REVIEW: MOCKINGBIRD

Author: Chuck Wendig
Series: Yes, #2
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: September 2012
Genre: Urban fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Miriam is trying. Really, she is. But this whole "settling down thing" that Louis has going for her just isn't working out. She lives on Long Beach Island all year around. Her home is a run-down double-wide trailer. She works at a grocery store as a check-out girl. And her relationship with Louis--who's on the road half the time in his truck--is subject to the piss and vinegar Miriam brings to everything she does. It just isn't going well. Still, she's keeping her psychic ability--to see when and how someone is going to die just by touching them--in check. But even that feels wrong somehow. Like she's keeping a tornado stoppered up in a tiny bottle. Then comes one bad day that turns it all on her ear. (Goodreads)

I implore you, if you haven't yet read Blackbirds, go read it. In the second in the series, Miriram Black returns in another no-holds barred thriller. Some people might find Miriam's restlessness, recklessness and open approach to sex and alcohol a little sexist. But I enjoy her directness which is refreshing and humorous. She is very rough on the outside, but the more you get to know Miriam, with her hidden past and guarded emotions, you can see the soft inside.

When the story first starts things are very different. Miriam has tried to settle down with Louis, by living in a trailer and working in a supermarket. But Miriam lives for the nomadic life, chasing after those death visions. And unfortunately she doesn't do right by Louis. She's a little hard to sympathise with to start, but stick with her. Miriam has balls, guts and yet shockingly, a heart. The strange and sickening visions she sees at Caldecott girls school bring out the best and worst in Miriam. Although no-one could blame her for her actions. In particular, Wren, a young girl at the school, seems to capture her heart and an almost maternal-like protective instinct.

With a thrilling, action packed and sometimes gory plot, Miriam's attempts to unearth a masochistic killer kept me on my toes. I truly wanted Miriam to find out what was going on, but you know that she's going to get into trouble along the way. Even though she is a tough old girl, Miriam can only take so much of a beating.

The bird theme really took off in this book, symbolically referring to different birds as clues and riddles on a number of occasions, but also appearing as a hallucination to Miriam. I was a little wary of this 'trespassing' crow because I honestly couldn't tell what the purpose of her supposed hallucinations were and whether the crow meant to be good or bad. But I am really interested to see how things develop in the final book, Cormorant, and whether the crow still stays with her.

Mockingbird is a hard edged thriller, with gory action and plenty of mystery. Handle with care.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: MYSTIC CITY

Author: Theo Lawrence

Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Corgi
UK Release date: 11th October 2012
Genre: Urban fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

Mystic City has lots of references and parallels to Shakespeare, most particularly the forbidden love between two young people from rival families. I loved how this classic theme was paired with dystopian and paranormal elements; New York had been transformed into a futuristic Venice with the global-warming flooded streets in the Depths and its motorised gondoliers. With the contrast between luxurious high rises and the humble Depths, the setting was perfect for two star-crossed lovers to find each other.

I loved both Hunter and Aria. Aria, although brought up in a very wealthy and powerful family, was a sympathetic and caring person. Her family's power doesn't seem to have been built on honest foundations, and rather than go along with it and enjoy all the luxuries thrown at her, Aria was determined to find out the truth and fight for what was right no matter the consequences.  I thought Aria and Hunter were a perfect pair and really wanted to see them together. Hunter was a mysterious, mystic rebel, combining a dark and dangerous side with a funny, charming and protective personality. I liked the way he teased Aria, and was  a sensitive and caring person with real charisma. As an undrained mystic rebel, he was going against the city laws, but honestly who could blame him. He was standing up against the oppression and persecution of mystics which gave him a passionate, moral and slightly wild edge.

Although huge chunks of the plot were easy to foretell, I didn't mind because I was so invested in Hunter and Aria and their potential relationship. Their escapades to the Depths, especially during the old-fashioned carnival, were so romantic. When Aria was sneaky around and hiding from her family there was palpable tension and also plenty of mystery as Aria tried to fill in the missing gaps of her memory and figure out what the interesting little locket meant. This tension reached some big climaxes as she was discovered by her family and forced into some very horrible situations. Quite frankly I don't know how such a selfish, evil family brought up such an amazing girl!

