Sabriel (Abhorsen #1)- Garth Nix

Ha! I have not forsaken this blog as of yet. I will not fail you, imaginary readers!


Sabriel is the story of a young woman who was sent to boarding school in Ancelstierre by her father who decided that would be a more suitable environment for a young lady. While she does learn magic at school and her father teaches her to channel her necromantic powers, nothing can prepare her for her journey into the Old Kingdom. During her final semester at school, her father, the Abhorsen goes missing and Sabriel must enter the Old Kingdom to find him before the Dead overrun what is left of the kingdom. Her companions include, Mogget--a free magic entity in the form of a cat--and Touchstone, a charter mage imprisoned for centuries by magic. The three of them travel through the Old Kingdom in a desperate search for her father's body in hopes that he has not crossed too far into the world of Death to be retrieved. 

Overall Merit: This book was awesome. When it was first recommended to me, I was a bit reticent because I figured it would be the story of a young girl on a dangerous mission. Nope, Sabriel is all of eighteen years old and wickedly talented. One thing I really enjoyed about the book was the unique magic system. Sabriel uses a collection of bells to control and dispel the Dead. Very different from the traditional wand-waving, spell-casting cliches of fantasy literature. I mean of course you can see the romance coming from a mile away, but maybe that's because I've read way too many books with the same formula. The characters were great and I loved the story. Definitely a to-read book. Score- 10 

Characters: Good job Nix. I enjoyed Sabriel's character and therefore was willing to follow her story wherever it led. Mogget was nothing short of hilarious, at least in his cat form. Touchstone was interesting, he was a little too angsty in the beginning, but I suppose that was to be expected. I didn't feel like his character arc was all that it could have been, but overall not bad. Score- 8 

Blush Factor: This was cute, but might have been the only major issue I had with the book. I mean this might be because I'm a secret romantic (don't tell anyone), but there wasn't enough lead up for me. The characters kind of plodded along and then it was wham-bam I love yous at the end. I did like the coupling though so I'm not going to judge it too harshly, but I stick by my conviction that it needed more of a substantial lead up. Score- 8

Plot: I mean true it was a bit of a cliche--the slighted prince who rises from the ashes to rescue his ailing kingdom, the plucky heroine with her magical sidekick who may be his only hope--nothing too original. I did like the bit about the walking dead (they weren't exactly zombies, but close enough) it was an interesting element to draw into a fantasy novel seeing as they're usually reserved for post-apocalyptic stories. Score- 9 

Structure: Straightforward, not a whole lot to report. I would have liked a bit more clarification on the differences between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre and how the division between the two worlds had come to pass. It wasn't crucial to the story and maybe it is clarified in one of the later books in the series, but it would have been a bit easier to understand the mechanics of the story with some more background regarding the world itself. Score- 8

Vervain Says: "Adriana and I definitely have plans to read the next book in the trilogy." 

Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad #1)- David Eddings

Greetings, Imaginary Readers. Sorry for taking so long to post something new. I've been incredibly busy in University and working on some of my own writing projects. Forgive my laxness in adhering to my own schedule.

Snails and Puppydog Tails,

Adriana Ivy

Garion is a normal farm boy--or so he thinks. He spends his days getting into trouble with his friends and giving his Aunt Pol a headache. All is fine until one day a storyteller named Wolf appears and tells Garion and his aunt that they should leave the farm immediately. Garion learns the secrets of his long hidden past and is thrown into an adventure that he could never have imagined or desired. I mean I think that's what happened. I don't really remember.


Overall Merit: This book was dull. It was recommended to me by an acquaintance and I figured ok fine. I even looked it up on Goodreads to verify that it was indeed a good book. Everything checked out so I ordered it online. For a book with such promise it failed miserably. All I got was a lot of monarchial nonsense mixed with characters who failed to propel the story along at a proper rate. Yes, I know this is the first book in a series, but it didn't interest me nearly enough to make me continue reading. Score- 5

Characters: Eh. I didn't care about any of the characters. They were dull and I could not relate. Garion was far too much of a cardboard cutout of the ideal boyhood protagonist. Also, why the hell was I not given more backstory? I mean obviously you know from the prologue who the characters really are, but then they disappoint. Come on, I mean we're talking powerful sorcerers here and what I'm given is weak. There are maybe two displays of magic in the whole book and they were disappointing. None of them stuck out to me at all. It's amazing I even remember their names. Also, where is my antagonist? Sure the forces of evil are mentioned a few times, but you never see them in action. Score- 5

Blush Factor: N/A

Plot: What plot? The characters spend a whole lot of time running from place to place and there is talk of dangers and the prologue hints at said dangers, but I never see them. Not once do I fear for the characters and not once do they seem to be in peril? What kind of good writer does that? How can I link with the characters if I'm not given any emotions to speak of? Score- 4

Structure: The structure was straightforward. I don't have a whole lot to say on this matter. At least the narrative wasn't confusing or frustrating so kudos for that. However, Eddings failed to do anything interesting structurally so I do take some issue with that. Score- 6

Vervain says: "Don't waste your time with this book. Maybe the series gets better, but Adriana doesn't have the patience to find out."

Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Legacy #1)- Jacqueline Carey

In the land of Terre d' Ange, the mantra is "love as thou wilt", and the inhabitants execute this rule with due diligence. Phedre no Delaunay is a girl born with a scarlet mote in her eye, which marks her as the chosen of the god Kushiel, the god of punishment. She will forever experience pleasure and pain as one in the same. Phedre is born into the Night Court, but is sold into service of Anafiel Delaunay. He trains her to be his eyes and ears in the court, by means of scholarly arts and mastery in the bedchamber (a standard training in this world). However, when Phedre stumbles upon a plot that could be the undoing of Terre d'Ange she must do everything in her power to stop those who wish to upset the balance and beauty of her homeland.

Overall Merit: I love this book, and I thought I'd review it since I just finished rereading it. All of the Terre d'Ange books are brilliant and I think I picked the perfect length of time to wait before rereading them. The characters are excellent and I would willingly follow Phedre and Joscelin to the ends of the earth. Carey's alternative historical world is excellent and filled with lavish details that are a feast to imagine. These books are a perfect example of erotica done in a tasteful and effective manner. There is a legitimate storyline and the sexual interludes enhance the characterization and plot rather than distracting from the point. Score- 12

Characters:  Phedre is a great character, I love her to pieces. She is witty and intelligent and brings dignity to the profession of courtesan, that I've never seen in any other book. Joscelin is excellent as well and his character arc is the most dramatic of any of the characters. Other supporting characters like Hyacinthe shine through as well. The main villain is a femme fatale of the worst kind, you love to hate her, but at the same time are loath to hate her. Great characters overall, definitely will make you want to follow them through the rest of the series. Score- 12

Blush Factor: Phedre and Joscelin might be one of my all time favorite fantasy couplings. They complement each other so nicely with contrasting, but not clashing personalities. This book is definitely explicit so keep the children away. Sex is at the forefront of this world and of Phedre's character so keep that in mind. There is also a lot of BDSM so if that isn't your thing, it might be a bit off-putting, but if you can see past that to the excellent story then please try and read this book. Score- 10

Structure: This book follows Phedre's perspective in first person, but she is such a fascinating character that it is effortless and enjoyable to ride along with her. The world structure is fantastic and I love Carey's laissez faire attitude about things that in our world are considered so taboo. Excellent juxtaposition of romance/erotica with plot line. What can I say? I can't stop raining accolades down upon this book. Score- 13

Plot: Courtly intrigue and culture clash. Not much more you can ask for in a fantasy/alternate history book. The civilizations that Carey brings together are each unique and intricate. She definitely did her research for this series. There is just enough magic to keep the story in the realm of fantasy, but not enough so that I'd classify it as strictly epic. However, the present elements are well-executed and the story is tight. The plot is well-thought out and complex enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. Score- 11

Vervain says: "Phedre is a servant of both Namaah and Kushiel, two gods that are usually not juxtaposed. Josceline on the other hand, is a Cassiline, which adds even more absurdity in to the Phedre x Josceline coupling."

Sorry, Imaginary Readers

Sorry mortals, I am currently at university so my time to read is limited at best. I will try my hardest to keep updating as often as I can, but Unseelie educations are rigorous to say the least.


Snails and Puppydog Tails,

Adriana Ivy

Update

To my imaginary readers:

I am currently in the process of reading books that are either sequels or later in a series (Mistborn #3 and Tamir Triad #2).  Therefore, if I fail to post for a bit it isn't because I'm neglecting my reading, it's because I refuse to post entries about sequels if only because it isn't fair to someone who hasn't read the earlier books in a series. I will however post about companion books or ones where it isn't necessary to read the prior books first.


Snails and Puppydog Tails,

Adriana Ivy

The Shadow Reader (McKenzie Lewis #1)- Sandy Williams

McKenzie Lewis has an ability sought by both the Court Fae (variation spelling on 'fey' used in this book) and the Rebels: she can track fey based on the 'shadows' they leave behind. In the human world, McKenzie is trying to finish her English degree and get on with her life, but the fae have other plans for her. She has been working for the fae king for years and has been in love with his sword master, Kyol, for just as long. However, she is tracked down and kidnapped by the rebel fae who want to unseat the corrupt king and put one of their own on the throne. To do this, they need McKenzie's talents to find and gain control over the hidden portals in their world. McKenzie must decide who she can trust and whether or not her affections for Kyol can be replaced by the rugged rebel leader, Aren. Aren teaches her the forbidden fae language and opens her eyes to the corruption of the Court. The fighting begins to claim lives, both mortal and fae and McKenzie's decision could be the single thing that decides the outcome of the war.

