Review: Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #7)

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 5th March 2013
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Now that she's the mate of Alpha werewolf Adam, Mercy Thompson's life finally seems to be calming down - but not for long. After a traffic accident, Mercy suddenly can't reach Adam or the rest of the pack. All she knows is that Adam's angry and in pain.

If Adam's disappearance has anything to do with the werewolves' fight for public acceptance, it means the entire pack is in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy will have to seek help from an unlikely ally - no matter how grave the consequences.

My Thoughts - For those of you who've read my reviews of the previous books in this series, you'll know that it is probably my favourite series...ever! With possibly the exception of River Marked (book 6) which I didn't enjoy quite so much, so much so that I seem to have forgotten to review it completely, these books have been amazing. And I'm glad to say that with this instalment, the author seems to have got over her little funk that she experienced with the previous book and it was well on par with the earlier books in the series.

Mercy is her usual kick-ass self, and when the rest of the pack is taken and she is the only person who can rescue them, she quickly gets into action and does what she has to do. This is one of my favourite qualities in Mercy... she knows what has to be done and she's not afraid to get her hands a little dirty in the process. She loves Adam and will do anything to get him back, as well as the rest of the pack, even if that does mean teaming up with an unlikely ally.

I love how there is always a mystery involved with each of these books for Mercy and the gang to solve. Once again, the mystery element perfectly compliments the more paranormal elements, and had me turning the pages to find out who was behind the kidnapping (or wolf-napping) and what the reason behind it was. And it was not obvious at all, well not to me at least, who was involved.

Summary - A perfect addition to a kick-ass urban fantasy series. Fans of this genre will love it and people who aren't fans of the genre should still read these books.

Other books in the series:
1. Moon Called
2. Blood Bound
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne
6. River Marked
7. Frost Burned

Guest Review: The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke (The Immortal Empire #2)

Today, I'm pleased to welcome back Sarah from Feeling Fictional, who has written a guest review for The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke. Thank you Sarah!

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 5th February 2013
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review


Book Info - Xandra Vardan is the newly crowned Goblin Queen of England, But her complicated life is by no means over.

There are the political factions vying for her favour, and she's under the all-too-close scrutiny of Queen Victoria, who for some reason wants her head. Not to mention her werewolf boyfriend with demands of his own, and a mother hell-bent on destroying the monarchy. Now she's the suspect in a murder investigation - and Xandra barely knows which way is up.

What she does know is that nothing lasts forever - and immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Sarah's Review - God Save the Queen was a fantastic start to Kate Locke's alternate history urban fantasy series so I've been looking forward to getting my hands on The Queen is Dead ever since I first read it. If the stunning covers for this series aren't enough to convince you to read them then the mash up of genres should be, throw in a hint of steampunk, vampires, werewolves and a heroine who has just found out she is the goblin queen and you're definitely onto a winner! Everything I loved about the first book was back again in this 2nd instalment and it's left me desperate to read Long Live the Queen when it publishes in November.

Xandra had quite a shock at the end of the last book when she discovered that she is in fact a goblin rather than the halvie that she always thought she was. The goblins are the most ferocious of the supernatural races and the ones who are most feared by the rest of the population. She has always thought of them as monsters so her world view has taken quite a battering thanks to her newly acquired status as their queen. Not only is she questioning herself and worrying over her new abilities but she also finds that she has become a political pawn that each of the different factions all want to win into their corner, she is going to have to pick her allies wisely though or she'll just end up in an even bigger mess. After everything that Xandra went through in the first book to protect her siblings I have to say I was a bit disappointed in them for abandoning her when she needed their support in return, it's just a good job she had Vex to lean on. Of course the fact that they have been ignoring her for the last few months doesn't stop Xandra diving straight into the investigation when she discovers that her brother Val is missing no matter how much trouble it might get her into. She is the kind of girl who will protect her loved ones at any cost and I can't fault her for that.

I love the way things have developed between Xandra and Vex and I think she sums up my feelings for him perfectly when she says "One of the things I adored about him was he didn't go all chest-thumping on me and treat me like a delicate flower. I knew he'd rip apart anyone who tried to hurt me, but he'd give me first crack at it." I love the fact that although he is an alpha he doesn't try to take charge of every situation. He is supportive and protective of her without being smothering and I like the way he is so calm and centred while Xandra is struggling to come to terms with the revelations of her heritage. Vex obviously loves Xandra for who she is and he is the only one who has always been there for her when she needed him.

Another thing I really enjoyed was getting to learn more about the goblins, we get to see a different side to them as Xandra reluctantly spends more time with the plague and I've come to really like the goblin prince. There have also been a few interesting developments with Vex's werewolf pack and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in the next book. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series and I'm sure anyone who enjoyed the first book is going to love this instalment just as much. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Other books in this series:
1. God Save the Queen
2. The Queen is Dead

Review: Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #4)

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 8th December 2001
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - When the walls between Man and Fae come crashing down, freeing the insatiable, immortal Unseelie from their icy prison, MacKayla Lane is caught in a deadly trap. Captured by the Fae Lord Master, she is left with no memory of who or what she is. Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle-filled streets of Dublin to the treacherous politics of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves, where nothing is as it seems - and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering truth.

My Thoughts - For those of you who've read my reviews of the previous books in this series, you'll know that I have had mixed feelings about it. I loved the first book and felt it was a very promising start to the series, whereas books two and three felt more like fillers. At the start of Dreamfever, I could feel my excitement for the series start to build again. Finally, Mac seemed to be back on her quest for the Sinsar Dubh, whilst battling against all kinds of fae and forming alliances with the people around her in the lead up to what promises to be an amazing showdown. However about three quarters of the way through, the author seemed to lose her way again and I had trouble understanding why the last quarter of the book was even there. Again, it felt purely like something to fill the pages, drawing out the inevitable into more books than this series really needed to be. But, at least most of the book did push the storyline along towards its conclusion, which is an improvement on books two and three.

