Undead and Undermined by MaryJanice Davidson

Book Details
Undead and Undermined by MaryJanice Davidson
Hardcover, 304 Pages
2011, Berkley Hardcover
ISBN: 0425241270
Series: Book 10 of Queen Betsy/Undead

Synopsis
Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor thought she couldn't die. So what's she doing in the morgue? It could have something to do with a time-traveling trip she made, and a foe with a wicked agenda that could finally be the real death of Betsy-if she's not careful.

Review
Undead and Undermined is the first Queen Betsy book that I didn't love. I understand that post-time travel story lines have a tendency to be a little confusing and hard to follow, but much of this book went beyond that. The problem wasn't grasping the difference between the timeline before and after, but rather the present-time action. So much focus was spent on making sure differences were noted that a lot of what makes Queen Betsy entertaining was lost.

The Undead series is light, fluffy, vampy fun in the face of a variety of horrors. There wasn't much fun in Undead and Undermined though. Betsy's snarky humor is absent for much of the book. When it does show up, it feels out of place. More than anything, my major complaint is the feel of the book is off.

After such a monumental reveal in Undead and Unfinished, I expected something more. Unfortunately, this huge series plot twist isn't mentioned for much of this book. Instead, the book focuses on Betsy relaying the differences in the two timelines while being occasionally sidetracked by new plot changing twists.

Undead and Undermined seems to be a book used solely to take back things that have already happened in the series. It's a collection of re-dos that ultimately undermine (see what I did there?) the series as a whole. Bringing people back to live, killing off others, and changing every aspect of certain characters personalities are all things that are going to greatly annoy series fans that are already invested in what has happened in the previous nine books. I'm sure MaryJanice Davidson has a plan, but I'm seriously questioning her choices here.

Rating

Links

MaryJanice Davidson's
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Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery

Book Details
Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery
Paperback, 384 Pages
2010, HQN Books
ISBN: 0373774907
Series: Book 2 of Fool's Gold

Synopsis
Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she'd stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they'd ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool's Gold, California—forever, she thought….

Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn't know of their son's existence. And this time she won't have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can't deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?

Review
Almost Perfect didn't work for me as well as Chasing Perfect, the first book in the Fool's Gold series. The enjoyment of books in a series of this nature, that focus on different couples in each installment, can vary widely depending on how much I enjoy the characters. As I already mentioned in my review of Chasing Perfect, I absolutely love the town of Fool's Gold. I loved Charity and Josh's romance in Chasing Perfect. I even loved Liz in Almost Perfect. I just had trouble understanding Ethan for most of this book and in the end couldn't get past some of his actions to embrace the relationship that was the central story line here.

Ethan was a difficult character to read or sympathize with, which I found surprising because I enjoyed him as a secondary character in Chasing Perfect. In Almost Perfect, we see more of his past and get to know him on a deeper level and honestly, I just could not see his appeal. He's been hurtful to Liz in the past, repeated the exact same action again in the present day, committed even further atrocities in the name of taking what was his and one big apology later, Liz forgives him. I just don't buy it.

Beyond Liz's attraction to Ethan, I was also confused by the choice of lead characters. Fool's Gold is the wonderful little town with an embarrassing man shortage. I never expected the second book in the series to focus on pairing up a man already in town with a woman who wasn't currently living there. That doesn't exactly help with the man shortage, but rather take one of the lone Fool's Gold bachelors off the market. I found this to be an interesting choice.

I love, love, love Fool's Gold and am beginning to see that even if I sort of despise a specific books lead characters, I can't help but love the rest of the book. When faced with unlikable character, I love that the rest of the Fool's Gold community is wonderful enough into carry the series onto the next book.

Rating

Links

Susan Mallery's
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Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery

Book Details
Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery
Paperback, 384 Pages
2010, HQN Books
ISBN: 0373774524
Series: Book 1 of Fool's Gold

Synopsis
Welcome to Fool's Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There's lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there's just one tiny problem in Fool's Gold: the men don't seem to stick around. Maybe it's the lure of big-city life, or maybe it's plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may be just the city planner to do it.

Charity's nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer—everything, that is, except its sexiest and most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she's not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he's perfect just the way he is. But maybe that's just what he needs—someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he's just chasing perfect.

Review
Chasing Perfect was, well, perfect. I loved the characters, the plot, the romance, everything about this book. Most surprising was my over-the-top love of the setting. Small-town life can be hit or miss with me, but Fool's Gold is absolutely full of win.

Fool's Gold is the perfect small town, except it has a man shortage. For unknown reasons, most boys move away when they grow up and men don't move there. Charity is hired as city planner with the directive to lure businesses that will increase the male population of the town. This wonderful little town with the strange problem provides a wealth of possibilities for Susan Mallery to sweep readers off their feet with and judging by Chasing Perfect, she's more than able to fulfill our desires.