Overall Merit: Let me start by saying, this is the perfect example of a misleading cover. I don't think McKenzie so much as touches a sword in the entire novel, in fact she spends most of her time getting injured and rescued by people who can actually use a weapon properly. This book did not gain points with me because to be honest, I didn't understand McKenzie's powers very well and from what I saw of them, they didn't seem very useful. The story was not that interesting or well thought out. Plus, it was totally predictable. I mean it wasn't an awful book or anything, but there wasn't even any good romance to make it better. Score- 6

Characters: I apologize in advance because this is going to turn into a rant about character names. McKenzie. What the bloody hell? If you must use a horrible spelling of the name, don't put random capitals in the  middle of it, it's distracting. What's wrong with Mckenzie, or Mackenzie? Personally, I prefer the vowel before the 'ck' it looks prettier and makes the name less irritating. McKenzie is a bad name in general, but Williams makes it worse with the pretentious spelling. I mean I've seen much worse names, but that's only because I can't pronounce them. To add to that, I didn't really like McKenzie very much, she didn't have much of a personality. Sure, she kept trying to escape from the Rebels and blah, blah, blah, but she didn't do all that much. She was a space filler, not a character. The two love interests weren't interesting either, Aren was ok, but Kyol was meh. I mean all the characters were just kind of flat. Score- 5

Blush Factor: I don't like love triangles at the best of times, however this one didn't bother me so much. Then again, that might have to do with the fact that the characters were all way too boring for me to care what happened to/with them. Aren was a bad boy, but not really and then Kyol was supposed to be a stoic, deadly swordsman, but again not really. McKenzie eventually chooses Aren, sorry to spoil it, but it was pretty predictable. Score- 6

Structure: This was actually a first person novel, which was somewhat surprising since that doesn't show up often in this genre. Nonetheless, the narrator (McKenzie) was not interesting enough to make me enjoy her perspective. It followed linear story structure and well there were virtually no plot twists. Then there was some weird stuff going on with humans who hunted faeries and I got confused. The weird relationship with technology didn't fly that well for me either. I wasn't convinced that the fae were actually fae, there wasn't anything very faerie-like about them at all. Williams did not ground her mythos well enough for the world. Also, what the hell are the weird electrical impulses that seem to run through fae skin? I was confused and not very pleased with the structure of this world. Score- 4

Plot: In one word: predictable. There wasn't much of a plot and the plot that was there wasn't interesting. I was pretty bored throughout the novel--thank Rhiannon it was short. Seriously though, nothing new happened here. McKenzie was kidnapped a bunch of times, there was a pathetic attempt at a battle at the end. Some sort of convoluted plot was concocted. Even the romantic tension fell flat. This book sort of had potential, but it definitely wasn't worth the money I spent buying it. Score- 4

Vervain says: "Human technology weakens fae magic."

The Bone Doll's Twin (The Tamir Triad #1)- Lynn Flewelling

For centuries, warrior queens protected the land of Skala until the king Erius usurped his younger sister's throne and brought plague and drought upon the land. To make matters worse, the enemy kingdom of Plenimar drains Skala dry. The king fights to ensure that his son and heir is the next to take the throne and to do this, any females born to the royal line have all perished by 'mysterious' means. All except his sister's daughter who was given male form by dark magic to protect her until the time she can ascend the throne. The child, Tobin grows to manhood, ignorant of his true identity and haunted by the demon spirit of the twin whose body he stole. Only, Tobin's father, two wizards, and a forest witch know the truth of his identity and they will have to be enough to protect him until he can stand on his own as the queen of Skala.

Overall Merit: This book is beautiful. I loved this book and read it without stopping for three hours until I was finished. Tobin is a haunting yet bewitching character and your heart bleeds for him as you see him struggle to fit a male mold even though instinctively he wants to play with dolls. Then there is the issue of his deranged mother and the hideous doll she carries around with her that binds the spirit of her child's murdered twin.  The magic is dark and deliciously twisted and the characters are fascinating. Flewelling has created a fantastical story with unique magic. Score- 11.5

Characters: Tobin is wonderful as is his friend Ki, who shows up a bit later in the story. The camaraderie they share is touching and I enjoyed every moment I got to spend with them. Even the antagonists have depth here. The king is a cruel and twisted man, who still has affection for his mad sister even though if he knew the truth of the children she bore he would have executed the girl without a thought. Lhel is creepy, but in a good way, I get a very New Orleans witchdoctor feel from her, which is something I've never gotten in epic fantasy before. The other wizards are interesting I suppose, kind of generic, but perhaps they play a greater role later on in the series. Score- 10

Blush Factor: There is a bit of explicit content here, but I wouldn't exactly call it romance. Score: N/A

Structure: I am not a fan of prophecies in general. However, this novel did something different in that the prophecy had already occurred and it was lack of fulfillment that was causing a problem. Props for that, it didn't make me wince the way most prophecy books do. This was primarily through Tobin's perspective, but it also took a side plot to Lhel and the wizard Arkoniel, which was interesting enough, and I look forward to seeing how that plays out in the next books. Score-10

Plot: The plot didn't progress a ton in this book, but I didn't expect it to. A first in a trilogy is to set the stage, introduce the characters, etc. Flewelling did an excellent job with all the necessary components and I am half-dying waiting for the next books to come in the mail. True the content is a bit twisted and grotesque so if that isn't your thing, too bad, read this book anyway. I got a good feel for the characters and the story kept a good pace. Loved this book, so happy I finally decided to read it. Score-11

Vervain Says: "The reason Tobin's twin haunts him is because the body/soul was not disposed of properly."

Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera #1)- Jim Butcher

In the realm of Alera when people come of age they are bonded with a fury (an elemental spirit). However, fifteen year old Tavi never bonded with a fury and therefore is a bit of an outcast and an unlikely hero. When an agent of the First Lord named Alera runs into him in the middle of the storm, she brings with her a war in which Tavi will prove instrumental in making sure that the 'good guys' win.

Overall Merit: This story was meh. It got really good reviews on Goodreads.com, but to be honest I didn't like it that much. I didn't connect with any of the characters and while the technical writing was strong and cohesive, the story didn't really interest me that much. The plot was complex and well thought out, but for whatever reason I did not like this book. It wasn't bad, like I didn't put it aside for an extended period of time, I just didn't love the story or the characters. Score- 6

Characters: The two main characters, Amara and Tavi were fine I guess. They weren't caricatures or anything, but I couldn't relate to them at all and I didn't feel like I was given enough access to their emotions. I didn't feel their fear or anguish and there was no real tension for me. I mean I rooted for them if only because as a reader I was supposed to, not out of any sense of loyalty or attachment. Between the two, I definitely connected better with Tavi, he was a more convincing character and a bit more sympathetic, but Amara was really hard to link with on any level. For one thing, I didn't know enough about her past and what her story was, heck I couldn't even tell how old she was! She didn't have enough inner turmoil to make her interesting. In terms of antagonists, I felt like there were too many and that made it confusing, but on the other hand, none of them were very strong. Score- 6

Blush Factor: Essentially N/A. This was barely there and what was there isn't worth mentioning.

Structure: Structure was fine. Solid. I swear I did actually read this book, I just have very little to say about it. It switched between three or four perspectives, but mostly stuck to Tavi and Amara, easy to follow. The story was pretty much straightforward. There were a few too many side stories going on and I didn't exactly buy them. Also, I felt like the elemental magic has been done to death and while Butcher tried to make it a bit different, it wasn't different enough to carry the story. Score- 7

Plot: Again. Standard fantasy. There wasn't anything interesting done here. Like really there was nothing interesting done here. This was a fantasy book that didn't bend any boundaries or create anything new. Sure Butcher tried with some weird extra humanoid, but he didn't explain the Marat well enough to make it worthwhile. I really wanted this story to have some kick, to bring in something unique, but I swear he just took a list of fantasy elements, slapped them together into a book, and called it a day. Score-6

 Vervain Says: "The Marat are essentially human, I'm still trying to figure out what makes them different."

Late Again, Sorry

I apologize for my lack of punctuality of late. I've been busy working on some writing of my own and reading more Brandon Sanderson novels. Since I've already written reviews on two of his books I'd like to address some new victims. Up next: Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher. I should post by the end of the week. I should have plenty of reading time since I'll be taking a trip tomorrow via Vervain who has graciously agreed to fly me to a distant witches' coven to visit with some old friends. What?! Unseelie Fey are entitled to friendship too.

Snails and Puppydog Tails,

Adriana Ivy

The Fairy Godmother- Mercedes Lackey

In the Five Hundred Kingdoms, everyone has a role to play, whether it be that of a normal peasant or noble, or something more important. This role is determined by a force called the Tradition. Once the Tradition decides that a person is useful or important, magic will culminate around said person and push them on a path toward their inevitable destiny. However, sometimes the logistics don't always work out correctly. Elena was supposed to be a "Cinderella" in her world. She has the evil stepmother and sisters to boot, but as luck would have it, the prince of her kingdom is eleven and not a viable candidate. So instead, she finds herself apprenticed to the fairy godmother of her kingdom and is poised to take over her position as soon as she learns how to control and use the magic that the Tradition has bestowed upon her.