Again, there are a huge array of supporting characters and I love how none of them seem to be purely good or purely bad. They all have their own agenda and Mac has to really work hard to find out who is on her side and who is working against her. Of course, my favourite out of all the characters is Barrons. The reader still doesn't know much at all about him and this just increases his appeal for me. The hope that I might find out just a little something about him is what has kept me reading this series despite my reservations about it. V'lane, another of my favourite characters, isn't in this book quite so much so I found that slightly disappointing, but I'm sure he'll be back in full force in the final installment in the series.

One of the issues I had with previous books in the series was the author using Mac to constantly make reference to things that happen in the future. I'm sure it was to provide a feeling of suspense, but to me it just made the narrative jerky and kept on distracting me from the things that were happening. But luckily, that doesn't seem to happen all that much in Dreamfever. I'm guessing that's because as we get nearer the end of the series there's not quite so much to talk about.

The one thing that I am liking more and more as the series progresses is Mac, the main character. She starts off in book one as being shallow and selfish and I am enjoying watching her grow as a character. Now she is strong, feisty, always putting the safety of others before her own, and is about to embark on a major showdown between good and evil and, although she's not exactly overjoyed at her role in it all, she knows it is her destiny to fight this battle and she's not going to back down. I love the new edgy and kick-ass Mac.

Summary - Although I do have some reservations about this fourth installment in the Fever series, I did enjoy it a lot more than the previous two books. And I know that after the cliffhanger at the end of Dreamfever I will most definitely be picking up Shadowfever very soon. I am very much looking forward to finding out how this series will end.

Other books in this series:
1. Darkfever
2. Bloodfever
3. Faefever
4. Dreamfever
5. Shadowfever

Guest Review: God Save the Queen by Kate Locke (The Immortal Empire #1)

Sarah from Feeling Fictional has very kindly offered to let me use her review of God Save the Queen as a guest review here at Once Upon a Series. Thank you very much Sarah, and for those readers who haven't checked out Sarah's blog before... go do it now!

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 5th July 2012
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review


Book Info - The Year is 2012 - and Queen Victoria still rules with an immortal fist.

She's the undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where technology lives side by side with magic, where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath) and Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it's her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But things get complicated when her sister goes missing. Xandra will not only realise she's the prize in a dangerous power struggle - but she'll also uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire itself.

Sarah's Review - As soon as I saw the cover I knew I wanted to read God Save the Queen - it was the combination of the steampunk style outfit with modern London buildings in the background that raised my curiosity. You've got to love a heroine with bright red hair too! Reading the blurb and discovering Kate Locke has created an alternate history where Queen Victoria didn't die - she was actually infected with the plague and became a vampire - just sealed the deal and moved this onto my 'must read' pile of books. Imagine a world where Queen Victoria is celebrating her 175 year on the throne, a world where the British Aristocracy were all infected with a plague that turned them into vampires. The same plague that turned the Scottish Aristocracy into werewolves but didn't really have any effect on the main population. You have a world full of steampunk technology, where women wear corsets and where your heritage dictates your place in society. You also have a story that is a mixture of urban fantasy, alternate history and steampunk - in other words a story that is full of awesome.

Our heroine is Xandra, a 22 year old halvie who was born of a vampire father and a human courtesan and who now works for the Royal Guard protecting the Aristocracy. When her sister Dede goes missing and is presumed dead Xandra is the only one who doesn't believe what she is told, she is convinced that her sister is still out there somewhere and is determined to find out what happened to her. Even Xandra's brother Val and her other sister Avery believe that Dede is dead so she is on her own when it comes to the investigation. The more Xandra starts digging into Dede's disappearance the more she starts to uncover about her own past and the secrets those she is closest to have been keeping from her.

Xandra is the kind of character I find it easy to care for, she is strong and independent but she is also caring and she knows when to accept the help that is offered to her. She has been kept in the dark for her whole life and everything she thinks she knows is completely turned upside down throughout the story. I can't say much more without giving spoilers so I'm just going to say I was impressed with the way she coped with the revelations that were thrown at her. I really found myself liking her family unit, particularly the relationships she has with her siblings but some of the characters I'm most interested in finding out more about are Vex (the Alpha of the British werewolves) and the Goblin Prince. I have a feeling there are a lot more secrets still to uncover and I'll be interested to see how the story develops in the next book.

Considering God Save the Queen was written by an American author it had an authentic British feel to it that I really enjoyed. Add in a great cast of characters, a mystery that kept me guessing and some fabulous world building and this is a book you won't want to miss out on. I can't wait to get my hands on the next instalment and will definitely be adding Kate Locke to my list of authors to watch out for.

Other books in the series:
1. God Save the Queen
2. The Queen is Dead

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Review: Neferet's Curse by P.C. and Kristin Cast (House of Night Novellas #3)

Publisher - Atom Books
Publication Date - 19th February 2013
Paperback - 160 pages
Genre - YA Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - That was the first time I saw it, what I have come to think of as the burning look. It was as if his eyes stared so violently into mine that I feared they would cause me to combust.

I found I could not speak. I only shivered and nodded.

Neferet, the darkly seductive High Priestess at the House of Night, wasn't always a powerful vampyre, but she has always been beautiful. Raised in turn-of-the-century Chicago, her beauty makes her the prey of unwanted attention and abuse, leaving her with scars that will never heal - and a Darkness that will eventually need to find its way out.

So when she is Marked and gains strength, both physical and magickal, she turns her anger into power and looks for a way to regain what was stolen from her.

From victim to High Priestess, beautiful young woman to powerful seductress, Neferet's journey begins...

My Thoughts - I have to admit that I went into this book expecting something completely different to what I got, and as a result I ended up not liking it perhaps as much as I could have done. From the book description I was expecting a story of a girl overcoming a painful past to become a better person. I was expecting a story that at the end was uplifting and gave a positive message to the reader. But this was not the case at all. In fact, I didn't really like the ending at all. It was dark and left a very bitter taste in my mouth for quite a long time after finishing it and this is the main reason that i have given this book such a low rating.