Aria's friends were your typical spoilt socialites. They were selfish, ignorant and just a little annoying. Their speech included words like "upper" to describe anything cool. It definitely made the point that they were the popular girls, although it bugged me a little. But more importantly, their behaviour gave a strong contrast to Aria's; whereas they wanted to shop, eat and look good, Aria wasn't bothered attending parties or climbing the social ladder, caring instead about equality, fairness and truth. I did however love Turk, Hunter's best friend. He was witty, cool and cared about his friends, and I would much rather have him as a friend.

Mystic City is a gripping tale of forbidden love, magic, politics and fighting for what is right.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: BLACK CITY

Author: Elizabeth Richards
Series: Yes, #1
US Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
US Release date: 13th November 2012
Genre: YA
Kindly lent by Casey at Dark Readers

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.
When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

The world building in Black City was a lot more atmospheric and dystopian than I expected. The city where Ash and Natalie lived was a crumbling, burnt mess after the post-apocalyptic bombing that waged war between the two races: Darklings and humans. For some reason the boundary wall built to separate Darklings and humans reminded of the Berlin wall. In this case, the boundary wall prevented Wraths and Darklings from mixing with humans and killing or infecting them. Despite the fact that Darklings, like vampires, do bite and drink blood there was a lot of prejudice towards them as approved and incited by the government and sentry. This prejudice and violent discrimination gave the plot heaps of tension and also made the budding romance between human Natalie and half-blood Ash completely forbidden and illegal.

I loved the simultaneous hatred and passion that Natalie and Ash felt for each when they first met. Their dialogue exchanges were biting and witty. Coupled with the fact that any feelings they might have felt had to be hidden, this made their developing romance so exciting. I loved the two of them and wanted them to be together. Although Natalie was like the privileged rich kid, she had a real sense of morals and was able to stand up for herself and her beliefs. And although Ash was the dark and dangerous half-human, he was kind and sensitive, and deeply charismatic and attractive.

The plot had plenty of tension, romance excitement, and intertwining stories. Particularly towards the end, the plot took some dramatic and surprising twists. One of the events involving Ash and twin-blood Evangeline did annoy me. I won't say why, but I will say I was disappointed in Ash's decision making and reasoning. He lost a little of my trust in him, and he will have to work hard to earn it back in Phoenix.

My only little peeve with the writing would be the word "fragging", which was regularly used by several of the characters. I know it's more of an American and teenage thing, but I would have preferred the characters to either have sworn or said something completely different instead. This is just my personal preference, so it probably wouldn't bother anyone else.

Black City is a dark, atmospheric romance story set in a dystopian world where humans and Darklings are segregated at every turn.

Rating: 4*

AUTHOR POST: TERA LYNN CHILDS ON SWEET VENOM

Today I am really excited to have author Tera Lynn Childs joining me on the blog to talk about some of the nasty and smelly mythological creatures her characters face in Tera's urban fantasy Sweet Venom.

Gretchen’s Top Three Mythological Monsters

After four years of hunting down human-thirsty beasts and sending them back to their bleak home, I think I’ve encountered pretty much a one of everything. Some were easier than others but, one way or another, I’ve fought and won every single time. There have been a few close calls, a handful of monsters that I’d rather never see again.

1. Cynocephali – A vicious tribe of dog-headed dudes. Every breed of dog is represented in their numbers, and the labs and collies are more bark than bite. The Dobermans and pit bulls, however, are bite-to-the-death types.

2. Sphinx – While the Egyptian version might be a riddle, the Greek beast with the body of a lion, eagle’s wings, a poisonous serpent for a tail, and the head and torso of a woman is real up front in her intention to kill. No mystery there.

3. Manticore – Big, brawny, and dumb as a pile of hollow rocks, manticores are human and huntress killing machines. Anything with the body of a lion is a tough hunt, but that spike-covered tail is a powerful deadly weapon.

If you see one of these walking down the street—not that you would, but if you did—then find another street. Or, better, find another town.

When I run into these creatures, if I’m not distracted by other problems like diva sisters and missing mentors, I like to use the element of surprise. They can’t smell me coming the way I can pinpoint them, so I put myself in position to sneak up on them or trap them. Then I get my bite in fast and hard, as close to the pulse point as possible. The less time these beasties spent in this realm the better. For all of us.