Overall Merit: This was a fluffy book. It was fun to read and I did enjoy the world that Lackey created. This was my first Mercedes Lackey book so I don't know a whole lot about her writing style. To sum it up in one word: cute. The book was cutesy and headed for an inevitable happy ending, which I guess is to be expected in a world governed by fairytales. It wasn't anything so amazing, but I liked the concept of the world and it was a quick read. If you're looking for intense, well-written fantasy/characters/plot then this probably isn't your book, but I mean it was a very light read--'beachy' if you will (not that I know so much about beaches, Unseelie is sadly deficient)--so I finished it in a few hours. The main gripe I had was the romance. This romantic sequence pissed me off/confused me to the extreme. More on that in 'Blush Factor'. Score- 7

Characters: Not a whole lot of substance here. As I said, the characters weren't very well-written. I didn't get any real emotion from anyone and I didn't particularly care about Alexander or Elena. They weren't annoying characters, which always buys some points in my book, but they were flat. Elena was ho-hum not that interesting and her personality wasn't there. She never expressed any real emotion--same issue with Alexander. Sure, Lackey told me he was annoyed/wanted to throttle Elena, but she didn't show me his frustration. The other characters were basically sketches, thrown in to help the plot along, but they literally had no personality or were so stereotypical that they may as well have been stick figures. Score- 5

Blush Factor: *SPOILERS* Don't even get me started. This was one of the worst romances I have ever seen. First off, you knew that Elena and Alexander were going to get together as soon as she drags him away from his quest to 'punish' him. Then, he tries to sexually assault her, which I find is never conducive to any sort of kind feelings. After, when he becomes more civil, they start having freaky shared sex dreams and somehow along the lines end up falling in love. And finally, out of the blue he asks her if she's been having the same dreams as him and then when she says yes they go up to his rooms and have a weird variation of sex. What the Hell? Score- 3

Structure: I really did like the world, which is why I give some kudos to this book. I liked the pseudo fairytale setting and the magical rules of the world. Lackey gave good definition to her magic and the rules governing the world, which was amenable since so many writers neglect to do that. The story wove in and out of Elena's and Alexander's perspectives, which was standard, but I wished there had been more definition when the perspectives jumped. I got a line break and that was it, just a formatting issue, but still something to note. If you do decide to check out the book, do it for the world structure. Score- 8

Plot: I mean there was a plot, it wasn't a very good plot, but it was a plot all the same. I hated the ending, it was extremely rushed. It felt like Lackey was trying to avoid major conflict, realized that was impossible, and ended up putting it in at the end and sweeping it under the carpet as quickly as she could. The premise was decent, not super strong, but not awful either. Lackey could have done something much more interesting with the world. There really wasn't enough conflict. Elena mastered her magic in what felt like moments, Alexander was helped by fairies, and the final 'epic' battle was over in a few pages. No one died. Everyone lived happily ever after, even though the message that Lackey kept driving home in the book was that it didn't work like that. Score- 6

Vervain Says: "Fairy Godmothers are responsible for quest giving, testing heros, and keeping magic from running amok."

Warbreaker- Brandon Sanderson

This is the story of two princesses, Vivenna and Siri, one of whom is destined to marry the God King of Hallandren. It is also the story of a minor god who hates his job as one of the Returned, and another immortal who is trying to correct his mistakes made centuries ago. In their world, people who die under the right circumstances join the pantheon of the Returned, and live as gods for the rest of eternity. However, the gods need Breath to live, Breath, which is the source of Biochromatic power that every person possesses to a certain extent. A power that will prove to be the undoing of many and the fortune maker of few. Only through the collective efforts of Siri, Vivenna, Lightsong, Susebron the God King, and Vasher the Warbreaker will an inevitable war come to a less than devastating conclusion.

-I apologize for the vague and patchy synopsis. However, given the contents of the story I had little to work with. Here's an interview with Sanderson that might clarify things a bit.

Overall Merit: First off, the cover is gorgeous, but that's through no merit of the author. I think this book disappointed me more than it would someone else because the Mistborn Trilogy was just fantastic. For some reason, Sanderson was able to capture all of his literary prowess in those books, but fell far from the mark in this standalone novel. I do have to give credit where it's due and say that Sanderson is a genius at creating new worlds. The world in Warbreaker was intrinsically fascinating and thrilling, but the rest of the story, plot, characters, etc fell flat. Score- 7

Characters: Often times when there are a lot of perspectives going on at the same time, a reader will favor one perspective over the other perspectives. In fact, I've yet to find a multi-perspective book where this hasn't been the case for me. Then again, this is all relative because I found nearly all the characters to be annoying. Vivenna was bratty and spoiled and Sanderson kept talking about how she was 'so well controlled', but I never really saw it. Okay, I sort of did, but only through a really annoying plot device that he exploited far more than he should have. Vivenna and Siri, as royal princesses of Idris have the ability to change their hair color based on mood. Sanderson used this as a copout because instead of giving us other indicators as to how the girls were feeling it would just be like "her hair flared red", "her hair bleached", etc. Siri was also annoying because for such a 'rebellious' girl, she really didn't do anything all that rebellious. I don't know, Vin and Elend (Mistborn) were more real for me and I actually liked them as people. Score- 5

Blush Factor: This was a presence in the book, somewhat. I mean it's weird, Mistborn was uber chaste and then Sanderson spends a good deal of time talking about just how big Mercystar and Blushweaver's (two of the Returned) breasts are. Then there's the whole weird thing going on with Susebron and Siri (horrible name choice by the way). I don't know, I mean the Siri x Susebron thing wasn't bad, it was kind of sweet actually so kudos for that, but then he tried to do something with Vivenna and Vasher. The whole book was all over the place. This wasn't a terrible aspect, but neither was it that important. Solid, I guess. Score- 7