However, the rest of the book wasn't all that bad. I liked Emily (this is Neferet's name when she was a human girl so it is mainly this name that is used throughout the book) quite a lot. She can be very self-absorbed which I found quite irritating at times, but then considering the situation that she is in I think it's understandable, and perhaps even forgivable. At the start of the book, Emily is only fifteen years old and she witnesses the death of her mother during childbirth. After such a traumatic experience, and at such a young age, she is then expected to take over her mother's duties around the house and as a volunteer. Yet she takes on the role and tries her best with all of her new responsibilities, even though it means that she now has no time to spend with her friends and doing the things that she previously enjoyed. Add to this the fact that her father has been drinking a lot since his wife's death and that he is starting to look at Emily in a way that a father shouldn't be looking at his daughter, and you really have to admire the strength that Emily must possess just to be able to get through each day.

I was expecting more of the book to be after Emily is Marked to become a vampyre, perhaps explaining her journey to becoming a High Priestess, but only the first week after she is Marked is included in the story. I know that because this is a novella that the authors are limited as to how much they can include, but I really would have liked to read more about what happened to her after she becomes a vampyre.

Although there are ten books in the House of Night series and Neferet's Curse is the third House of Night Novella, this book actually works really well as a stand-alone. I have only read the first House of Night book, and it was a few years ago so I can't really remember much of it, but I had no trouble following the story. Although that is probably due to the fact that so much of the story is about Emily's life before she is changed so not much knowledge is needed about the paranormal world that is created by the authors.

Summary - Although I liked the main character, this is a very dark story and I found the ending to be disappointing. This is a quick read and I think it would be great for fans of the series, and Neferet in particular. But I'm not sure that it's inspired me to go out and read the rest of the series.

Other books in the series:
1. Dragon's Oath
2. Lenobia's Vow
3. Neferet's Curse

Review: Bite Me by Parker Blue (Demon Underground #1)

Publisher - Bell Bridge Books
Publication Date - 30th September 2008
Genre -  Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from NetGalley for review

Rating - 2.5 out of 5: I liked it


Reviewed by - Ally

Book Info - Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon.

Val Shapiro is just your ordinary, part-demon, teenaged vampire hunter with a Texas drawl. And a pet hellhound named Fang. Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.

My Thoughts - Since Richelle Mead's Succubus series ended I’ve been waiting for a book to come into my life to fill that hole. Unfortunately that is a VERY big hole to fill and Val and her inner succubus just did not fill it. This snarky little bundle of vampire hunting, familial problems virginal slayer and her hell hound Fang are a cute little duo, hidden within the depths of older YA books when the Cullen’s weren’t sparkling on our TV screens and vampires were the embodiment of Bram stoker *reminisces on the good ole days* Well okay enough of that.

This cute little older YA series deals with our main character Val Shapiro’s newly abandoned self, her parents, more specifically her spineless mother –excuse me I REALLY disliked her mother!- and her more understanding step dad, who sort of ….blame her for her sister being out late at night fighting vampires with her. That’s not the case …exactly.

Her snarky hell hound who thinks at her in ALL CAPLOCKS is cute and so funny, their relationship was definitely interesting (he reminds me of the unicorn in Allison Pangs series) The fight scenes in the book are definitely intense and well written and with a whole litany of interesting characters with back stories that I can’t wait to discover. This book is fast paced.

For me this wasn’t the most well written book, but the characters made up for it. Val handles her family problems pretty well for a YA which is refreshing for YA. Her love interest in this book is Dan, kind hearted, sweet….BORING Dan, the scenes between them were sweet, she’s part succubus! NOT unicorn (Although Miss Pangs unicorn is pretty horny-pardon the pun- himself). Where’s the lust? (Maybe I’m expecting too much from a YA book? Even if it is for the older crowd.)

The plotting in the middle was spotty; too much travelling, too much dialogue. It felt like I was following a ping pong match at moments, there’s fast paced and then there's pacing. Shade’s character is very cool and the scene with him had me picturing him lighting up my bedroom-no really just my bedroom he swirls with light-and I can totally see him being in my future books and ermmm *cough* dreams.

Things you should know (Again thank you Kimba)

1. This book won’t win awards for literary genius but the content makes up for that.
2. Her mother is a cold hearted ‘shroom.
3. I really liked the sister.
4. The Vampires don’t sparkle.
5. I really want a hellhound.

Summary - This book was cute and Val and Fangs snarky comments were funny. I liked Dan's sister and although Dan is sweet…ehhh. I can’t wait to see what this series has in store. Chao, lovingly Ally who’s waiting for the sexy to be put back into the part lust Demon that is Val Shapiro.

Other books in this series:
1. Bite Me
2. Try Me
3. Fang Me
4. Make Me

Other reviews of this book:
Coffee Table Reviews / That's What She Read / YA Bound

Review: Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #4)

Publisher - Allison and Busby
Publication Date - 23rd February 2009
Paperback - 352 pages
Genre -  Young Adult / Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though, especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.

My Thoughts - In Feast of Fools we are introduced to three new vampire characters – Bishop, Ysandre and Francois. They are definitely not friendly and they take pleasure is using humans in their games and think nothing of killing them or using their powers to force humans to do things against their will. Ysandre, a very sexy female vampire, takes a liking to Shane and this does create some tension between him and Claire. These new vampires are a great addition to the story. They are bad to the bone and, unlike the other vampires in the series who seem to have both a good and a bad side, you just know there will be trouble whenever they are around.

Previous books in the series have been non-stop action from start to finish, however, this one moves at a slightly slower pace. The book begins with some action when Bishop and his two sidekicks arrive at the Glass House, but then the story slows down in the lead up to the welcome feast. Although, what this story lacks in action it certainly makes up for it with suspense. The feelings of tension and fear leading up to the feast just jump off the page at you as you’re reading. I do have to say though that I found it slightly unbelievable that the residents of Morganville can be so aware of what is going on around them with regards to what the vampires are getting up to, whilst non-residents (e.g. students at the University) seem to be so oblivious to these events. I just don’t see how such a divide can exist between the humans in Morganville.

