Short Summary: In the final installment of the husband and wife co-authored Kate Daniels series, Kate is battling an ancient enemy that 3.5 of 5 stars
Short Summary: In the final installment of the husband and wife co-authored Kate Daniels series, Kate is battling an ancient enemy that almost succeeded in destroying her family once before and this time seeks to raze Atlanta and everyone in it.
Thoughts: This series began back in 2007 and while I was late to the party (finally started in 2011), Kate Daniels will always be one of the integral series that turned me into such a diehard Urban Fantasy fan. As a final installment, Magic Triumphs still manages to throw in some unexpected surprises, new monsters, and an open enough ending to pave way for future stories (or spinoffs more likely).
Verdict: While the story started off with the standard formula with Kate researching a crime, it was far from what I was expecting from a final installment (I assumed it would be full of verbal sparring between her and Roland — I would have been a-okay with that). The first 2/3 felt like the story was dragging its feet (yet still managed to read very clipped and rushed somehow?), the final 1/3 was full of the action I would have appreciated reading about for the entire book, yet the end was ultimately satisfying and fans of the series will no doubt be pleased with the ending the duo writers bestowed upon her.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
“I can’t change the way I’m made. I’m a performer, a singer, a werewolf, a sinner.”
In this new companion installment in tMy rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
“I can’t change the way I’m made. I’m a performer, a singer, a werewolf, a sinner.”
In this new companion installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, Cole St. Clair, the bad boy you can’t help but love, travels to Los Angeles to seek out Isabel for a fresh start and to jump start his career with a new album. Cole signs on with an Internet reality TV producer (think TMZ) named Baby North who intends to tape his daily life in hopes of being able to get his anticipated relapse caught on tape.
‘It was the first time I’d really realized I’d lost my soul and that the beauty of not having a soul was that you couldn’t seem to care that you no longer had one.’
Sinner was a book that no one expected to ever exist. The Wolves of Mercy Falls series was completely and sufficiently wrapped up years ago, and if you’re of the same opinion as I, it never should have actually gone past book one. No installments following the first were anywhere close to the caliber of Shiver but they were still enjoyable enough and worth the read. Sinner is indeed a stand-alone/companion novel, and even though it has been years since I read the series I was able to quickly catch up following the brief backstory Stiefvater provides to get her readers up to speed. Cole and Isabel’s story and how it was left in Forever, while a bit open to interpretation and not given a concrete finish, didn’t exactly warrant an entire book. I believe the level of enjoyment of Sinner is going to be based solely on whether or not Cole and Isabel were personal favorites of yours from the series. Cole and Isabel’s story is finally given a solid conclusion, albeit a very neatly wrapped up one. Considering the two are quite a damaged duo, I wasn’t expecting that in the least. I also wasn’t expecting this story to involve more about the ‘hazards of fate’, what with Cole being on a reality show, than about the romance between our two main characters. It was an interesting inclusion but not exactly a welcome one because it felt more superfluous than anything in an attempts to make this a full length novel.
All in all, unfortunately, I think we could have done without this installment. I’ll always retain fond memories of Shiver though.
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review....more
A copy of Red Moon was provided to me by Grand Central Publishing/Netgalley for review purposes.
'Plagues don't just kill people - and that's what loboA copy of Red Moon was provided to me by Grand Central Publishing/Netgalley for review purposes.
'Plagues don't just kill people - and that's what lobos is, a plague - they kill humanity.'
Red Moon deals with an alternate world history, one where lycans are real and all are aware of their existence. The story is told from several different points-of-view and spans several years. At its core, Red Moon is about xenophobia, racial discrimination and acts of terrorism, a subject that can be applied to today's world even when you remove the lycan factor. It touches on several genres, but ends up ultimately being a blend of horror and dystopian.
With the multiple story lines, various points of view and length of elapsed time from the first to final page, Red Moon seemed like an attempt to write the lycan/werewolf version of 'The Twelve'; key word attempt. The writing ended up being excessively descriptive and lacked a flow which left it feeling forced, like the author was attempting to incorporate poetry but resulted in an overall clunky feel. For example:
"He feels the snow of the Republic weighing him down and he feels the darkness of the grave pressing around the fire and infecting his vision so that there seems to be no separation between the living and the dead, a child born with a mud wasp's nest for a heart and its eyes already pocketed with dust, ready to be clapped into a box and dropped down a hole."