Structure: There were too many perspectives and I didn't enjoy reading most of them, in fact I kind of skimmed all the chapters that didn't involve Siri and Susebron--the only side story I found moderately entertaining. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that I didn't really care about most of the characters, but Susebron, the God King intrigued me and I actually somewhat wanted to find out what happened with him, even though I could care less about the rest of the story. Score- 6

Plot: Ok, this was really, really contrived. There were way too many things going on and I even though the book was very long, it wasn't nearly long enough to flesh out all the details Sanderson was trying to cram into 600 pages. To be honest, all I got was there was some kind of conspiracy with the God King and a war was on the horizon. There were about 20 different rebel factions and it was nigh impossible to keep track of. Things were going on with Vivenna and some other things with Lightsong. Like I said, the only chapters I actually liked reading were the ones with Siri and Susebron. Score- 5

Vervain says: "Read the Mistborn Trilogy, but avoid this book unless you're absolutely desperate to read something else by Sanderson."

Masques- Patricia Briggs

Aralorn is a noblewoman turned spy/assassin. She realized early on that she was not cut out for court life and left home to pursue a more fitting occupation. One day, she rescues a dying wolf who turns out to be a powerful mage in disguise. He becomes her companion and after four years eventually learns to trust her. Aralorn has been given a new assignment: spy on the ae'Magi, the powerful and charismatic leader of the mages. With shapeshifting magic of her own, she accomplishes this task, but also learns how cruel the man is behind his charming facade. Few dare speak ill of the ae'Magi as mages are to be respected and feared, but Aralorn sees the evil in him and makes it her mission to see him destroyed. Only with Wolf's help and a great deal of magic will this be a successful endeavor.

A quick note: This book is pretty obscure as in, there weren't that many copies printed. Should you want to read it, I think you'll be hard pressed to find a copy.

Overall Merit: This is very different from Briggs later work (see the Alpha and Omega series). It is unpolished and at times hard to follow. I like her character work so kudos for that. Because this was her first novel and written at the age of 20 nonetheless, I have to cut her some slack. I liked the concept and the relationship between Aralorn and Wolf, but she spent a lot of time describing unimportant things instead of focusing on the plot. There were a lot of extraneous characters and events and I think if the story had been taking in a different, more succinct direction it would have been stronger. Score- 7

Characters: This was the one aspect that Briggs did the best with. I liked Aralorn and Wolf. Wolf's personality and backstory was the stronger of the two, but Aralorn didn't annoy me in the way that so many fantasy heroines manage to do. She was legitimately independent and although her personality didn't smack me in the face with strength, she was solid and more importantly, not irritating. I mean there was no uber strength here, but the characters were enough to make me want to continue on and read the sequel even though I didn't absolutely adore this book or anything. Score- 8

Blush Factor: You can often tell a lot about an author (age, religion, political views) based on how they handle the romance in a novel. That may not sound very plausible, but if you look hard enough, patterns emerge. Look for things like, the presence and usage of homosexuality, waiting until marriage, etc. This romance speaks of an author who is young and worried about being too explicit or too offensive and errs on the side of caution. It was sweet and I'm glad that she exercised restraint instead of throwing Wolf and Aralorn into a head-over-heels smoldering romance. However, there were times where the romance might have been too subtle and easily missed by a careless reader. Score- 6.5

Structure: This bothered me a bit because Briggs switched in and out of perspectives using page breaks, a technique that annoys me at the best of times. It's really more personal preference than anything, but it makes it less confusing for me if the author breaks perspectives up by chapters, rather than having a very long chapter with multiple perspectives. Chapter changes allow the reader to fully depart from one perspective and transition into another whereas page breaks can leave the reader stranded, straddling two perspectives and wondering why the story suddenly changed. Also, her transitions were a bit muddled and often I couldn't follow where the story was going or why she had chosen that specific place to break off. Score- 5

Plot: Yes, this was cliched, but when I started the book I didn't expect anything more. If you can accept the cliches and read without being too critical then the book isn't that bad. If you're a stickler for banalities then you'd best steer clear. I mean there have been several iterations of "kill the evil mage". This story didn't bring anything super new to the table. I gave this book the score I did because it didn't irritate me. I wasn't a phenomenal story and there wasn't anything new here. Score- 6

Vervain says: "Aralorn uses 'green magic', which she inherited from her mother. This means she has the ability to shape shift, but not as effectively as if she were full-blooded instead of half human."