Thank you so much Tera for taking time to talk about Sweet Venom's Gretchen and the monsters she fights! I love Gretchen's attitude and the way she describes these nasties. If you would like to find out more about Tera Lynn Childs and her book Sweet Venom you can find it here:

Tera's website
Goodreads

Sweet Venom was released earlier this month by Templar Publishing. You can read my review of it here or you can head on over to Amazon to grab yourself a copy.

Tera is also doing a live webchat on Monday 1st October at 7pm (UK time). Just use the password getbitten.

REVIEW: CARNIVAL OF SOULS

Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Harper Collins
UK Release date: 4th September 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

I have to admit I was a little dubious reading this one as I haven't exactly loved other books by the author in the past. But this book gripped me straight away, and I absolutely loved it.

The plot was a cleverly crafted, beautifully woven and complex web. The different subplots interplayed so fluidly that at points when I was thinking 'what the hell just happened?!', things came together and fitted like another piece in a jigsaw puzzle. The plot was a little like a chess game, with wild twists and turns happening as each character made their next move in the desire for power. (Sorry for all my game analogies, but as you can probably tell I think the plot was really well worked out, with such clever changes and huge surprises and revelations. Along with the world building and strong character motivations there were so many different layers to this story, but they all worked perfectly together.) There was also plenty of action and intrigue to keep me utterly captivated and guessing what might happen next, but honestly with this book I couldn't rightly predict anything!

To start, the world building with its history of wars and hostility between witches and daimons and changing between the human and daimon worlds, had me a little confused. But soon I became fascinated with The City and its Carnival of Souls. This daimon world was a little more brutal and violent than I had expected, and it harked back to medieval times where caste systems were still strongly adhered to and those at the bottom had to fight, steal, kill or whore themselves to survive. Danger lurked around every corner and the Carnival felt very dark and unpredictable. The stark contrast of the two worlds was brilliant, and although there was less action in Mallory's human world, it didn't make it any less interesting.

Carnival of Souls featured a large cast of characters, and each one was well developed with distinct personalities and very focused motivations that catapulted the action and created the shocking plot twists. I felt a little sorry for Mallory, raised in the human world and pretty much oblivious to the truth. She'd been sheltered by Adam for her own protection and although he'd trained her, her ignorance made her practically defenceless against daimons or witches. She also had no say in her life - Adam pretty much controlled what she did, who she saw and where they lived, and even Kaleb started making decisions that impacted her life without her knowledge or consent. Although this felt right within the plot and with an understanding of why Kaleb was making these decisions, it still felt wrong that Mallory was often used by people as a tool. I respected the fact that she didn't just fall straight into Kaleb's arms, and I would have liked to have seen a little more happen or shared between the pair to better understand why Kaleb liked her so much.

In terms of Kaleb, he was very dangerous and violent. But his past and low social standing left him pretty much no other option on how to survive in The City, so I couldn't help but feel for him. I also admit that I kind of fell for his tough exterior and caring protectiveness over pack member Zevi. He was an enigma, scheming away and making dangerous power plays, but I think his boldness and determination attracted me to him.

At first I was also a little uncertain of Aya, because she was so forthright, cold and brutal. But she grew on me as the story progressed and I admired her strength and courage. She wasn't immune to caring, asking for help but she was very clever.

With some of the characters I couldn't tell what they might be up to and whether they could be completely trusted but this just intrigued me more. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to the individual characters and in the greater was between witches and daimons.

Carnival of Souls is beautifully crafted and deliciously dark. A must read for this year.

Rating: 5*

Carnival of Souls is out today and can be bought as an ebook too :)

REVIEW: THE MONSTER'S CORNER

Author: Christopher Golden
Series: No - Anthology
UK Publisher: Piatkus
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Anthology (fantasy, urban fantasy)

Have you ever wondered what the monster in any story thought? Whether he was really evil or whether situation and prejudice made him that way? Well here is your chance to find out, because Monster’s Corner finally gives us their side of their story.

Each of the 19 short stories is written from the monster’s perspective, making them the hero of their own story. From sirens and witches, to rakshasi and succubus, you may just start to understand them and maybe even feel sorry for them. Monster’s Corner brings these demons and devils out of the darkness and sheds light on what the monsters are really like.