Once again everybody is so beautifully characterised that by now I feel as if I really know Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael. And, whether they are humans or vampires, the characters all have such complex personalities and this is one of my favourite things about this series. I have really enjoyed getting to know each and every person in Morganville (although Myrnin still creeps me out A LOT!).

Summary - Although this isn’t my favourite story in the series so far, Feast of Fools is still definitely worth a read and I can’t wait to read Lord of Misrule. I’m very interested in seeing exactly what Bishop has got up his sleeve for the residents of Morganville.

Other books in this series:
1. Glass Houses
2. Dead Girl's Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
10. Bite Club
11. Last Breath
12. Black Dawn

Other reviews of this book:
Bookish Novelties / Gimme The Scoop Reviews / Love Vampires

Review: Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #3)

Publisher - Allison and Busby
Publication Date - 5th September 2008
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 5 out of 5: I really liked it.

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Morganville is such a nice place to live… and die. If you don’t mind that sort of thing.

When Claire Danvers learnt that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving student would do: she applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy. Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure her friends. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from Claire’s past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home.

My Thoughts - ***It is impossible to write this review without giving away some spoilers for events in the previous books in this series. If you have not read the other books please read this review with caution***
 
For me, this has to be my favourite book in the series so far. I love all of the housemates and find them all likeable and relateable. What I really like about this installment of this series is the impact that is caused by Michael becoming a vampire in Dead Girls’ Dance. It brings more complexity to the relationships between himself and Claire, Eve and Shane. Shane finds it very hard to accept that his best friend is now a vampire and this leads to a lot of testosterone-fuelled fighting between the two boys. Although at times I felt like I wanted to bang their heads together to knock a bit of sense into them both, it also shows how much Shane truly cares for Michael and how difficult he is finding the transition. Michael’s new life as a vampire, along with some other things, also helps Claire to come to some realisations about the world she lives in as she realises that the lines between good and evil are quite often not very clear at all. She has always believed that vampires are the bad guys but how can this be the case when one of her best friends is a vampire? And this belief is further shattered when Eve’s brother (a human, so supposedly one of the good guys) starts hurting young women in Morganville.

But Claire is the same old Claire that we know and love from the previous books in the series – a brave and mature girl who always seems to find her way into trouble. She once again needs to be rescued several times in this book but you always know that she will end up saving the day. Her relationship with Shane is sweet and endearing, although there are times when the chemistry between them sizzles on the page.

There is a new vampire introduced to the readers of this book in the form of Myrnin. He is teaching Claire about alchemy after school but he is ill and this illness is leading him to bouts of anger, confusion and uncontrollable hunger for Claire’s blood. I will admit to not liking this new character too much. I just found him a little bit too creepy, as he went from being Claire’s friend to trying to eat her. Every time she was alone with him I found myself feeling very on edge.

The action in Midnight Alley is well-paced and the storyline is intriguing and pulled me in right from the beginning. This book really needs to be read as part of the series and not as a stand-alone, as the plot of all the books is too tightly woven together to really be able to understand the complexities from just one of the novels. And as always, Rachel Caine has left us with a huge cliff-hanger that will ensure that all readers will rush off to get Feast of Fools as soon as they have finished reading Midnight Alley.

Summary - Overall, an amazing read that will keep you turning the pages well into the night. It’s a must read for any fans of vampire fiction.

Other books in the series:
1. Glass Houses
2. Dead Girl's Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
10. Bite Club
11. Last Breath
12. Black Dawn

Other reviews of this book:
Love Vampires / Mindful Musings / The Bookette

Review: Magic in the Blood by Devon Monk (Allie Beckstrom #2)

Publisher - Berkley UK
Publication Date - 5th January 2012
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3.25 out of 5 (because I'm stingy)

Reviewed by - Ally

Book Info - Allie Beckstrom knows that there's a price to pay for using magic...

She's suffered her fair share of migraines and gaps in her memory during her time working as a Hound, tracing spells back to their casters. But now Allie's been visibly marked by magic with a mysterious iridescent tattoo. She's not only lost all memory of how she got it, but also of the man that she's supposedly fallen in love with. Oh, and as usual, she's completely broke.

So when the criminal magic enforcement division of the police asks her to consult on a missing persons case, things start to look up. At first, it seems to be a fairly straightforward way of earning some money - but like most things in Allie's life it soon turns into a dangerous mix of underworld criminals, ghosts and blood magic. This time Allie is going to discover it takes more than magic to survive...

My Thoughts - Wooh! This series is awesome (I’m on the 4th book in exam season that should tell you something). Ms Beckstrom is the best trouble magnet there is!

So we left off with her losing most of her memory and well I thought I would be frustrated during this book knowing something she didn’t. I wasn’t but I was….waiting. This book is well written and kept my interest but after reading the first, to…. Well, this I was expecting more. Maybe I’m greedy but this book felt like more of a filler book leading on into the next one (which it does perfectly). We’re introduced to a whole bunch of new characters from the Oh so secretive AUTHORITY! *cue breaking glass and screaming* to Maeve (awesome character with a story that I’m sure will shake our bones).

I don’t want to go into too much detail, because we sort of enter a whole new section of Devon Monk's incredible world. But the story starts off slow, well written but slow, and then picks up.

There’s a lot more world building as we transition to the world of the AUTHORITY! With Lon Trager - blood magic priest/grave robber -, creepy ghosts and possession by your dad (that can make a date uncomfortable), this one is endless bubbles of fun, well ….till the bubbles popped: your magic is being sucked out of you, you’re always losing memories and you’re starting to look like a dirty sidewalk. The plot was well thought out and it was well written. I really like this book, maybe because I had the third book ready to read straight after so there wasn’t a wait.

Speaking of wait …. Mr Zayvion Jones *ME and Mr, Mr Jones! We got a thing going ooooon* Ok Allie and Zay have a thing going on but by proxy me too! What?*shrugs* my name's Ally too! He makes an appearance (in my dreams) no magical “bow chick-a-wow-wow” (in the book!) but well, just being in his presence ok, -reading a page or even a chapter he’s in- is exhilarating.