Charity and Josh are drawn to each other from the moment their eyes meet. On the outside, neither is the other's type, but chemistry can't be denied and the outside proves to hide the person underneath. Their romance, not without its difficulties, is realistic and almost painfully endearing. I wanted them together, needed them together, right from the moment they met. I reacted to every obstacle and awkward situation as if I was actually in the relationship with them. That kind of response to a romance is exactly what I look for in a book.

With so many singles (mostly women) living in Fool's Gold, I couldn't help but wonder which secondary characters would make it into a book of their own. Two I'd love to see are Pia (the town's event coordinator) and Marsha (the mayor). Completely different women and utterly charming in their own ways.

Chasing Perfect grabbed hold of my heart almost immediately. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I'm absolutely thrilled there are at least five more books in this series and have already started the next, Almost Perfect. I would move to Fool's Gold if I could, man shortage or not.

Rating

Links

Susan Mallery's
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Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

Book Details 
Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
Hardcover, 416 Pages
2011, Atheneum
ISBN: 1442420049

Synopsis
High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

Are about him.

Review
The synopsis made Witchlanders sound fantastic. Witches living apart from the rest of society, but require tithes from the villagers in exchange for keeping them safe. A boy who believes the witches are frauds only to find that he is the focus of their prophecy. It sounded very promising.

The reality of the book was a bit different than expected. Ryder's mom is one of the witches, except she left the coven to start a family. Once she left, she mocked the witches and called them frauds, so naturally Ryder doesn't believe in the witches power. Then his mom has a change of heart, claims to be having visions and can foresee danger. Ryder believes his mom is basically old world drug-seeking, looking for an excuse to takes the herbs that she claims give her the visions. With two little sisters and a dead father, the family dynamics in Witchlanders is difficult at best.

The home situation makes it easy to understand why Ryder's sister would want to become a witch and live with the coven, but she flounders loyalty between coven and family whenever convenient for the plot. With crazy mom, annoying middle sister and a younger sister barely seen, it's hard to care about this family. Ryder himself is an adequate character but doesn't elicit much in the way of reader sympathy. Without being able to connect with the characters, the book drags.

I'm a huge fan of books based on witches, so I went into reading Witchlanders with high hopes. Unfortunately the witches here were "bone-throwers", dealing much more in prophecy rather than magic. The witches were cave-dwellers who didn't do spells or anything modern readers would be looking for in a witch book. The magic that was shown was the same thing repeatedly, lacking surprise and being pretty much a letdown.

The writing in Witchlanders wasn't bad, but the entire story line was definitely not my thing. I found it dull, dry and lacking anything really magical. The book is closer to high fantasy than paranormal. Perhaps readers who enjoy fantasy of that kind will enjoy Witchlanders more than I did.

Rating

Links

Lena Coakley's
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The Walking Dead, Volume 8: Made to Suffer by Robert Kirkman

Book Details
The Walking Dead, Volume 8: Made to Suffer by Robert Kirkman
Paperback, 136 Pages
2008, Image Comics
ISBN: 9781582408835
Series: Book 8 of The Walking Dead

Synopsis
The series that created the zombie movement reaches its most pivotal, series-altering arc yet! They thought they were safe in the prison. They were wrong. A force far more deadly than the walking dead is at their door and when the dust settles, their rank will be reduced by more than half. No one is safe!

Review
Made to Suffer, the eighth volume in The Walking Dead graphic novel series, is by far the very best one - at least in terms of shocking deaths. In the past, Robert Kirkman has managed to surprise us repeatedly with his ability to kill off characters that we think of as safe. In Made to Suffer, it's not just the quantity of deaths (it's a truckload), nor the specific people he kills off (even the most cynical horror fan may find themselves surprised by the end of this one), but both - mixed with his continuing need to present the horror of man even in the face of the monsters.

Made to Suffer is written much in the style of a last book in a series. High death count, no one is safe, end of an arc showdown. The Governor finally comes calling and while the survivors were prepared for him, no one could be fully ready to deal with his amount of sheer crazy. At the end of Made to Suffer, we don't know all the specifics about who lived, but we certainly know who died, on both sides. Multiple long term characters are killed, unceremoniously, right along side newish characters. I say newish because we haven't really had a newer "good guy" character since the survivors moved to the prison.

I'm slightly wary about how things are going to play out now that the group of survivors has dwindled to such a small number, but I have faith in Robert Kirkman and The Walking Dead. I can't believe he would have written such a mind blowing, game changing volume if he didn't have a plan for those who remained. Made to Suffer is one of the very best in The Walking Dead series thus far.

