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!

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.