A few things I though you should know-
1. Her dad's a monster (there’s no saving him, he’s icky)
2. Allie Has awesome immense Allie-licious power
3. Mr Jones is a sexy hunk of a man! Awesome
4. The world and the way this book is written is really good and different from my -somewhat limited- experience of books in this genre.
5. I really liked this book

Summary - A great addition to the series, I can tell you that it gets better! More Zay a few interesting friends and just Well Ally Allie Awesomeness. 3 .25 stars because I’m stingy, and I know how good this series gets so *shrug* sue me!

Other books in this series:
1. Magic to the Bone
2. Magic in the Blood
3. Magic in the Shadows
4. Magic on the Storm
5. Magic at the Gate
6. Magic on the Hunt

Other reviews of this book:
Feeling Fictional / Reading Diva / Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks

Review: Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (Allie Beckstrom #1)

Publisher - Berkley UK
Publication Date - 13th October 2011
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I liked it.

Reviewed by - Ally

Book Info - "Using magic, meant it used you back. Forget the fairytale hocus pocus, sparkles and pixie dust crap. Magic, like booze, sex, and drugs, gave as good as it got"

Everything has a cost. And every act of magic exacts a price from its user, maybe a two-day migraine, or losing the memory of your first kiss. But some people want to use magic without paying and they Offload the cost onto innocents. When that happens, it falls to a Hound to identify the spell's caster - and Allie Beckstrom is the best there is.

Daughter of a prominent Portland businessman, Allie would rather moonlight as a Hound than accept the family fortune - and the strings that come with it. But when she discovers a little boy dying from a magic Offload that has her father's signature all over it, Allie is thrown into the high stakes world of corporate espionage and black magic...

My Thoughts - I’m torn, this book on the one hand was awesome it had industrial espionage! Not quite assassins but close enough…right? New to me Devon Monk builds a gritty world where everything has a cost, more specifically magic. With lost memories, magical sex, murder, a damn hot mysterious hunk of a man and a cute little kitty this book is bursting at the seams with action.

I really liked the characters in the book, Nola is awesome. The story itself was well paced and kept me on my toes. There were some points where there was a lump in my throat I couldn’t swallow, the story has some pretty intense child abuse …. I don’t know how to explain it really but it made me tear up the way ….*swallows* Every few chapters there would be alternate point of view from Cody a little kid who was once an adult but no longer remembers and when he’s manipulated and abused he refers to the “older smarter part of himself” telling him he was doing it wrong it all seemed very NSPCC to me, protect a child, save a life *30 second ad in black and white, kid curled in a corner*. Very sad. BE WARNED.

This book had a lot going on and it seemed that Monk has a very bright future ahead for Allie (almost like my name Ally, she even reminded me of me!).

What I really disliked about this book was the memory losing thing as a magical side effect of using magic. The HEA (Happily ever after) part of me wanted her to be able to use her power as much as she wanted and the only side effect would be raining marshmallows, it really pained me to see her have to sacrifice so much and see her handle it so well (I must admit I’ve developed a little attachment to our head strong heroine).

*SPOILER ALERT* I also did not like the ending, at all. How can she not remember any of it, however I am very intrigued to see how Devon Monk works it out in the next book (though a can see myself being frustrated knowing something she doesn’t) The awesome hunk I might also add is forgotten, EVERYTHING you know that crazy intense magical sex part I mentioned earlier? YUP forgotten, which annoyed and frustrated me to no end, if you’ve ever watched the Vow and saw how it ended welcome to Magic to the Bone. I don’t care how cute it was!

For me the end made the book lose a lot of marks, as well as Allie’s stubbornness at the end, *grits teeth* I. Wanted. To.Kill.Her! Whether she was doing it by herself or not.

Summary - This book really, really was good I loved the characters, the plot was well written and paced and well it was funny and witty and not in that over the top (at times) trying too hard kind of way. I really liked it though the realness of it all was at times difficult to handle (can’t a girl have a happy ending?) The ending also lost a lot of points for me.

Other books in the series:
1. Magic to the Bone
2. Magic in the Blood
3. Magic in the Shadows
4. Magic on the Storm
5. Magic at the Gate
6. Magic on the Hunt

Other reviews of this book:
Book Addicts / Book Chick City / Dear Author / SFF World

Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #3)

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 10th November 2011
Paperback - 416 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - When MacKayla Lane receives a page torn from her dead sister's journal, she is stunned by Alina's desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister's killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil that it corrupts anyone who touches it. Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shapeshifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, a lethal Fae prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man of deadly secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

My Thoughts - I must admit that after the great cliff hanger from the last book I had very high hopes for Faefever. But unfortunately, my hopes were dashed with this book. On the whole I am enjoying the series but there are still a few things about the books that are making me have some mixed feelings.

First of all, I feel as though both Bloodfever and Faefever have followed a bit of a pattern - they start off slow, often leaving me bored for a large proportion of the book with all of the scene-setting that takes place, then some great big thing happens near the end that leads to a big cliff-hanger that will make you want to pick up the next book straight away. And as much as I love the big climatic events at the end of the book, I also want something that really holds my attention for the first two thirds of the book.

The overall plot arc of the series is great, and that is one of the things that is keeping me going with these books. But I feel as though there is a lot of 'filling' going on. I would have been perfectly happy for Bloodfever and Faefever to be squashed together into one amazing book with a lot of the filling taken out. That being said though, I can't wait to find out what is in store next for Mac - especially after the way Faefever ended!

The major plus point in this book for me was Barrons - I know, you're shocked right? *cheeky grin*. I am still completely intrigued and can't wait to find out more about him! I love the sexual chemistry between him and Mac and I'm really hoping something happens between the two of them as I think that would be explosive! I am also more than a little bit fascinated by V'lane - I think he cares about Mac (as much as he is able to care about anything) and I love the way tries to do all he can to help her.

Summary - This is a series that has a promising storyline but that is let down somewhat by the amount of 'filling' and scene-setting that is going on. I am hoping that this will decrease as the series progresses and that the pace will pick up as it heads towards it's finale.