The strange way things were described: "She strikes a match and drops it on the burner and a blue flare the size of a child foomps to life[...]" "She is sitting on a rock the size of a buffalo skull [...]" "He imagines what his blood would taste like. Like cherry cough syrup."
Then the occasional line(s) that caused some eye-rolling: 'He hears a dripping and looks down to see the blood pooling from the open door. The blood of Trevor, uncorked by a bullet. It melts the snow into a red slushy pattern that reminds him of those Rorschach inkblot tests. What does he see? The fate that awaits him if he does not act.' and 'He consults his GPS one more time before finding the center and parking his bike on the wrong side of the street in front of a fire hydrant. Sometimes it feels good to be so wrong.'
And these lines just irritated me: 'A black man named Jessie with half his teeth missing.' 'The black man, Jessie, says, "Why are you telling him that?"' 'The black man's chest is rising and falling with the rhythms of sleep.'
The first sentence is the initial introduction of Jessie and describing him as such isn't an issue. It's the subsequent sentences that irritated me. Simply calling him Jessie would've been perfectly fine.
I will give Percy major credit, his evident research worked magnificently in bringing this alternate world to life and making the lycans existence all the more real. 'All known prion diseases affect the brain and neural tissue, creating vasuoles in the nerve fibers that eventually lesion and degenerate into spongiform encephalopathy.' Detailed scientific explanations are given throughout the story and while they weren't always easy to interpret (and caused extensive Google searching) it was refreshing to see some legitimate research being put into the world-building.
The ending is not tied up nicely with a pretty little bow, but I actually preferred the open to interpretation ending and I don't usually. Despite this, I still believe Red Moon to be a standalone novel. In my opinion the author was trying to convey the situation as one that doesn't ever truly end, that it's an ongoing problem and doesn't have an easy solution. I think giving it the 'perfect ending' would have been far too unrealistic. Setting aside my issue with the excessive descriptive writing style, I still really enjoyed the physics of the story. Benjamin Percy is definitely an author with a talent for storytelling.
Recommended for fans of The Passage by Justin Cronin and The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (although both are vampire novels) and readers looking for a literary story with paranormal elements.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars A copy of Club Monstrosity was provided to me by Pocket Star/Edelweiss for review purposes.
In the basement of the Holy Heart chMy rating: 3 of 5 stars A copy of Club Monstrosity was provided to me by Pocket Star/Edelweiss for review purposes.
In the basement of the Holy Heart church a group of individuals meet for Monstofelldosis (MFD) Anonymous meetings. These meetings are basically the most dysfunctional support group, as all of these eclectic individuals are monsters. Real. Life. Monsters. Natalie is one of Frankenstein’s creations, Alec is a werewolf, Kai is a mummy, and, well, you get the picture. Their support groups leader is Bob, otherwise known as the Blob, and when he turns up missing they all join together to find out what happened to one of their own. When it's discovered that he died in the same way he died in the books and movies they realize their covers are blown and they have no idea who they're coming for next.
I loved the highly original idea behind this one, a group of monsters struggling to live among humans? Each of the monsters/characters had their own leading role and they were all entertaining in their own way. A total count of eight monsters made appearances and it'll be fun to see new monster additions in future installments of this series. Club Monstrosity has humor, a mystery and even a bit of romance. This was a fun, light-hearted read that was an entertaining start to a new series.
'For among these winters there is one so endlessly winter that only by wintering through it all will your heart survive.'
Forever: the final installment'For among these winters there is one so endlessly winter that only by wintering through it all will your heart survive.'
Forever: the final installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and the final story of Grace and Sam.
Final Thoughts Despite struggling profusely with this one there is no denying this was still a beautifully written story. Maggie's writing appears flawless and effortless... the words simply flow.