Monster’s Corner features contributions from such authors as David Liss, Kevin J. Anderson, Lauren Groff, Chelsea Cain, Kelley Armstrong, Jonathan Maberry, and many others. Here follows mini reviews of just a few of the short stories, to give a snapshot of what the anthology contains.

The Awkward Age by David Liss
When Pete’s awkward and withdrawn son finally makes a friend, Pete and his wife think their problems are over. Except Mason is different. Despite being only fourteen she looks and acts far beyond her age, manipulating and using Pete with masterful skill, pushing him ever closer towards the murky realms of paedophilia. 

At first I thought the story was about Pete and how he was falling for Mason’s blatant flirtations. I was certain he would be so tempted by her charms that he would forget both morals and monogamy. So much so that I didn’t see where the story was going. With a great twist ending, this is a thought-provoking story that will make you wonder where boundaries lie.

Torn Stitches, Shattered Glass by Kevin J. Anderson
Frankenstein’s monster, Franck, has struggled for years to find somewhere to settle, always feeling like he doesn’t fit in or belong. This time he has settled in Ingolstadt, Germany at the start of the Nazi reign, watching as his neighbours’ shops are vandalized and good honest people are beaten at the hands of prejudice and hatred. 

For a monster that killed his creator, I liked Franck. He kept to himself, worked hard and tried to fit into the small Jewish community. But no matter what he did, he still looked different with his scars and misshapen body. Throughout the story there was a undercurrent of tension, intensifying when the Nazi Germans attacked the village. For such a simple story the analogy of Franck’s treatment at the hands of prejudice was reflected perfectly in the Nazi’s persecution of the Jewish people. It seems we humans are far from perfect; human nature instinctively leads us to fear and persecute anyone different from us.

Rakshasi by Kelley Armstrong
Although Amrita is a demon warrior she lives with an isha family as a servant to her master. She must do his bidding to make up for her own past wrong doings and repay her debt to earn her freedom. But when her master denies her that freedom, Amrita takes matters into her own hands.

Despite being a cold, unemotional and ruthless character I couldn’t help but warm to Amrita and feel for her life of servitude. She was written as a very mysterious but strong willed character and I really wanted to know more about her history and past. The rakshasi characteristics such as superhuman strength and speed and eternal life also made me think Amrita might be a vampire at first. I didn’t realise that rakshasi are different creatures from vampires within mythology and folklore, and I liked the twist of servitude and working to earn freedom that made the story different from traditional vampire stories.


Although anthologies aren’t the first thing I would browse for in the bookstore, I remember why I like them as soon as I start reading them. Monster’s Corner has given me an opportunity to read authors that wouldn’t normally cross my radar and get a snippet of their writing style and sense of humour, and could be the start of a brand new author-reader relationship.

What I really enjoyed was that each of the short stories in Monster’s Corner is so different, focusing on a different kind of monster – some blurring the line between good and bad and making you think twice about who the monster is. Does the monster even know he is a monster? If that’s their own nature can one blame them for being who they are? And what makes someone a monster anyway? Is it someone who doesn’t conform to our societal views of what is moral; someone who uses, manipulates and inflicts pain on others; or just someone who is different from us? Perhaps the monster isn’t always the monster – perhaps it is us who makes the monster who he is. We will never know unless we hear his story.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: ARCADIA AWAKENS

Author: Kai Meyer

Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Templar

UK Release date: February 2012
Genre: Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

To New Yorker Rosa Alcantara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that—exotic, and wholly unknown. But when tragedy strikes, she must travel there, to her family’s ancestral home, where her sister and aunt have built their lives and where centuries of family secrets await her. Once there, Rosa wastes no time falling head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both intrigue and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night—a tiger with very familiar eyes—she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem. (Goodreads)

Arcadia Awakens wasn’t what I expected. It was quite a mature urban fantasy with violence and blood and mafia gang crime. It was refreshing to read a story that felt more adult and had a 'rough around the edge' feel to it, with a ballsy protagonist and unpatronising writing. In addition, the mysterious Sicilian Mafia world was very unique, with a rugged, exotic and rather scary feel. It felt like there was danger waiting around every corner, with car chases, kidnappings, double dealings and shootouts. With their dangerous rivalry and forbidden love, the Carnevares and the Alcantaras families living on the were like the modern day Montagues and Capulets and fitted perfectly into the mafia scene.