Other books in this series:
1. Darkfever
2. Bloodfever
3. Faefever
4. Dreamfever
5. Shadowfever

Other reviews of this book:
Dark Faerie Tales / Love Vampires / Saz 101

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #8 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #28  for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: The Pack by Jason Starr (Pack #1)

Publisher - Berkley UK
Publication Date - 26th April 2012
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - When Simon Burns is fired from his job without warning, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son. But his reluctance pushes his already strained marriage to the limit. In the nestled playgrounds of the Upper West Side, Simon harbours a simmering rage at his boss's betrayal.

Things take a turn when he meets a tight-knit trio of dads at the playground. They are different from other men Simon has met, stronger and more confident, more at ease with the darker side of life - and soon Simon is lured into their mix. But after a guys' night out gets frighteningly out of hand, Simon feels himself sliding into a new nightmarish reality.

As he experiences disturbing changes in his body and perceptions, he starts to suspect that when the guys welcomed him to their 'pack', they were talking about much more than male bonding...

My Thoughts - When I first heard about this book, I was excited about it and looking forward to reading it. I thought that the whole 'stay-at-home dad' thing was a great new idea for the Urban Fantasy genre and not something that I had come across in fiction before. The premise sounded great and I was looking forward to finding out how being a father affected Simon as he was going through all these changes. But I think I may have got my hopes up a bit too much with this one and I actually found I was pretty disappointed with the book.

My main problem with The Pack is that the author focuses too much on the small details of Simon's life. There is a huge amount of detail about the day-to-day things that a stay-at-home parent does. Not only did I feel that this does not necessarily add much to the story, but I don't particularly want to get bogged down in all that detail either. I am a stay-at-home parent - a lot of what is described in the book are things I experience everyday (except for sprouting fur and fangs and stuff :P) and I don't find it at all exciting to read about. It also means that the plot moves along at a slow pace and the real action doesn't start happening until the last 50 pages or so.

On the whole, I liked the character of Simon. He finds himself out of a job and having to look after his young son on a daily basis. At first he is a bit reluctant - as I think most people would be with such a major life change - but he soon takes it on the chin and makes the most of his time with his son. He is a devoted husband and father and, although he doesn't always get things right, he always does things with the best of intentions. However, I didn't really like his wife Alison at all. She is the type of person who is never happy with her lot in life and unless things are going her way she is prone to the odd temper tantrum. There were a few moments in the book where I felt that Simon would be better off without her.

I really liked the author's style of writing. I have already mentioned that there isn't much action in the book until the end, but even so, I still found the book incredibly easy to read. I think that without the action to drive the reader on, there is the possibility that this book could take a long time to get through but I actually managed to read it over two evenings - very quick by my standards - and I'm impressed that the author was able to pull this off.

My final complaint will have to be a bit vague I'm afraid to avoid leaking any spoilers, but I wasn't very happy with the way the book ended. Although everything is wrapped up nicely - phew, no cliffhangers here - I still felt dissatisfied with the way things turned out. Although I can appreciate that it had to end this way to allow for further books in the series, I just wish everything could have ended differently for Simon.

Summary - A premise that held a lot of promise, but that becomes too bogged down with the details of everyday life. If you are a hard-core werewolf fan then this book may still be worth a try, but if you're looking for edge-of-your-seat excitement then this may not be the book for you.

Other books in this series:
1. The Pack
2. The Craving

Other reviews of this book:
Smexy Books / The Salted Peanut

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #27 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #2)

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 13th October 2011
Paperback - 336 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - I used to be your average, everyday girl but all that changed one night in Dublin when I saw my first Fae, and got dragged into a world of deadly immortals and ancient secrets.

In her fight to stay alive, MacKayla must find the Sinsar Dubh - a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over the worlds of both the Fae and Man. Pursued by assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she can't trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and powerful men: V'lane, the immortal Fae Prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man as irresistible as he is dangerous. For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them.

My Thoughts - After really enjoying the first book in the series I was very excited to start Bloodfever, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed.

I didn't really like Mac in the first book but she is definitely starting to grow on me now. She has matured a lot and has lost a lot of her shallowness. Instead it has been replaced with a much darker, grittier Mac who I respect a lot more. I also like the way she doesn't allow hormones to control her decisions in the deadly world she has found herself in. She is caught between V'lane and Barrons, both of whom are incredibly sexy, but she doesn't allow her attraction to these men cloud her judgement. She manages to keep a cool head around them (most of the time!) and knows them for what they are - deadly and untrustworthy.

And as for Barrons - well, I think I may be becoming slightly obsessed with him. He is dark, dangerous, mysterious and carnal and I keep turning the pages hoping that I will find out something about who/what he is. Those of you who have read this series, please tell me we find out what he is! I can imagine him being mysterious enough to still be a complete enigma at the end of the series - in which case I will be incredibly frustrated!

However, I didn't enjoy Bloodfever as much as I did Darkfever, and the reason for that is that I felt as though this book was a bit of a filler in the series. Although I was hooked and couldn't put the book down (which is due to the author's amazing writing ability) I didn't really feel as though the story moved along at all - until, of course, we got to the cliffhanger at the end! Instead, the author is just lining up all the major players in the story and giving us hints about where the series will go. But it did get me intrigued enough to start the third book in the series straight away.

Summary - An enjoyable instalment to the Fever series that has definitely whet my appetite for more Mac and Barrons - well, mostly Barrons really! I can't wait to see how their story continues.

Other books in this series:
1. Darkfever
2. Bloodfever
3. Faefever
4. Dreamfever
5. Shadowfever

Other reviews of this book:
Dark Faerie Tales / Saz101 / Vampire Book Club

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #7 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #25  for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer (Nightshade #3)

Publisher - Atom
Publication Date - 21st February 2012
Paperback - 416 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting.

There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all.

And, when the battle finally ends, then there's deciding what to do and who to love. That is, if Calla can make it out alive.