Bloodring (Rogue Mage #1)- Faith Hunter

In a post-apocalyptic world ruled by Seraphim, neomages like Thorn are relegated to luxurious "prisons" called Enclaves. However, when Thorn came into her powers she realized that she could hear the thoughts of all the others in her New Orleans Enclave. Between going insane and living as a fugitive in the human world, she chose the latter and has lived in fear of discovery for the past ten years. However, her life of faux-normalcy is shattered when her ex-husband Lucas is kidnapped by dark forces, Thorn knows that it is not long before they come after her. Then there is the issue of the kylen (part human, part seraph), Thaddeus, who shows up at her doorstep and starts asking questions. She is strangely attracted to him in spite of the knowledge that any misstep will result in her being killed by the humans or shipped back to her Enclave--either way her death will be inevitable.

Overall Merit: I loved the premise behind the book so I forced myself to slog through it and it did get better by the end. However, for the most part it was remarkably slow and filled with unnecessary characters. I did like Thorn's powers, stone mages are not common, most authors opt for all-around powers or elemental magic, so Hunter's innovation was a plus. I really wanted to like this book and was so disappointed that I couldn't bring myself to enjoy reading it. Usually a 350-some-odd-page book will take me about 3-4 hours to read tops, so about a night or two worth of reading. This book dragged on for a good four days and often put me to sleep early. If I'm really into a book I will push through the exhaustion and read into the wee hours of the night. I could not do that with this book, even though I desperately wanted to. I mean the characters weren't bad or anything and the romance had potential, but the story dragged and there was not enough action by a long shot. Score- 6 (for premise)

Characters: Thorn was a solid character, I really did like her, but I felt like the others were not fleshed out enough, especially Thaddeus (Thadd). He showed up at random intervals during the story and Thorn seemed way more focused on her cheating ex-husband, Lucas. The other characters like Jacey and Rupert didn't do all that much and then there was the random kid, Ciana who showed up and didn't do much but serve as a bad plot device. The same things could have happened without her. Audric might be the only one who got any fleshing out other than Thorn and that was probably only because he shared a secret with her. Score- 4

Blush Factor- What blush factor? No really, it kept going on about how Thorn was "in heat", but nothing ever happened. Yes, she suffered with her intense sexual desire, but again nothing happened. There was no romance, no chemistry between any of the characters. If Hunter hadn't told me that Audric and Rupert were a couple there was no way in Hell I could have guessed it for myself. I was promised a nice romance sequence between Thorn and Thadd and I got nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Mushy-gushy fans, don't waste your time. Score- 2

Structure: I loved the idea of the post-apocalpytic society ruled by Seraphs. It was lovely that the world nearly ended after a series of horrific plagues. And people getting branded for cursing? Beautiful. Eternal winter/mini ice age? Gorgeous. So where was the story to go along with this imaginative new world? I'm still looking for it, I'm afraid. One of the main problems is that there were a zillion things going on at the same time. There was the thread with Lucas and the one with Ciana and then there was something going on with a weird amethyst at the same time. For a moderately short book, way too much. I got lost and confused, I mean that might have had something to do with the fact that I was skimming, but I skim a lot of books and still manage to keep up with the plot. Score- 5

Plot: This was so promising. I read the back of the book and got excited. I do give Hunter credit for doing her research, as most of the factual basis, including the names of the Seraphim, were spot on. The story though was lacking at a fundamental level. She stretched it in too many directions instead of focusing on one main plot line. I wanted to follow Thorn on her adventures, and potential budding romance with Thadd, instead I was reading about things I didn't care about. It's nice that the people have a picnic on a day that the sun chooses to shine, but how the Hell does that relate to the story? If she had focused her plot and honed in on the important details, it would have been a much more solid novel. Score- 4

 Vervain says: "Neomages have a special glow about them so Thorn has to use amulets to dampen her glow and blend into the human world."





In summation: I was disappointed.

Vengeance Born (Light Blade #1)- Kylie Griffin

Annika is a half-breed demon (Na'Chi) and in her world this puts her lower than even the lowest caste of demon (Na'Reish). She is abused and punished for her lineage and spends most of her time hiding and treating injured prisoners in the dungeons. Through her mortal blood she inherited an unparalleled gift  for healing, which she hides because on the flip side it also allows her to kill. Annika thinks she will spend the rest of her life in her miserable existence until one day she discovers that the newest prisoner is a Light Blade, a warrior of the mortals' Goddess, named Kalan. They make a pact: Annika will help Kalan safely out of Na'Reish territory and Kalan will protect Annika once they reach the human realm. The two embark on a perilous journey that they will only survive if they can learn to trust each other.