Arcadia Awakens features shape shifting abilities passed down through families and has its roots in Greek mythology. Rather than werewolves, Meyer has picked unusual animals – snakes and big cats. I’m intrigued as to where the idea for these in particular came from. Was it mythological research or a creative decision? Either way, it brought an exotic and distinct feel to the story, as well as an element of mystery surrounding the history of the two families.

Rosa was a very gutsy protagonist, willing to face danger and threat head on. Her traumatic past has left its emotional scar on her, but she hasn’t refused to give up. She's stubborn, and doesn't listen when she's told to stay away from Alessandro. However her harsh exterior and outspoken attitude does open up to at times to let us see her caring and sensitive side. When it comes to young Iole, Rosa will do anything to save her. But when it comes to Alessandro, Rosa has a big blind spot. She risked truces, safety and sensiblity to see him. Whilst he would do anything to protect Rosa, there were doubts about whether he could ever put her first before his family and the family 'business'. I was glad that Rosa didn't just drop at his feet but still kept her head when she needed to.

Although the story wasn't my favourite so far this year, I certainly think it deserves more attention than it has had. Arcadia Awakens combines the dangerous Cosa Nostra with shapeshifting, love, and betrayal, all of which is set against a rugged Sicilian landscape to create a modern day Romeo & Juliet.

Rating: 3.5*

REVIEW: BLOOD MAGIC

Blood Magic

Author: Tessa Gratton
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
UK Release date: May 2011
Genre: Urban fantasy

Grieving for the loss of her parents who died in an apparent suicide-murder, Silla receives a mysterious book detailing the magic rituals her father used. Using her own blood as a source of power, Silla discovers her enthusiasm for the magic. When Nicholas moves across the cemetery from her, she discovers a kindred spirit and together they learn the magic together. But they soon realise that someone is out to use the magic for evil and will not leave Silla’s family alone.

Review: For some reason I've only just got around to reading this book, despite buying it months ago. I wasn't disappointed as it's faced paced and exciting, although some bits were really bloody and gruesome!


Blood Magic is told from the dual perspective of 17 year old Silla and, newcomer to her small town, Nicholas. The swapping between their narratives kept the story flowing. Diary extracts from a third perspective, young Josephine who is learning and using magic, were really captivating. We don’t really know who she is, but we see her relationship with magic grow and change into something corrupt, and it is these extracts that add another layer of mystery, interest and intrigue.

Silla is a really interesting character as she is truly hurt and damaged from the death of her parents. We see the interested she used to have, as well as the masks that she 'wears' to convey her thoughts, temper, and feelings. For her this is a huge coping strategy after the death of her parents. Although she feels empty inside she still manages to convey real character and depth, which is why I liked her so much. The fact that she doesn't cling to Nick like a lost puppy is also a positive.

Being new to the area, Nicholas stands out from everyone else like a sore thumb. I like the fact he embraces this and revels in being different. I do like his nickname for his stepmother Mary, whom he affectionately calls Lilith – the name of the demon queen!

The plot was quite simplistic and with the help of some very obvious clues I easily guessed who was behind things. Despite this I still really enjoyed the story because it was so fast paced and exciting.

Having a dislike of blood, I found some details of the magic rituals a little gory. In particular the 'rabbit' scene was bloody and nauseating – personally I feel that this could have been tamed down or left out as I had to skip bits in sympathy of my sensitive stomach. I also find it odd that Silla can’t stand the sight or thought of blood because it reminds her of finding her parents dead covered in blood, yet at the same time she is happy to cut herself open and slather herself in blood. Perhaps this is meant to demonstrate Silla growing and healing thanks to the magic, but it seemed rather discordant to me.

Tessa Gratton’s writing style is wonderful - it's flowing and fluid. Here is certainly a very promising writer that we can expect great things of!

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: BETRAYAL

Betrayal
Author: Lee Nichols
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bloomsbury
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Following on from Deception, Emma must work with the Knell, a secret organisation of ghost keepers, to fight Neos a powerful wraith. With Bennett disappearing again, the Knell suffering some major setbacks, and a new team arriving to help Emma and Natalie, Emma must learn who she can trust before the dawn of battle.