Review - I am a big fan of the Nightshade series so I was incredibly excited when I received this final instalment of the series through the post. Although I will admit to starting it with some trepidation - it is always a nerve-wracking experience to find out how a much-loved series is going to end. But luckily I was not at all disappointed!

Although Nightshade gets off to a slow start, once the action does start it doesn't let go and I was completely wrapped up in the story. There is a lot of suspense surrounding how the war against the Keepers was going to end and this kept me turning the pages until late in the night.

Plus, the way that the impending war affects the people involved made me fall in love with the characters even more. They are sure that they're taking part in a suicide mission and so they are trying to make the most of every last moment together - leading to some heart-melting and bitter-sweet interactions between them.

The ending was, for me, perfect. I read a huge spoiler about the ending a while ago in another review and I didn't think I would like the conclusion of the series, but after reading the rest of the book I could see that it couldn't end in any other way. And for the most part it is a happy ending - that made me shed a tear or two!

The only thing that I didn't like too much was Calla's treatment of Ren. She brings him back to the Guardians and Searchers to help them with the war but she makes him believe that he has a chance with her in the future just so that he'll stick around to fight. Although it is obvious Calla loves him in her own special way, it is also very obvious that her heart belongs to Shay. I just felt that she should have treated him better and this made me dislike her a little bit at certain points (in case you couldn't tell I am firmly in Team Ren :P).

Summary - Despite a slow start, this book managed to grab me and pull me into the story. With suspense, romance, betrayal and intrigue I really can't recommend this series enough. I loved the ending but I'm sad that it has now come to an end. If you haven't read this series yet then these books need to be added to your TBR list now!

Other books in the series:
1. Nightshade
2. Wolfsbane
3. Bloodrose

Other reviews of this book:
A Cupcake and a Latte / Literary Exploration / The Overflowing Library

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #2 for 2012 Finish the Series Reading Challenge
Book #24 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review - The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #2)

Publisher - Allison and Busby
Publication Date - 7th April 2008
Paperback - 320 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Book Info - Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favours beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls’ Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

My Thoughts - ***It is impossible to write this review without giving away some spoilers for events in the previous books in this series. If you have not read the other books please read this review with caution***

This book carries on directly from the amazing cliffhanger at the end of Glass Houses (if you have not read Glass Houses then please do not even try picking up this book as it will be pretty difficult to figure out what is going on!). The action starts right from the beginning of The Dead Girls’ Dance and it doesn’t stop until you turn the last page. Although I have to say that, as much as I enjoy a good action-packed novel, there were definitely times when I was wishing for a few quiet moments in the book just so that I could relax and catch my breath.

In this novel, Shane’s father is back in town and he wants to kill a few vampires whilst he is in Morganville. This obviously leads Shane and his housemates (including Claire) into a lot of trouble with the vampires. Shane finds himself being captured by the vampires and it is up to Claire, Eve and Michael to help rescue him. In her attempts to help him, Claire finds herself in some very dangerous situations and she has to be rescued several times. Although this did at times make me want to tell her to sort herself out and stop being so stupid, at other times Claire comes across as being incredibly brave, strong and determined.

I think Shane was my favourite character in this novel. He is strong and very protective of Claire, but we also see a much more vulnerable side to him as we learn about how his mother and sister died a couple of years ago. And we also see him making a few mistakes (such as the phone call that brings his father back to Morganville) and, for me, this all makes him a much more likeable and relatable character.

Rachel Caine has the ability to write an action-packed story that will keep you hooked from the very first page and will keep you guessing about what happens to the characters. I really like all of the four housemates in this book and I couldn’t help but feel for them as they all try to do what they feel is right – even though at times things still go very wrong for them.

Summary - Although I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as I enjoyed Glass Houses, I still had difficulty in putting it down once I had started it and once again the author has left us with a huge cliffhanger, which means I will be picking up the third book in the series very soon!

Other books in this series:
1. Glass Houses
2. Dead Girl's Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
10. Bite Club
11. Last Breath

Other reviews of this book:
Electrifying Reviews / Karin's Book Nook /  Love Vampires

Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #4)

Publisher - Bantam
Publication Date - 2nd February 2012
Paperback - 400 pages
Genre -  Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Book Info - Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't - or won't - reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon - and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

My Thoughts - Please note, there are some HUGE spoilers for previous books in the series so only read this review if you have already read them. Consider yourselves warned :)

I am a big fan of Richelle Mead and I rate her Dark Swan books as my favourite of all her series'. I have been looking forward to Shadow Heir for a long time to find out how things would end for Eugenie. However, I fear I may have been hyping it up a bit too much in my head as when I finally got to read it, I found myself feeling pretty disappointed.

The first problem I had was the pacing. The other books in the series have all been full of action and moved so along quickly that it was pretty much impossible to put them down. The same could definitely not be said for Shadow Heir. For the first half of the book, Eugenie is hiding in the human world awaiting the birth of her twins. Nothing really happened during this part of the story and I found myself breathing a sigh of relief when the babies were born early as I had hopes that the pacing would finally pick up again. And to a certain extent it does, but not in the way that I have come to expect from previous books in the series, and it still dragged in places.

The second problem I had was that the plot just was not what I wanted it to be. At the end of Iron Crowned, Eugenie is pregnant with Kiyo's children - one of whom will apparently lead the gentry into an invasion of the human world according to a prophecy. Kiyo is dead set that this can't happen and even goes so far as to try and kill Eugenie to prevent the prophecy from coming true. The whole of the Otherworld either wants to see Eugenie dead or will support her whole-heartedly to lead the invasion. I thought that this would be the focus of Shadow Heir. I expected there to be a big showdown between the two factions and I expected something big to happen. As it turned out, this part of the plot just seemed to be brushed over at the end rather than being the main focus. And I felt as though the author only did that to tie up loose ends.

I also found the ending to be disappointing. The author sets it up near the end so that there is an opportunity for a perfect happy ending. However, right at the last second that happy ending is snatched away and I felt very frustrated by that. Don't get me wrong, the ending is a semi-happy one, but it could have been so much better.

