it takes to prolong their own lives. All this against the backdrop of the Ripper murders, which are given a different take her.

I liked that the story went in a roundabout way. As I usually say in such cases, it’s both a good and a bad thing. Good for readers like me who enjoy it when a novel doesn’t necessarily follow its characters chronologically, because it’s like a puzzle and it’s amusing (at first, it’s not so obvious why this or that character becomes the focus, but then those subplots gradually tie together). Bad, because if you don’t have a lot of time to focus on the story, it’s easy to feel lost after a while. After all, we aren’t always able to read a book in one or two sittings only… So, I enjoyed trying to piece things together, but I’ll also admit that it wasn’t very easy at times, as I’d somewhat lose my train of thoughts about the novel as soon as something else popped up.

Mr Lovehart was one strange, mad fellow. And the kind of persona that tends to grow on me: crazy, clearly evil in many ways, yet with a heroic bastard streak that went well with his killing antics. And eccentric clothes. Somehow, it just worked.

I also really liked the relationship between Mirror and Goliath, fierce protector as he was. Just like White and to a certain extent Walnut, he provided a strong, honest counterpoint against the depravity of other characters. I’m not so fond of the ending and of what it implied when it came to Mirror and Goliath, though, considering that she “grew up” pretty fast, but that nothing is said about her mental growth. Especially as she wrote her letter, it felt like she was still quite a child in her mind, and so it made things rather… weird, to say the least.

The same goes for Pomegranate’s story, that didn’t tie as well with the other characters’. Or maybe that was just me. Maybe I happened to read her chapters at a moment when I wasn’t focused enough. (See above.) And there were moments when I felt that the characters in general ween’t so well-defined, that they would’ve deserved more fleshing out.

I’d still recommend this novel to readers in search of whimsical settings and characters, with magical realism and enchanting prose.

Yzabel / April 24, 2015

Review: The Girl Who Never Was

The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset

My rating: [rating=2]

Blurb:

THE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS is the story of Selkie Stewart, who thinks she’s a totally normal teenager growing up in Boston. Sure, her father is in an insane asylum, her mother left her on his doorstep—literally—when she was a baby, and she’s being raised by two ancient aunts who spend their time hunting gnomes in their Beacon Hill townhouse. But other than that her life is totally normal! She’s got an adventurous best friend who’s always got her back and an unrequited crush on an older boy named Ben. Just like any other teenager, right?

When Selkie goes in search of the mother she’s never known, she gets more than she bargained for. It turns out that her mother is faerie royalty, which would make Selkie a faerie princess—except for the part where her father is an ogre, which makes her only half of anything. Even more confusing, there’s a prophecy that Selkie is going to destroy the tyrannical Seelie Court, which is why her mother actually wants to kill her. Selkie has been kept hidden all her life by her adoring aunts, with the help of a Salem wizard named Will. And Ben. Because the boy she thinks she’s in love with turns out to be a faerie whose enchantment has kept her alive, but also kept her in the dark about her own life.

Now, with enchantments dissolved and prophecies swinging into action, Selkie finds herself on a series of mad quests to save the people she’s always loved and a life she’s learning to love. But in a supernatural world of increasingly complex alliances and distressingly complicated deceptions, it’s so hard to know who to trust. Does her mother really wish to kill her? Would Will sacrifice her for the sake of the prophecy? And does Ben really love her or is it all an elaborate ruse? In order to survive, Selkie realizes that the key is learning—and accepting—who she really is.

Review:

(I received an ARC copy through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. Since it was an ARC, though, some things may be different in the published version of this book.)

I am sorely late in reading and reviewing this book. My mistake for not keeping track of when which review was due. Apologies to the publisher for this. Unfortunately, I have to admit I didn’t like this book, balancing between “it’s OK” and “this is getting long… are we there yet?”

It had plenty of ideas and themes that I normally would like. Fae, for starters, as well as wizards and ogres. A blue-and-orange-morality take on said fae, as well as a Seelie Court that is all but full of “nice fairies” (they’ll kill someone because they can, and when asked “why”, they’ll answer “why not?”). Boston as a stronghold for the supernaturals, built over the centuries through magic and enchantments. One of the characters has the power to travel between the human world and the fae lands. And so on.

On the other hand, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. Selkie reacted too often like a kid rather than as a 17-year-old girl, acting impetuously and making rash decisions, sometimes to the point of reaching Too Stupid To Live status. Her friend wasn’t so much better. Putting yourself in danger to save someone is a noble thing, even if it means willingly jumping into a trap, but Selkie did it with too little preparation; as a result, her attempt at rescue was pretty much… useless.

Conversely, her tantrums weren’t totally unjustified either, because of all the other characters’ tendency to never tell her anything, never explain, arguing that “it’s not yet time”… and we all know that the “let’s keep you in the dark in order to protect you” trope has a severe tendency to backfire about 99% of the time, all the more in YA novels, because the teenager will just jump into dangerous situations anyway—the only difference being they’ll lack important information that would help them. Moreover, keeping the character sheltered from knowledge for 50% of the story (at least) also means keeping the reader confused. While I managed to make sense of who was doing what at some point, let’s just say it was thanks to my ability to piece things together, not to the novel doling out information in a useful way.

The characters in general felt too flat. Her aunts weren’t indistinguishable from each other, and the Seelie queen could have been so much scarier, be so much more cruel… Instead, she didn’t look like much of a threat, despite her powers and her ability to use Names to weaken or even kill other fae. All in all, it should’ve been a desperate predicament for Selkie, considering what the wizard and her aunts told her, yet I never get a sense of a real threat coming from the Seelie fae. They did harmful things… just not to the extent I expected them to.

Not relating to the characters also meant I couldn’t connect with the romance. It was just there—too one-sided for a long time, before taking a sudden U-turn. I’m not a good audience for romance as a whole, and I know it’s difficult to find a love story that will touch me, but here, it was definitely a miss. I couldn’t bring myself to care about it, and the “stay with me because you love me” part made me roll my eyes.

I still liked the setting, though, both Tir na nOg and Boston/Parsymeon. It just wasn’t enough to keep me interested.