The Bottom Line As you can see by my rating, Forever didn't leave me with the warm fuzzies I had after Linger and especially after Shiver. It was too jumbled for me and a bit lacking in overall focus. I think that this is primarily due to the multi-POVs that didn't work for me this time around even though there were just about as many in Linger... it just made the story feel all over the place.
Too much time was spent focusing on Isabel and Cole when I desperately needed/wanted more about Grace and Sam. It also seemed like there was too much extra information being doled out that was distracting from the main storyline. Bottom line: it felt very forced.
The Romance I didn't feel the strong connection that I was used to between Grace and Sam (view spoiler)[like the Grace proposing to Sam scene? Could have been done so much better... it was completely unromantic in my opinion. (hide spoiler)] And I found it strange how Grace/Sam would be thinking about how much they loved him/her or how much they missed him/her when separated yet they never really showed it. I realize that it was done so in a way to show that they both know and understand each other so much that actions aren't required but being a bite more vocal about it would have brought back the warm fuzzies for me. :)
Despite my issues I'm still glad that I finally read these stories and experienced Maggie's writing firsthand. Even though Grace and Sam's story is officially over it will be hard to ever forget it.
'And then I did laugh, even though the future was a dangerous place, because I loved her, and she loved me, and the world was beautiful.'...more
'This is a love story. I never knew there were so many kinds of love or that love could make people do so many different things. I never knew there wer'This is a love story. I never knew there were so many kinds of love or that love could make people do so many different things. I never knew there were so many different ways to say goodbye.'
Grace has never been sick a day in her life since the wolves attacked her when she was a child. Lately, she's been plagued by a constant headache and a fever that burns deep and has her fearing that this is much more than just the flu. Sam, now human despite the brutal Minnesota cold, still feels as if it's too good to be true.
Cole is one of the new wolves that Beck turned before he changed for the last time. Cole was an interesting and multi-faceted character. An ex-rock star in his pre-wolf life that was a junkie on the road to disaster. When he was approached by Beck he agreed to the change seeking a respite from the life he had created for himself. Sam and Grace shared the stage with the introduction of the growing attraction between Isabelle and Cole. I found the two couples to be vastly different yet managed to complement each other in the story wonderfully.
Maggie's writing remains vibrant and beautiful. There's really no other way to explain it... simple yet not. She's an amazing writer. I especially loved the small snippets we were given of Sam's poetry/song writing abilities.
'I'm an equation that only she solves/these X's and Y's by other names called/My way of dividing is desperately flawed/as I multiply days without her'
The ending of Linger left me with little doubt that I needed to start Forever immediately. I needed to know the ending to the story even though I have a distinct feeling that it's going to break my heart. Here's hoping I'm wrong. :)...more
Thank you to Orbit for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Orbit
This is one of thThank you to Orbit for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Orbit
This is one of those hodgepodge of genres that is usually a catastrophic mess in my opinion. This wasn't exactly catastrophic but it wasn't anything excellent. In 'God Save the Queen' we've got vampires, werewolves, goblins, 'halvies', with steampunk and Victorian elements (think Gail Carriger's 'Parasol Protectorate series'...also worth note is a group of individuals contracted as guards for the aristocrats entitled the Peerage Protectorate. Hmm.)
I've grown to dread starting a brand new series because of the probability of huge info-dumps that occur when explaining a brand new world. When not done well it can really hurt the overall story. The massive info-dumps occurred in the beginning but were clumsily mixed with the actual storyline of main character Xandra so while you're trying to figure out who she is, where she's going, and why... you're also trying to sort through the strange world and the society and the Prometheus protein aka 'the plague' and... it could have been done better in my opinion.
The writing in general left something to be desired; with the story set in Britain it was inconsistently 'British' with only the occasional British word thrown in for good measure, it wasn't a true Steampunk in my opinion as there were just simply references to some gadgets and nothing more, and it had the feel of a YA novel except for a few dirty scenes. I wasn't surprised to find out that the author 'Kate Locke' is also YA author 'Kady Cross'.
The class system was a bit distasteful how the aristocrats were the supreme beings, then next were the halvies which basically were born to be protectors, and then the humans. It reminded me a bit of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series how the dhampirs were born to protect the Moroi's but I don't remember straight disliking the class system; I don't think that it was made as blatant that they were beneath the Moroi's. The halvies treated the aristos with a sense of awe that was a bit awkward.
The inevitable relationship with the two main characters was done all sorts of wrong. Sure, you ended up loving the two together but the whole introductory period was completely missing. If you're going to have a character in a book have a one-night stand then treat it as such. It's completely unrealistic and downright ridiculous that after sleeping together that you end up a couple without even having a discussion about it and he's making you breakfast and meeting your family and... I had whiplash. And a headache from all the eye-rolling.
The one saving grace for me was that I felt a semblance of originality finally bloom before the book ended. I was left intrigued and I will say that it was an overall enjoyable story, but didn't bring enough of anything 'new' to garner a higher rating. I will be interested to see how this series continues to develop in the second installment The Queen Is Dead....more
I read this short little novella (free!) immediately after book 4 and it worked out perfect because this story acts almost like a deleted scene, just I read this short little novella (free!) immediately after book 4 and it worked out perfect because this story acts almost like a deleted scene, just from Curran’s point of view. It’s actually the perfect accompaniment following the completion of book 4. Even though book 4 didn’t leave you with any lingering questions, this novella provided additional scenes that answered questions you didn’t know you had. ...more
A tiny yet enjoyable little tidbit. I liked it but considering that it didn't exactly add anything to the original story, just told it from a differenA tiny yet enjoyable little tidbit. I liked it but considering that it didn't exactly add anything to the original story, just told it from a different point of view, I didn't rate it as highly. Still recommended for any Kate Daniels fans. :)...more
‘There is a storm gathering on our horizon. We will make a stand, but I wonder if it will matter in the end.’
In tMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
‘There is a storm gathering on our horizon. We will make a stand, but I wonder if it will matter in the end.’
In the world of Kate Daniels, the return of magic has left technology an unreliable resource in a dangerous world where vampires, werewolves, witches, and other paranormal beasties roam. Kate Daniels has always been able to hold her own, however, a being more powerful than her has just learned of her existence and he’s coming for her: her father, Roland. When Curran is forced to leave the Keep for a diplomatic trip, Kate is left in charge and struggles to not only maintain control but to keep everyone around her safe from the warpath Roland is on to get to her.
I positively adored the first five installments in this series, which I read pretty much read back to back, all to end up being massively disappointed with the sixth installment in 2013. There was a bunch of unnecessary drama that seemed so out of character for those that I’ve come to know and love and there’s nothing I love less than unnecessary drama. It was still an entertaining installment but enough to make me go on a Kate Daniels hiatus. I’ve been trying to catch up on some series and I’m on a major Urban Fantasy kick lately so I took the plunge and while I felt this was far better than Magic Rises (because no unnecessary drama), it still amounted to nothing but filler for me. But damn was it full of action and full of some of the best side characters that I sure hope get a bigger share of the spotlight in future installments (I’m looking at you Desandra). We might have been short Curran for the most part, but Kate, Desandra, Derek, and Ascanio were one hilarious bunch when you threw them all together.
Desandra shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, Kate? Have you thought of walking up to Hugh and telling him that he’s got the biggest dick ever?” She spread her arms to the size of a baseball bat. “No, you think it would work?” I asked. “It’s worth a try. May be he’ll be so happy you noticed his pork sword, he’ll forget all about trying to kill us.” Pork sword. Kill me now. “I’ll think about it.” Ascanio began patting his clothes. “What?” Derek growled. “Looking for something to take notes with.”
Can’t forget to mention Cuddles either.
“What the hell is this?” Desandra asked “This is Cuddles. She’s a mammoth donkey.” Derek grinned, leaning on the fence. “Do you have any self-respect left?” “Nope.”
So while this group is trying to survive vampires, Hugh, and even a random wendigo, they were still such fun to read about. For the most part, this installment just felt like a bunch of strategical maneuvering to get everything in its proper place and while I understand the ultimate importance of it, it felt far more long and drawn out than should have been necessary. We get more info into Kate’s lineage that only makes you wonder just what she is capable of with the proper teachings. I don’t think I’ll be staying away from Kate Daniels anymore because it was damn good to be back....more
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