The redeeming feature of this book for me was the romance between Eugenie and Dorian. They have been on again/off again during most of the series but in Shadow Heir they are working hard to resolve their issues and what follows is a very sweet and tender romance that leaves no doubt about how they really feel about each other.

Summary - Shadow Heir is a disappointing ending to what has been up until now an amazing series. But the first three books are so amazing that I would still definitely recommend the series to fans of Urban Fantasy.

Other books in the series:
1. Storm Born
2. Thorn Queen
3. Iron Crowned
4. Shadow Heir

Other reviews of this book:
Caught in a FAB Romance / Parajunkee's View / Wicked Lil Pixie

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #1 for 2012 Finish the Series Reading Challenge
Book #21 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #1)

Publisher - Allison and Busby
Publication Date - 2006
Paperback - 348 pages
Genre -  Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Book Info - Morganville is a small town filled with unusual characters – when the sun goes down, the bad comes out. In Morganville, there is an evil that lurks in the darkest shadows – one that will spill out into the bright light of day.

For Claire Danvers, high school was hell, but college may be murder. It was bad enough that she got on the wrong side of Monica, the meanest of the school’s mean girls, but now she’s got three new roommates, who all have secrets of their own. And the biggest secret of all isn’t really a secret, except from Claire: Morganville is run by vampires, and they are hungry for fresh blood…

My Thoughts - I found Morganville to be a fascinating place. The idea that a town could be run by vampires is an amazing premise for a book. The inter-vampire politics and vampire/human politics that are explained really help the reader to understand how the town works. It appeared to me that humans were only allowed to live in the town to satisfy the vampires needs.

The storyline surrounding Michael is really interesting. When Claire first meets him, and finds out that Michael is never seen during the day, I assumed (probably like most people) that he is a vampire. I was nowhere near the truth in this assumption and I thought this was a great twist in the story.

I also really liked the budding romance between Claire and Shane. He is very protective of Claire, and he is called in to protect her several times when things start to get dangerous, but at the same time is incredibly sweet and caring towards her. I hope that this is a storyline that is followed up in the rest of the series.

The book is fast-paced, barely leaving the reader a chance to catch their breath, and making it impossible to stop reading. The end of the book is amazing – a complete cliffhanger – and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Summary - Overall, I loved this book as it was different to the other vampire novels I have read. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the paranormal genre.

Other books in this series:
1. Glass Houses
2. Dead Girl's Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
10. Bite Club
11. Last Breath

Other reviews of this book:
Electrifying Reviews / Love Vampires / YA Reads

Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #1)

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 8th September 2011
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death – a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone – Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed – a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane – an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women – closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book – because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...

My Thoughts - I have been hearing so many great things about this series for so long that I finally decided it was time to give it a go. And I certainly was not disappointed by Darkfever!

The best thing about the book for me was Barrons. He's dark, dangerous and mysterious and I found myself hooked on his every word hoping to find out something about him. I am very much looking forward to reading more about him as I continue on with the series.

And the author has created a perfect setting for Barrons in the dark, dark world she has created. The streets of Ireland are a scary place and certainly not a world I would like to visit. There are all types of paranormal creatures and none of them play nice.

My one problem with the book was Mac. I didn't find her particularly likeable at the start. She is incredibly shallow and I found it very hard to relate to her. Even when she is in Ireland tracking down her sister's killer, being chased by fae and vampires and who-knows-what-else, and she still insists on wearing her favourite pink outfit as it makes her happy. I just can't help but feel like her attire should be the least of her worries. Also, throughout her narrative, the author seems to be in the present describing the events that happened in the past, so there is a lot of 'If I had known about [insert dark, dangerous type situation] at the time then I would have done [insert brave kick-ass type action] but I didn't know so I [insert not-so-brave type action that normally involves a lot of tears and acting like a child]'. This technique was used too many times for my liking and I did find it frustrating at times. I found myself wishing the author would just get on with telling the story - a story that had me completely hooked and wishing there weren't little distractions like these.

Summary - A great start to a series that promises to deliver much in the way of danger, intriguing storylines and sexy alpha males. I can't wait to get my hands on book two!

Other books in this series:
1. Darkfever
2. Bloodfever
3. Faefever
4. Dreamfever
5. Shadowfever

Other reviews of this book:
Feeling Fictional / Love Vampires / Saz101

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #2 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #6 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #5)

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 1st April 2010
Paperback - 352 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!



Book Info - When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down. It seems the book contains secret knowledge - and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit. All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Review - Wow, I really love this series! There is a great mystery surrounding a fae item that Mercy was given in a previous book and once again Mercy finds herself in a whole heap of trouble as the fae try to find this item. This part of the storyline is full of intrigue and, luckily, was nowhere near as complicated as the plot for Bone Crossed.

Samuel plays a big part in Silver Borne too, as he becomes suicidal and his wolf has to take control (this is only a slight spoiler as it happens very early on in the book). It becomes Mercy's responsibility to care for him and to make sure he doesn't have a run in with Adam's pack. It is obvious that Mercy cares a great deal about Samuel and I really hope he gets his Happy Ever After.

But, for me, the best part of Silver Borne is seeing how Mercy interacts with the others in her new pack and watching how she learns to deal with her mate bond with Adam. Although this storyline is first established in Bone Crossed, it was never fully examined as she spends a lot of time away from the pack. In Silver Borne it becomes obvious that, although Mercy does have some supporters, there are a lot of members of the pack who think a coyote has no place within a wolf pack and Mercy has to work hard to prove her worth to them.

In this book I also felt as though Mercy and Adam are a real couple now. She is slowly learning to trust him and to rely on him to help when she gets into trouble - not that she has become any less kick-ass though! Mercy and Adam are, by far, my favourite fictional couple and I hope to see them become stronger as the series continues.

Summary - I loved this book! It is full of drama, mystery, action, romance and supernatural creatures. If you haven't started this series yet then you need to go to your nearest bookshop/library today and get your hands on the first book!

Other books in the series:
1. Moon Called
2. Blood Bound
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne
6. River Marked
7. Frost Burned

Other reviews of this book:
Book Smugglers / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional