Blue Fire Saga by Scott Prussing

This is a pretty fun series. I think it's geared more to the younger adult though the characters are college aged. The story line is good though. The only complaint I really have is the interaction between Leesa and Rave. While I like them as a couple I find myself bored with their childish banter. I find myself skipping paragraphs to get around the banter and the redundant recaps throughout the book. I don't really feel that anyone could really pick up the 2nd or 3rd book and be intrigued with the story so all the recaps are acting as a lot of filler and not necessary. Or the author really needs to find a better way to do this, like reminisce or something. I've stuck with the saga though because the plot line really is good. He would just hate me to be his editor ;)

Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep

I have currently been reading the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep. Gin Blanco, is an assassin known as the "Spider" with magic for both Stone and Ice. She is a very guarded character. The storyline is darker than I normally read but it was different as well. That's what I liked about it. I'm not too connected to any of the characters, really, but the fact that it was a change of pace keeps be coming back. The plot is spot on to keep you turning the pages all night long.

Blood Lines series by Maria Lima

This is an interesting series not written in your currently typical urban fantasy. I really like the main characters back story. She's doesn't truly feel like she fits in to any society but has turned out to be very prominent among all societies in this story line. They're kind of slow in the beginning. I actually had to come back to it because I tried earlier and I was too scattered to focus on the storyline. Once I got into it though I was good. The characters are good and strong. Some are even flawed in a realistic sort of way. I would recommend this. My advice though is to start "Matters of the Blood" when you have no distractions.

Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison (The Hollows, book 10)

Awesome! Is all I can say. I wait every year for a new book. I never get tired of them. Kim Harrison is an amazing author. I think my only disappointments in this book were 1) Al wasn't a star in the book 2) I read it too fast and it was over too soon! Anyhow, read them all and then read them again! I love Rachel Morgan and her trials. I've cried my eyes out at some of her experiences but laughed at a lot of them too!

Cassie Palmer Novels by Karen Chance

I'm re-reading these but since I read them long before I started the blog I'll tell you a little bit about them. Cassie Palmer is a clairvoyant possibly the new Pythia (all powerful Guardian of Time). She has been raised by vampires. The mages that are supposed to be her devout followers are trying to hunt her down but so is a faction of the vampires.

It's pretty interesting. Lots of action. Cassie is strong and smart even though many treat her like a dumb blond. Back in June Chance released the 5th book in the series.

1. Touch of Dark
2. Claimed by Shadow
3. Embrace the Night
4. Curse the Dawn
5. Hunt the Moon

Definitely recommend them.

Wow!

It's been a really long time since I've updated this blog!! I've read lots and lots and continue to do so.


There have been too many to do a backlog but if there's something in particular that you would like an opinion on feel free to ask if I've read it and I'll post an opinion post.

Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy

So, I started reading this series and I'm having a hard time sticking to it. It's alright but I'm not hooked on it. I don't think the characters have enough depth. I think the author has a good storyline but she takes a really long time to get to the punch. Also, there is a very small touch of romance more like a tease but I think it needs more oomph. I don't necessarily recommend it or not recommend it.

Kim Harrison-Early to Death, Early to Rise

I love Kim Harrison! She has strong female characters, action, wit and twists and turns in the storyline. This book/series is no different. It's a YA novel so they are a VERY quick and easy read. Even being a mom of a 3yr old and a newborn I finished this book in 48 hours.

BumGenius 4.0 Giveaway

Since all my followers are parents I think mommies I'm posting a link to this Blog and giveaway. Penniless Parenting shows you ways to run your household a little thriftier. Check it out and enter the giveaway if you want to try cloth diapering. It's really easy and very thrifty :)

http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/08/meet-our-sponsor-and-giveaway.html#links

Latest and Greatest from Vicki Pettersson and Richelle Mead

So I've finished "Cheat the Grave: The Fifth Sign of the Zodiac" by Vicki Pettersson and it was entertaining. It wasn't as dramatic and "thrilling" as the rest of the series. I really felt like this was just a book to connect the previous storyline to the conclusion of the series. I really think the last quarter of the book is what drew me in and had me on the edge of my seat. Basically, as soon as I finally got hooked it was just about over and I have to wait until the next book. It's still entertaining though.