Review: There are a number of interesting subplots in Betrayal such as Emma’s family contacting her, the development of new and unheard-of powers, and other ghostkeepers strangely having their powers drained. These keep the plot interesting and add in new elements of mystery that keep you questioning and wondering what’s going on.

Emma is one of the strongest ghostkeepers there is, and I really feel for her and the burden of trying to protect everyone around her. I can see how it must be tough for everyone to rely on you in the face of danger, yet still know so little about who you are and what you can do, especially when so many people have left her. One of whom is Bennett, who has disappeared yet again, so we don't get to see much of the relationship between them. Despite this Emma is resilient and admirably fights to protect those she loves.

Whilst her ghost family doesn’t feature as much as I would have liked (I just love all the ghost servants living at the museum!), Emma now has Simon and Lukas living with her. They have come from the Knell to work as a team with Emma and Natalie to train and defeat Neos, and they make a great new addition to the family. The subtle bond between Natalie and the rebellious Lukas is interesting, particularly with the threat of one losing their powers if they ever got together.

Unfortunately Betrayal did something that I’m not sure I can forgive - it took a character I adore and twisted them into something bad. Sure I wasn’t expecting it and it was a completely unseen plot twist, but I was not happy one bit about this development. I couldn’t believe and didn’t want to believe what they had done. Perhaps if more of an argument was made to show why they did it and their remorse afterwards, I wouldn’t have felt betrayed. But I did.

Betrayal features a lot of training and preparation to fight Neos, and feels like it is just the build up to some bigger fight or battle that is coming soon. A great continuation from Deception with lots of little plot twists, however the betrayal of one particular character leaves me with a sour taste.

Rating: 3*

REVIEW: BLACK SWAN RISING

Black Swan Rising

Author: Lee Carroll
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bantam Press
UK Release date: November 2010
Genre: Urban paranormal

Garet and her elderly father are in serious money trouble. When she is given a silver box with the same swan on it as the ring given to her by her mother, things worsen and her father ends up in hospital. Garet soon realises she is part of a world she never knew existed. 

Review: Garet is a pretty normal young woman, struggling to make ends meet running the art gallery and selling her jewellery designs in the midst of a recession. She's someone I easily related to, as she knows nothing of the Faerie and elemental world that she has been born to watch over. Although I feel like I shouldn't, I like the fact that she falls for the mysterious vampire Will Hughes. She knows she can't trust him but Garet still can't help wanting him, and think at some point we all do it and for me it makes her more human and real.

I love the New York setting for this book, as Garet travels around the city meeting elementals and picking up food. (For some reason, I love food in books). The setting becomes even more atmospheric when the mysterious fog rolls in, covering the streets and hiding Dee's summoned demons.

The cast of characters encompasses a number of different elementals and faerie characters, and it almost feels like A Midsummer's Night Dream has popped up in the middle of New York. Lol, the little fire fairy, is one of my favourite secondary characters as she is so sweet even without understanding what she says. The one character that needed expanding is the evil alchemist Dee. He has been behind atrocities for hundreds of years, but I still don’t feel I know enough about him or what motivates him.

There were lots of plot twists and plenty of secondary characters tying into Garet’s story and history. Sometimes this got confusing and I didn’t fully understand the bigger picture of the watchtowers, guardians and the black swans. Where as the first half of the book was really strong, intriguing and atmospheric, the second half was overfilled with plot and background details. Despite this niggle, I would still be interested in reading the rest of the series as I really enjoyed Lee Carroll’s [novelist Carol Goodman and husband poet Lee Slonimsky] writing style which flowed well.

Beautifully written, Black Swan Rising is the start of a promising urban fantasy trilogy.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: AFTER OBSESSION

After Obsession 

Author: Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Bloomsbury
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Urban paranormal
Kindly sent by the publisher for an honest review

There are four stages to spiritual possession: invitation, infestation, obsession...and after obsession? Possession. When Courtney’s dad disappears on the river, she starts to change; refusing to believe that he might be dead and inviting dark forces into her life. Her best friend Aimee and her cousin Alan must use their own gifts to fight the evil spirit threatening to overrun their whole town. 