Rating

Reader Confessions: I Change My Blog to Fit Other People's Opinions

"I change my blog to fit other people's opinions. For example, if a few bloggers are complaining about a blog on Twitter, I'll change my blog a bit to make sure it fits that person's likes. Does that make sense?" -Briana

Somehow managed to get make the last 30 seconds or so blurry. *sigh* I'll get this vlogging thing eventually.

Thoughts? Agree or disagree?

Do you have a confession?

Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton

Book Details
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton
Hardcover, 336 Pages
2011, Berkley Hardcover
ISBN: 0425241130
Series: Book 20 of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter

Synopsis
A serial killer is hunting the Pacific Northwest, murdering victims in a gruesome and spectacular way. The local police suspect "monsters" are involved, and have called in Anita Blake and Edward, U.S. Marshals who really know their monsters, to catch the killer.

Review
For an Anita Blake book set outside of St. Louis, with Anita away from most of her people, I really enjoyed Hit List. Anita teaming up with Edward and Bernardo again delighted me. Even Olaf/Otto being there didn't make me cringe as much as usual. As much as I love Anita on her own turf, surrounded by her sweeties (god, I do hate that term), Anita in Tacoma ranks right up there with Anita in Las Vegas (in Skin Trade). Not for the secondary characters this time, as with Skin Trade, but for terms of big deal plot progression.

Anita's hunting a serial killer. Or several. All she really knows is that they are Harlequin, which means she can't exactly explain what's going on to the local authorities. The marshal in charge despises her, she desperately needs to find someone to feed the ardeur, and The Mother of All Darkness wants to claim Anita's body for her own.

There is a lot going on in Hit List, enough that I had to stop and think a minute at certain points. The sex was there, as always, but primarily for plot progression and as hot and steamy as always. Everything in the last few books kind of came to a head here in the end of Hit List, and it was almost totally satisfying. I probably would have only enjoyed it more if there had been more in the way of Jean-Claude, Asher, Damian and Nathaniel and less random bodyguard/food for the ardeur weres.

I can't end this review without mentioning the cover. It's hideously god-awful. Worst Anita Blake cover ever. If I was new to the series, I never would have given the book a second glance, never mind take it off the shelf.

Rating

Links

Laurell K. Hamilton's
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The Walking Dead, Volume 7: The Calm Before by Robert Kirkman

Book Details
The Walking Dead, Volume 7: The Calm Before by Robert Kirkman
Paperback, 136 Pages
2010, Image Comics
ISBN: 1582408289
Series: Book 7 of The Walking Dead

Synopsis
Lori's pregnancy has come to term, and the birth is near. After everything they've been through, nothing can prepare Rick and the other survivors for what they are about to experience. A major turning point in the series is reached.

Review
Much of The Calm Before focused on the survivors engaging in pre-apocalypse behaviors. A wedding, a birth, a basketball game, some gardening, "shopping", choosing which movie to watch next and the like. As the title suggests, their opportunity to indulge in the little things they took for granted before the zombie outbreak was inevitably short-lived, leading up to a not-too-surprising last page attack.

Of course, it wouldn't be an installment of The Walking Dead without bloodshed, of the completely unexpected and same-stuff-another-day variety. Even with Michonne's mounting emotional problems, she can still be counted on to butcher foes, both undead and alive. Complacency proves to be a danger, which thankfully motivates those remaining to remember that the danger beyond the fence is still just as dangerous while they are safely inside.

Carol, crazy, desperate Carol has grown on me the last few volumes. Her need for love outgrew her need for survival a long time ago. She's at her needy best here and seems as though she may have finally found the acceptance she was craving, if in a really bizarre fashion.

The Calm Before was a good deal less thrilling than some previous installments of The Walking Dead, but I was pleased with the end result. Given how the future seems to be panning out for the survivors, this may be the last time we see them do anything as normal as have sex or joke about stale cereal. Setting up an fight for survival beyond anything we've see so far, The Calm Before hit just the right notes to really get me excited for the survivors coming days.

Rating

Spotlight Series: Alex Cross

James Patterson has written over 77 novels at last count and is an largely known for his series about psychologist Alex Cross. Patterson also wrote the Michael Bennett, Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, Daniel X, and Witch & Wizard series, as well as many stand-alone thrillers, nonfiction and romance novels.

James Patterson knows how to tell a story. The writing is never beautiful, but it's always action packed and full of unforeseen twists. The Alex Cross series is one of my go-to series to read when I want something that sucks me in immediately, doesn't make me think too hard and can still manage to surprise me.

Important Characters to Know
Alex Cross - Detective and psychologist living in Washington DC with his family.

John Sampson - Alex's best friend and partner at the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.

Kyle Craig - Alex's close friend who becomes his biggest nemesis.

Damon Cross - Alex's oldest son.

Janelle Cross - Alex's daughter.

Alex Cross Jr. - Alex's youngest son.

Nana Mama - Alex's grandmother. She raised Alex when his parents died. She lives with Alex and helps him raise his children.

Alex Cross (in reading order, links lead to my reviews)

1. Along Came a Spider
2. Kiss the Girls
3. Jack and Jill
4. Cat and Mouse
5. Pop! Goes the Weasel
6. Roses Are Red
7. Violets Are Blue
8. Four Blind Mice
9. The Big Bad Wolf
10. London Bridges
11. Mary Mary
12. Cross
13. Double Cross
14. Cross Country
15. Alex Cross's Trial
16. I, Alex Cross
17. Cross Fire 
18. Kill Alex Cross

If you like the Alex Cross series, you should try:

The Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford

The Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell

The Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman

The Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson

The Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods

Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry

Book Details
Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
Hardcover, 528 Pages
2011, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ISBN: 1442402350
Series: Book 2 of Benny Imura


Synopsis
Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them.

Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland –where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?

In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive.


Review
I absolutely loved Rot & Ruin. It was an astounding zombie YA series starter, with just the right mix of the horrors that men can do verses the zombie carnage. There was a thought-provoking focus on the fact that zombies used to be people, and therefore they should be respected for what they were as well as feared for what they now are - something a lot of zombie stories fail to take into account.

Dust & Decay keeps the theme in the same general vein, but having already established that zombies deserve respect, spends more time on thrilling action and the atrocities humans subject each other too. After month of training, Tom, Benny, Nix and Lilah are finally heading out to search for the plane they saw in Rot & Ruin. Having trouble saying goodbye, Chong heads out with them for the first leg of the journey, only to prove that he may be smart, but really isn't the outdoorsy type.

Problems abound. Life and death situations are faced. Evil men prove more dangerous than herds of zombies. Love of all kinds is found, tested, strengthened and cherished many times over.

While Dust & Decay is horrific and terrifying, thrilling and action-packed, what the reader will be surprised to find is how emotional the book - and the entire series - is. The book sucks you in, the characters get under your skin, and you won't be able to pull yourself away from the page. Dust & Decay is an emotional thrill-ride that will leave you shaken for a long time to come. Zombie perfection.

Rating

Links

Jonathan Maberry's
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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Book Details
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Paperback, 432 Pages
2007, Washington Square Press
ISBN: 0743298039

Synopsis
Sometimes, when you open the door to the past, what you confront is your destiny.

Reclusive author Vida Winter, famous for her collection of twelve enchanting stories, has spent the past six decades penning a series of alternate lives for herself. Now old and ailing, she is ready to reveal the truth about her extraordinary existence and the violent and tragic past she has kept secret for so long. Calling on Margaret Lea, a young biographer troubled by her own painful history, Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good. Margaret is mesmerized by the author's tale of gothic strangeness -- featuring the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess,a topiary garden and a devastating fire. Together, Margaret and Vida confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.


Review
The Thirteenth Tale didn't start out well for me. The narrator, Margaret Lea, is dull. One would think a book lover like myself would identify with a woman whose life revolves around books, but Margaret's love of the written word is snobbish. She prefers much older books, to the point where she has never read a contemporary novel. She works in her father's shop and lives above it. She lives the life of a recluse, having absolutely no social interaction beyond her father. As an amateur biographer, she only writes about obscure, long dead people - as live people are messy and she's rather not have to actually deal with them. She's quite the party, Margaret.

Margaret's contacted by Vida Winter, the world's bestselling contemporary writer, asking to write her biography. Vida has been known to lie in all interviews, leaving her personal history completely unknown. Also leading a reclusive lifestyle, I didn't have much hope that Vida would be any more interesting than Margaret.

Margaret travels to Vida's home and hears her very long story. As the reader, we experience both Vida's telling of her past and Margaret's reaction to it. The book initially seems to show the mystery as what is the thirteenth tale that was left out of Vida's most famous work, but the real mystery is Vida herself. Layer by layer, her past is revealed and nothing is as it seems. She becomes a thoroughly interesting character and her story fully engrosses.

I was tempted to put The Thirteenth Tale down many times in the first fifty or so pages. It dragged mercilessly and even in the end, I cared for Margaret and her narration very little. I struggled through, trusting others who raved about this book, and ended up glad I did. Vida and her mystery are surprising, engaging and completely worth the wait.

Rating

Motor City Witch by Cindy Spencer Pape

Book Details
Motor City Witch by Cindy Spencer Pape
eBook
2010, Carina Press
Series: Book 2 of Urban Arcana

Synopsis
She'd left magic behind

Once upon a time, Elise Sutton had been a powerful witch and paranormal enforcer. Once she'd been madly in love with Fae lord Aidan Greene. But when Aidan had considered his duties more important than their relationship, the love affair ended badly. Shortly after, while on the hunt for a rogue demon, Elise was brutalized and almost killed. Months later she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. To protect her child—and her heart—Elise decided to live a nonmagical life.

Until she meets Aidan again, and he assumes Dina is his daughter. When Dina is kidnapped by a racial purity movement, Elise turns to Aidan for help. The icy facade she has built around herself shatters at Aidan's touch. Together they have to hunt through the human and faery worlds to find Dina...and to discover whether or not they have any kind of chance at a happily ever after.

Review
I love the world in the Urban Arcana series, the different factions of supernaturals and how they interact with each other especially. We learned a lot about the Fae in Motor City Fae, so one would expect to be submersed in the world of witches in Motor City Witch. We do, but we also get an even better look at the inner workings of the fae, see more of the shifters and learn of other supernaturals previously unseen in the series.

From a romantic aspect, Motor City Witch focuses on Elise, a healer/witch and her relationship with Aidan, a fae lord. Beyond romance, the thrilling and heartbreaking kidnapping of Elise's daughter Dina is in the forefront. Aidan is convinced Dina is his child, hidden away by Elise, but Elise claims Dina is the product of a rape that occurred after their relationship ended.

More than anything else, Motor City Witch made me fall in love with Aidan again and again. He cares for Dina almost instantly, blood-relation or no. His connection with the child, and the emotions that brings, surpasses both the romance and the action, making the book a truly heartfelt experience. That isn't to disparage the hot happenings between the adults. Aidan and Elise have their relationship issues, but when the clothes start coming off, the world falls away and sexy doesn't begin to describe their connection.

I would have liked if the witch aspect of the book has been played up a bit more, but that's more a matter of personal preference than a complaint about the book itself. Motor City Witch is great mix of paranormal romance and supernatural thriller and a wonderful follow-up to Motor City Fae. I'll definitely be checking out the next book in the Urban Arcana series.

Rating

Links

Cindy Spencer Pape's
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The Walking Dead, Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman

Book Details
The Walking Dead, Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman
Paperback, 144 Pages
2010, Image Comics
ISBN: 9781582406848
Series: Book 6 of The Walking Dead

Synopsis
Trapped in a town surrounded by madmen, Rick must find a way out or die trying. Meanwhile, back at the prison, the rest of the survivors come to grips with the fact Rick may be dead, and a major turning point in the series is reached.

Review
The Walking Dead graphic novels continue to shock and amaze me. While this is a gritty ongoing zombie story, the depth of the human factor surprises me with its horrific realism time and again.

In This Sorrowful Life, Rick finds a savior among the Governor's people, but as it is often the case, things that seem too good to be true often are just that. Rick strays farther and farther from his original role as lawman, but does so in the name of protecting his people. More than just a dark and grisly horror plot, we also experience the inner workings of a good man unable to prevent himself from going down a dark path.

Michonne continues to be strong physically, even during her repeated torture, but she's clearly cracking mentally. It's been hinted at for a while now that she wasn't totally all there, but taking her revenge against her abuser may have finally pushed her over the edge.

Truly stupid reactions take more human lives and the numbers are dwindling. The remaining humans may not survive for much longer if the group doesn't start acting intelligently instead of emotionally. Risking everyone to save one is a poor survival plan.

An all out war may be headed the survivors way, once again proving the true danger to the survival of the human race is itself. I can't wait to see what Kirkman's got up his sleeve next.

Rating

The Walking Dead, Volume 5: The Best Defense by Robert Kirkman

Book Details
The Walking Dead, Volume 5: The Best Defense by Robert Kirkman
Paperback, 136 Pages
2009, Image Comics
ISBN: 9781582406121
Series: Book 5 of The Walking Dead

Synopsis
As the survivors settle into their prison home something has drawn them out into the open... out of the prison... out of their sanctuary. This is a major turning point for the overall story of The Walking Dead, setting the stage for years to come.

Review
The Best Defense, the 5th volume in The Walking Dead series, introduces The Governor, a man who seems poised to become a villain more dangerous and deadly than any zombie we've seen thus far. The character is intense, and more importantly, unpredictable.

When Rick, Glen and Michonne (who I still dislike immensely, although she definitely grows on me in this volume) leave the safety of the prison to check out a downed helicopter, they're brought to The Governor. What he does to each of them is unnervingly messed up. Robert Kirkman never fails to surprise and between the The Governor's form of entertainment and the punishments he doles out, I found myself in a constant state of shock.

Is it just me or is Lori becoming the most aggravating woman left on the planet? She's cold, whiny, and extremely judgmental of everyone around her. We all know Carol is sort of useless without a man in her life, but Lori's reaction to her suggestion is over-the-top harsh. When a simple no could suffice, Lori must go that next step and just about ensure Carol's next suicide attempt. Some friend.

I am so in love with this series. I find that I care about many of these characters deeply and I'm never disappointed in how the story plays out. This may not be the post-apocalyptic zombie world I'd want to live in, but I love every new installment so much more than the last.

Rating

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Book Details
Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong
Hardcover, 336 Pages
2011, Dutton
ISBN: 0525952209
Series: Book 12 of Women of the Otherworld

Synopsis
It's been ten years since Bitten, the first novel in Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Otherworld series. In that time hundreds of thousands of fans have ravenously devoured the adventures of Armstrong's witches, demons, and werewolves. Now, in Spell Bound, she brings them all together for her most sweeping tale yet.

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

Review
If you've loved the Women of the Otherworld series up to this point, as I have, you will quite simply be amazed by Spell Bound. This book takes the series to unforeseen levels of danger, intrigue, action and romance. Everything that has come before culminates into something completely epic in Spell Bound, leading us to the final book in the series.

I've always loved the way Kelley Armstrong has rotated main characters in the Women of the Otherworld series, allowing readers to really get to know the the ladies one on one. When I realized Spell Bound was another Savannah book, right on the heels of Waking the Witch, I was slightly dismayed. I should have knows that Armstrong had good reason for putting Savannah in the lead two books in a row. Although we didn't always realize it, the entire series has been building around Savannah and as the series comes to a close, she obviously needs to be in the forefront. While Waking the Witch was completely Savannah's book, Spell Bound is more half her, half everyone else. The gangs all here, Paige, Lucas, Elena, Clay, Jeremy, Jaime, Adam, Cassandra, Sean, etc., gearing up for the major battles coming in the future.

Spell Bound is the best book in the series thus far, which is saying a lot given the magnificence of the Women of the Otherworld. It sets the tone just right to lead the reader into the conclusion of the series. Spell Bound is tense, exciting and will leave the reader desperate for more.

Rating

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My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Book Details
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
Paperback, 384 Pages
2009, Harlequin Teen
ISBN: 0373210035
Series: Book 1 of Soul Screamers

Synopsis
She doesn't see dead people, but…

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…

Review
My Soul to Take, the first book in the Soul Screamers series, completely blew me away. The series puts a wonderful spin on banshee (or as in the books, bean sidhe) folklore, creating an extremely interesting supernatural species that I can't wait to read more about.

Deep down, Kaylee knows she's not crazy. Sure, she sees an occasional person who makes her scream hysterically until her throat is raw. Her "panic attacks" come rarely. Or at least they used to. This time though, the hottest guy in school calms her by singing and, well, the girl died.

I loved Kaylee and her experiences learning about what she truly is. I love how it effects her family and the conversations that result. I really liked Nash too, and while I found what they could be to each other intriguing, his interest in her struck me something more of need and proximity than love or lusty thoughts. I'm very interested to see how this relationship pans out in future books.

My Soul to Take is based on a unique premise and I was very impressed by the mystery in the book. I never saw that ending coming and it made the book something truly special. I plan on devouring the next couple books in the series as soon as possible.

Rating

Links

Rachel Vincent's
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The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Book Details
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Paperback, 656 Pages
2010, Anchor
ISBN: 9781400079148
Series: Book 3 of Robert Langdon

Synopsis
In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world’s most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling that finds famed symbologist Robert Langdon in a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol is an intelligent, lightning-paced story with surprises at every turn.  This is Dan Brown’s most exciting novel yet.

Review
I generally enjoy Dan Brown's books and from the start, The Lost Symbol was shaping up to be his best yet. Much like his early work, The Lost Symbol is an adventure novel devoid of religion, but with the addition of Robert Landon and his uncanny knack for solving historical puzzles. Taking everything good from Brown's previous novels and leaving out the rest, The Lost Symbol should have been perfect.

I say should have been perfect because it had two glaring problems. First was its length. I don't mind a long novel, as long as there is a reason for the length. The Lost Symbol reiterated plot points ad nauseum, as if it was attempting to drill the facts into your head. Much of this could have been remedied by a strong editor, but as is the case with many super-bestsellers, I don't think anyone wanted to tell Brown his novel had some issues.

Secondly, and much more important than the length, was the ending of The Lost Symbol. The story was chugging along, taking me on a wonderful adventure through Washington DC while teaching me about Masonic history. As we raced towards solving the mystery, disaster struck. The entire book culminated in religious philosophy. It was like Brown couldn't help himself. He became popular only after he began writing about religion, so while 96% of The Lost Symbol was something completely other, he still had to throw in a little God.

I wouldn't have cared if the entire book has been religious in nature, as I liked Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. The problem for me was because it was so completely unnecessary for the story to end up there. Hundreds upon hundreds of pages of build up about the mysteries of the universe should have revealed something more shocking.

I'm torn in my feelings for The Lost Symbol. I loved the story, but hated the ending. I loved the setting, the characters, the mystery, but really, just hated the resolution. If only I would have stopped reading before the final secret was revealed, I could have loved The Lost Symbol completely.

Rating

Links

Dan Brown's
Website

Reader Confessions: I'm Easily Influenced by Reviews

"Whenever I read a review about a book, even if it's got lots of positive reviews, I dwell on those reviews. My feelings about a book are easily influenced by reviews, even after I've already read them and liked them." -Anonymous

Ignore my amazing public speaking skills. Or make it a drinking game. Drink every time I say "and, uh" or "I mean" and be hammered in less than 8 minutes.

Thoughts? Agree or disagree?

Do you have a confession?

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

Book Details
Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
Paperback, 256 Pages
2006, NAL Jam
ISBN: 0451219945
Series: Book 1 of Morganville Vampires

Synopsis
From the author of the popular Weather Warden series. Welcome to Morganville, Texas.

Just don't stay out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

Review
I'm a bit cynical when it comes to anything having to do with teens and vampires. It's done all too often and almost always with the same basic romance and plot twists. That said, Glass Houses was a delightful surprise. It was different, a bit edgy and wasn't afraid of making the vampires the bad guys they're really supposed to be.

Claire is an interesting protagonist in that she's a college student, but very young. She's got genius level intelligence but goes to a party school since her parents don't think she's old enough to go all the way to MIT or some equivalent. She gets picked on my the mean/popular girls to the point of physical violence, but refuses to run back home to mommy. She's not the girl on the cover of the book and she's not a vampire.

None of the main characters were vampires, which surprised me. The series title, The Morganville Vampires, caused me to envision something completely different than what I got and it was excellent. There are some surprise supernatural goings-on, but the vamps are the enemy in Glass Houses. They run the town and if you don't have their protection, you're just dinner to them. It's like the mob with pointy teeth.

There's some sweet romance budding in Glass Houses, but for the most part, the focus of the book is about Claire, her new roommates, her troubles with the mean girls and the vampires. Some highly surprising twists come about in the book and I can't wait to see how they play out within the series.

Glass Houses is a very exciting series starter. It's a short, easy read that sucks you in almost immediately and entertains throughout. I could easily get addicted to The Morganville Vampires series.

Rating

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Interview with Michelle Rowen

Michelle Rowen, author of Bloodlust, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to answer some questions.

National bestselling author Michelle Rowen writes paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult fantasy. She was the winner of the 2007 Holt Medallion for Best First Book and the 2009 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Vampire Romance.

Michelle lives in Southern Ontario. Please feel free to contact her at michelle@michellerowen.com. She loves hearing from readers!

Reading with Tequila: For an urban fantasy heroine, Jill is refreshingly normal. Were you ever tempted to give her more than average abilities?

Michelle: I really wanted Jill to be a normal human woman with no training or special survival skills, thrust into a dangerous and deadly situation. I wanted her blood to be the danger, the weapon, not Jill herself. I'd read a lot of urban fantasy novels where the heroine is kick-ass from the very beginning and felt I wanted to go in a different direction. My initial inspiration for Jill was Sarah Connor, a character who went from a mild mannered waitress to a Terminator-butt-kicking action heroine over the course of two movies. If she'd been butt-kicking in the very beginning, her journey as a character would have been much less compelling for me. By the end of Bloodlust, Jill's definitely a different person from where she started in Nightshade, and there's lots more room to grow from there.

RWT: At the beginning of Nightshade, Declan is physically repulsive and emotionally cold. Did you ever worry that readers wouldn't be able to get past that initial impression?

Michelle: Ah, see. I never found him physically repulsive. I dig scars and an eye patch. Emotionally reserved also is cool with me. :) And I knew what was hidden deep in this dude's heart. I wanted the reader to take the same ride as Jill. Again, I wanted to play with what I'd seen in other books -- where the heroine meets the hero and he's so OMGHOT from the very first page that she can barely keep her libido off him. That's all fine and good (and hey, I've written a couple of those myself), but I wanted a more gradual build. As Jill starts to become attracted to Declan and digs past those many layers of his, I am hoping the reader does too.

RWT: In Bloodlust, Jill finds herself deeply connected to a man other than Declan. While Jill obviously lusts after both men, is it possible that she could love them both?