I also finished "Spirit Bound" by Richelle Mead. This is the latest book in the Vampire Academy series. I was really hooked on Blood Promise and Spirit Bound wasn't as well laid out as Blood Promise. This was also a connector book. The next book due out in Dec is the final book in the series and Spirit Bound is connecting the storylines and not really laying out too much new storyline. I also really hate when an author does a major cliffhanger. Most of the new storyline takes place at the end of the book and then it ends in the middle of a major conflict. If I had to wait more than a few months before the next installment came out I would be more irritated than I am with it.

Catch up time! Several books/series to review

So, I have a few additions to series and new series that I've read over the last month (almost 2).

Moon Sworn by Keri Arthur
I really love this series. It's a urban fantasy with a touch of romance. I really like all the characters and Arthur's writing style. This book is picking up where Bound By Shadows left off after Riley's coma. She is working through her issues, returning to work, deciding what her next move might be when she's kidnapped and her memories of who and what she is is wiped from her. She remains the strong character even in a state of limbo. I highly recommend this series. It's very well written.

Allie Beckstrom novels by Devon Monk

As far as I can tell Monk is a part time author and this is her only series but I really liked it. I would classify this as an Urban Fantasy and not the type I tend to read. I picked it up based on the cover art (I do this from time to time and usually I'm spot on). The world is fueled by magic. Everyone uses it for personal and business uses. It's also used in parts of crimes where Hounds (a person with stronger magic instincts) tracks what type of magic was used and who cast it. Allie Beckstrom is a Hound and the estranged daughter to Portland's most powerful, financially and magically, business man. There are lots of twists and turns in the storyline and characters that you wonder the whole way through whether they are friend or foe. I recommend this series.

Magic in the Bone
Magic in the Blood
Magic in the Shadows
Magic on the Storm
a new installment due in November.

Tales of an Urban Werewolf series by Karen MacInerney
Howling at the Moon
On the Prowl
Leader of the Pack

This is a light reading series. It's got some touches of mystery to it but it's got a lot of humor. I liked it and was kinda disappointed when I finished Leader in The Pack. I'm on the lookout for another installment to this series.

Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole

So, this series is fun. It's a paranormal romance. I really like how the author writes. She's good at making sure there's just enough detail to let the reader picture what's going on. No overkill with the details ( a big peeve of mine). She also is good with her character development. It's easy to relate and fall in love with some of the characters and then there are some you can just hate (bad guys, of course). It's almost sad that each book has a new set of characters that the story focuses on. I liked Emma and Lachlain so much I wanted to read more about them. They are mentioned in the other books but nothing like the book that "stars" them. Though this is a romantic series it's not a smutty book. There is more of a real storyline than just the characters falling in love and having sex all the time. I also liked the fact that there is very little vulgar language. I always find it more respectable when the author finds other ways for her characters to express themselves than simply cursing. Cole in particular just says the character is swearing oaths instead of being specific on what the character is saying.

So, I recommend this series. They are easy, quick reads that keep you entertained.

"Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris

I love this series but this one had some serious slow spots. It's definitely what I call a fluff book. It's basically just establishing the relationship between Sookie and Eric. If I weren't absolutely in LOVE with Eric Northman this book would have been very disappointing. Can't wait to see what she has in store for the next installment.

Burned- House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

So, I finished this last night. I'm really not a fan of each chapter being told from a different character's POV. It's confusing and by the time you get back to the storyline that one character is telling you're like "Wait, what?" But, I do have to say it's MUCH better than Tempted. It's still a lot of fluff but it has more conflict and a real storyline than Tempted did. Oh and be prepared you'll be left hanging at the end of Burned just like you were at the end of Tempted


Stay tuned I've started the newly released Charlaine Harris-Sookie novel Dead In the Family

Latest reads in the Paranormal Romance genre

I recently started the "Brotherhood of Blood" series by Kathryn Smith. It's not bad. I like the overall story, it's not too smutty and the characters have some depth. Once again it's a series that each book is told from a different character's POV but what can you do? If you like Paranormal Romance in a classical vampire set you'll enjoy these. The first book really reminded me of a "Gone with the Wind" type time period. I certainly prefer modern settings more but this is a fun read.

Also, recently started the "Immortals After Dark" series by Kresley Cole. So far I've only read the first book but I liked it so much I couldn't put it down. It's the first time I've zoomed through a 350-400 page book in 24 hours in a long time. It kept me entertained through my glucose test at the OBs office :) I really liked the depth of the characters I think she could have gone a little deeper but the story was so different from others I've read that it kept me hanging on every word. I think the only other series I might be able to compare it to is Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series (also another I recommend).

Latest Patricia Briggs

So, I recently finished the latest Mercy Thompson novel by Patricia Briggs "Silver Borne" I have to say though I liked it I thought it was a little slow. I also thought I missed something between books. It definitely wasn't my favorite. There weren't any intense moments like the others in the series. I really just thought it was a "go between book"

Latest reads

I recently finished the Gardella Vampire Chronicles series by Colleen Gleason. I have to say I liked it. I hope there are more installments in the series because Gleason had a way of painting a picture. I tend to steer closer to the more urban current time vampire stuff and this was a regency vampire series but I thought it was a pretty cool story base. Victoria is a recently debuted debutant and at the same time has recently been endowed with her family legacy to be a vampire huntress (Venator). She has very few people that know anything about her station as a Venator but many expect her to be the classic debutante and be married off to the richest bachelor and attend parties. Basically,live the lifestyle of the women of the regency period. It was a fun read. I recommend.
1st in the series titled The Rest Falls Away


Another fun read was the Jane Jameson series by Molly Harper. This is very similar to the Queen Betsy series by Mary Janice Davidson. Jane starts off human having a bad day and at the end of the bad day is turned into a vampire. She then has to learn to adjust to being a vampire and how to deal with her everyday life with a few complications that also rise up and get in her way. It's very witty and entertaining. I recommend as a fun light read.
1st in the series titled Nice Girls dont have Fangs

So I have some Catching up to do...

I read The Others series by Christine Warren. I liked them ok. I think I would have liked them better if the books were being told by the same character throughout the series but for a series that changed POV I liked it quite a bit. I recommend it.

I also just finished the newest installment in The Hollows series by Kim Harrison, "Black Magic Sanction". I really don't know how she does it! She has a way with mixing action, emotion and wit to make a GREAT storyline. Still, my fav character is Al. He keeps me laughing throughout the series and so far I still think I'm right about him. I can't tell you exactly what I think because for those that haven't read the series it would ruin his character and Harrison's delivery of him for you. I also have to add that I really hate Nick! New favorite "Al line" 'Sweet mother of chaos!' Hope you'll check out these books because they are AWESOME. Each book has a substantial amount of storyline to keep you so entertained you won't want to put them down.

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

This is a series debut for Harrison she is usually an Adult writer and this is the first in a YA series. I have to say it's definitely put together like a Harrison book. The heroine is a strong, take care of herself and everyone else around her type and the plot has lots of twist and turns to it. Just when you think you know where the story is going she swings it in another direction. Madison Avery was murdered but she's still there by choice? fate? She has stolen an amulet that make her appear alive and well. She is being assisted by light angels and hunted down by dark angels. Definitely a fun and interesting read. I kind of wish it was one of her adult series because her adult books average 400 pages and take a day or two to make it through. This took me an afternoon and I was done. I have to say she has a great way of ending books though. Where you want more of the story but don't feel like you walked away in the middle of a conversation and left hanging. Can't wait until the next installment to this series!

Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

This series was a lot of fun! The only thing I was disappointed was that some books are told by one character and some of the others are told by others.I'm not a big fan of books that change POV it usually turns me off a series. The books told by Elena Michaels are AWESOME. I really like her as a character. I'm not really sure what it is about her that I like so much because all the characters are strong women. Armstrong is very good at highlighting the strengths of some of the "weaker" characters. For instance Elena is a werewolf, the only female, and she is strong both in mind and body. She is very well educated and knows how to command attention. On another hand, Jaime is a necromancer and other than being able to talk to and see the dead she has no other power. She's not physically strong but she is of strong mind (rare for a necromancer according to Armstrong). None of these books need to be read in order. There are few references to the other books but Armstrong does a pretty good job of summarizing whatever she references. This also gets my recommendation. The only ones I don't HIGHLY recommend are Haunted (it was Eh), Personal Demon and Living with the Dead (I didn't care for Hope Adams)