Review: From the very start there is an undercurrent of tension along with a series of spooky events that just gave me the creeps. Objects fly about, appear out of nowhere, nice people turning evil, and the river seems to have a mind of its own.

The dual narrative tells the ghostly story from both Aimee’s and Alan’s perspectives. Being half Navajo, Alan fully embraces his Native American ancestry and traditions with his cougar spirit guide as well as use of herbs and sweat lodges. In contrast Aimee has gifts which she has kept hidden to avoid being called crazy. I did find myself getting a little confused at the order of past events as Aimee’s narrative sometimes seemed to contradict itself, but despite this little quibble I really liked both her and Alan. The love story element between the pair was surprising but very adorable and helped add to the simplistic plot. Alan is a real gentleman towards Aimee and his family, and I can see why she fell for him.

The one character that didn't really capture my attention was Courtney. Despite the fact that she's lost her father and is obviously suffering a lot from her possible possession, I didn't feel as empathetic towards her as I should have done. Perhaps her character couldn't come through enough because often it wasn't her but the river spirit that we saw. I would have liked to have seen more of her as herself to build up the emotional bond that was missing.

I did love Aimee’s Gramps and younger brother Benji, who believe in Aimee's gifts and the possibility that Aimee's and Benji's mother may still be among them. I also love the fact that they have a Cheeto in the shape of Marilyn Monroe which they're selling on eBay! These two characters really help break up the tension with some humour and warmth.

After Obsession entwines different theologies including ghosts, prophetic dreams, healing powers, Navajo spirit guides and demonic possession. Despite this mishmash of ideas they all blend well together emphasising a more spiritualistic belief in god, spirits and the afterlife, rather than promoting any one particular religion.

A creepy, spooky tale of possession and spiritual power, After Obsession entwines with an adorable love story.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: ABANDON

Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: MacMillan Children’s Books
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Kindly sent by the publisher for an honest review

Pierce’s life is turned upside down after a near-death-experience and an unexpected visit into the Underworld. The realisation that she won’t be going home hits her, and she escapes from John and the clutches of death. Returning to life with a necklace, the only proof that her visit to the Underworld was real, she finds that danger now follows her and her only protection is the man that she scorned back in the Underworld.

Review: When I first started reading Abandon it took me a few chapters to get into the story and Meg Cabot’s style of writing. I couldn’t quite get Pierce’s background story straight in my mind because her narrative flits regularly and rather haphazardly from the present into flashbacks of past events. With all this flitting back and forth, the plot feels like little happens in it, as events are a bit jumbled up. When I realised that Pierce suffers from ADHD, I figured the first person narrative would probably represent this and might go some way to explaining the jumpy writing style.

I love the concept of the Underworld and Furies, and I like John’s role in it. Based very loosely on the Hades and Persephone myth, John is now keeper of the Underworld and wants Pierce to stay there with him. John has bad-boy written all over his black jeans and scarred skin, but there are other qualities to him that make him likeable and attractive. I really want to know more about his background as well as that of the Furies, and hopefully these aspects will be explored in greater detail in the next book.

I feel sad for Pierce, because even after a near-death-experience her parents still care more about her not being able to get into a good college and pass her driving license. Despite the fact that her dad would willingly throw money at her and any problem in her way (his way of parenting), you can’t quite say that Pierce is a spoilt brat or materialistic. She rides around on a bike and constantly forgets her phone. The best quality about Pierce and the one that makes me like her and ultimately makes John like her, is her kindness and caring nature. She is always putting others first although sometimes her logic of why and how isn’t always the best!

Whilst the characters, particularly the secondary characters, aren’t that well rounded and well developed, the story and concept has a lot of merit to it, and I will certainly be following Pierce’s journey in Underworld, the next in the series.

Rating: 4*

ON MY WISHLIST: BLOOD RIGHTS BY KRISTEN PAINTER

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

My choice this week is Blood Rights, the first in a forthcoming urban fantasy series featuring vampires and human 'feeders'. Not only is the cover stunning but I love the idea of looking at the vampire story from the ‘feeder’ side.

Blood Rights (House of Comarré #1) by Kristen Painter

To be published by Orbit Books in autumn 2011

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarré -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility.

When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

Click here for Kristen Painter's blog.

What's on your wishlist?