Michelle: Hmm, good question. I really don't know. Is it possible to love two very different men at the same time? Can your emotions fool you? If someone is there for you when the other is missing in a time of great need, does the heart grow fonder, or go yonder? Personally, I think I started to like (ahem, lust after) the other guy a whole lot more than I should have and gave him way more page time than he might have deserved. What can I say? He's pretty sexy. ;) At the end of the day, though, where are his feelings? Does he even know what love is? I do think Jill has strong (but different) feelings for both men. I also think she feels stronger for one of them, and that likely won't change any time soon. However, I am a big fan of love triangles. Always have been. True love never runs smoothly.

RWT: Is there a set number of books in the Nightshade series? And can you give us any hints about what might be in the future for Jill?

Michelle: Ah, another tricky question. I went into this "series" counting on the contracted two books and the novella that came in between, which is why I gave Bloodlust what I think is a satisfying ending. I very much want to write more in the series since there are lots more places that Jill needs to go as a character -- in fact, I've already mapped those places out for at least two more books. However, at this time, my publisher has not committed to more books, which is disappointing both to me and to the readers I know loved the first book. Hopefully, however, those readers will help to spread the word about the books. Publishing is a tough business right now and series are getting canceled all over the place. But I'd love to write more about Jill and her future adventures and will definitely keep my fingers crossed that I can do that some day very soon.

About the Book

Jillian Conrad's blood has killed the vampire king. Now an enemy to all vampires, she is targeted for elimination. So is the infant daughter of the dead king. If Jillian doesn't stand in the way of her death, then everyone, living or dead, is in great peril.

Michelle Rowen's Website
Reading with Tequila's review of Bloodlust

Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

Book Details
Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong
Hardcover, 320 Pages
2010, Dutton Adult
ISBN: 0525951784
Series: Book 11 of Women of the Otherworld

Synopsis
At twenty-one, Savannah Levine-orphaned daughter of a notorious dark witch and an equally notorious cutthroat sorcerer-considers herself a full-fledged member of the otherworld. The once rebellious teen has grown into a six-foot-tall, motorcycle-riding jaw-dropper, with an impressive knowledge of and ability to perform spells. The only problem is, she's having a hard time convincing her adoptive parents, Paige and Lucas, to take her seriously as an adult. She's working as the research assistant at the detective agency they founded, and when they take off on a romantic vacation alone, leaving her in charge, Savannah finds herself itching for a case to call her own. (She's also itching for Adam, her longtime friend and colleague, to see her as more than just a little girl, but that's another matter.)

Suddenly, Savannah gets the chance she's been waiting for: Recruited by another supernatural detective, she travels to Columbus, Washington, a small, dying town. Two troubled young women have been found in an abandoned warehouse, murdered. Now a third woman's dead, and on closer inspection small details point to darker forces at play. Savannah feels certain she can handle the case, but with signs of supernatural activity appearing at every turn, things quickly become more serious- and far more dangerous-than she realizes.

Review
Waking the Witch, the eleventh book in the Women of the Otherworld series, is the first to feature Savannah Levine as the lead character. Throughout the series, Savannah has grown up from the little, yet powerful, witch/sorcerer to an even stronger woman.

While I enjoyed Savannah's first solo case, I appreciated the look inside her psyche more. She's always been one of a kind in regards to her abilities given her parentage, but it's impressive to see how well she walks the line between how Paige raised her and how people expect the daughter of Eve Levine to behave. Not nearly as compassionate as her guardians, I felt Savannah was easy to relate to. Moral lines are more blurred for her than for Paige, allowing her to take more risks and feel less guilt. I found her occasional self-doubt surprising, but it made her character much more palatable. Strong-willed and often abrasive, Savannah's worries soften much of her external attitude.

I loved how Savannah longs for Adam to finally realize she's not a little girl anymore. It's not a romance subplot, but more of a crush on a best friend that seems to be unrequited. Or just unnoticed. That will more likely be dealt with in future books. For now, it was wonderful to read about a super hot, hugely powerful woman who's afraid to admit her feelings for a long-time friend.

The mystery in Waking the Witch was astounding. There was a lot going on, to the point where you don't know if you have one big mystery or several separate ones. Everything works out clearly in the end, but for much of the book it's the best type of confusing. The fact that Savannah is trying so hard to prove herself while not being nearly as careful as Paige and Lucas would have been in the same situation makes the story go in directions you won't see coming.

I've always enjoyed the books that focus on Paige and Eve the best, partly because I'm a big fan of books that feature witches, but also in part because of what Savannah always brought into the story. The character is truly fantastic and is obviously going to play a big role in the last two books of this series. As the end gets closer, the Women of the Otherworld series is really heating up.

Rating

Links

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