Overall Merit: I enjoyed several aspects of this book and for the most part it was a very solid read. Griffin does a good job with the characters at the beginning, but their strength seems to fade as the book goes on. I thought the structure and characteristics of Na'Reish society were interesting and I would have liked more of a background. There weren't any radically new ideas in the book, but Griffin took a pre-established story and wove it into a world of her own making. Some aspects definitely seemed a little too cliched, but I mean while there wasn't anything stunning in the book, it was a quick read and I didn't have any major issues with it. I'd say it's worth checking out if you want a pretty standard romantic fantasy. Score- 8

Characters: I'm all for character change, but this felt way too fast. Over the course of maybe a week Annika goes from being fearful for her life to trusting Kalan absolutely. I mean this is a pretty common issue in novels where romance is present, but I just felt like their relationship was very rushed. Annika is interesting and I liked the way her Na'Chi characteristics presented (color changing eyes, body markings, etc.), but I felt that as she got closer to Kalan her personality got watered down. Kalan was hmm I wouldn't call him an alpha or a beta, maybe somewhere in between? I'm having a difficult time deciding because his personality wasn't very strong in either direction. He needed some serious fleshing out and I felt like he made a lot of threats, but didn't actually do anything. Score- 6

Blush Factor: Ok, if you read this genre you know the deal. This was a basic fantasy smut novel. The sex scenes didn't overpower the rest of the book, but they were definitely a presence. There was the whole "Oh Annika's a virgin, let's take it slow" (but not really). Pretty standard sequence here. If this is your thing then enjoy. I really don't have a whole lot to say or rant about. Score- 7

Structure: For this category, I feel like all the pieces were there, but Griffin didn't utilize them to their full potential. I very much enjoyed learning about Na'Chi and Na'Reish abilities, but I felt kind of jilted because they weren't spelled out enough for me. Yes, I got the body markings and some of the abilities, but I felt like I was missing something. The main problem was that Griffin didn't keep Annika's powers consistent, or maybe she didn't explain them very well. For example, apparently Annika is super strong, but I wanted to know how strong. Like can she lift two men? Five? Laying out the parameters for supernatural powers is essential because otherwise it leaves the reader wondering whether or not they could have used said powers to get out of a difficult situation. Same goes for the Light Blades. I know they're talented with weapons, but is that it? I've said this before and I'll say it again: A reader can't possibly know what's going on in a writer's head. So writers, please spell it out for us. Score- 5

Plot: This gets kudos because it actually existed. Finally, someone remembers to include a plot along with the other elements of a story! I liked that it wasn't just Annika's story, but that we also got to see a side plot weaving in at the same time. I think this really helped the book along because it gave more substance to the story whereas if it had just been about Annika and Kalan, it would have pretty much only had the romance to go on and that would definitely not have been enough. Score- 8

Vervain says: "Annika's eyes change color depending on her mood."

Posting Late this Week

I apologize to my imaginary readers for my sloth. I've yet to go to the library this week so you'll have to be patient and wait for me to find something to review. In other words, I'm not giving you a choice but to be patient because if you start rioting I'll feed you to Vervain. Capisce ('capeesh', for all those who cannot spell)? Excellent.

The Trouble With Spells (Of Witches and Warlocks #1)- Lacey Weatherford

Portia thinks she is a normal teenager until she reaches her sixteenth birthday and is informed point blank by her grandmother that she is in fact a witch. She also discovers that high school bad boy Vance Mangum is a member of her coven and that they are inexplicably linked. The two begin a passionate relationship, which is soon threatened when Vance's dark past threatens to catch up with him. Portia must harness her budding powers to protect the one she loves and keep him from falling to the same darkness that consumed his father.

First an apology: This book is going to take the brunt of my ranting about YA Paranormal, even though it was not inherently that terrible. I've pretty much had it up to my ears with this genre and I need to yell about it or I'm going to end up snapping at Vervain and losing an eye in the process.


Overall Merit: This book was definitely a mushy teen romance, so if that's your thing then go for it. I mean it wasn't terrible, my feelings are just very lukewarm. There was nothing new done in this book, all the same motifs were rehashed in exactly the same way they've been before. To add to the lukewarm factor, Portia and Vance were not all that interesting and Vance had a major Edward Cullen complex going on (brooding, stalkerish, etc.). If you have nothing else to do then go for it, I guess. It won't make your eyes bleed or anything, but it's pretty bland and lacks the novelty and characters to keep the trite story afloat. Score- 5/6

Characters: In Vance, Weatherford promised me a bad boy. However, she spent a ton of time telling me how he was so badass instead of showing me. Riding a motorcycle and wearing a leather jacket does not make someone a badass. Portia was nothing special. Yea, she had a weird mental connection with Vance that was never properly explained, and yea she turned out to be super powerful, but making the protagonist powerful is not a substitute for giving her a personality! They weren't horrible characters, but again, nothing worth taking note of. Score- 6

Blush Factor: Ok this might actually be the thing to make me go completely mental. Why is it that in EVERY SINGLE FREAKING YA PARANORMAL there's some ridiculous scenario in which the girl wants to have sex and the guy makes up some lame-ass excuse as to why he won't have sex with her. Unless you make it clear that the guy is very religious or that he'll spontaneously combust if he has intercourse out of wedlock, I'M NOT BUYING IT! First off, it makes it seem like teenage girls are all super horny and want to screw and that teenage boys are all saints who want to respect the girl and wait for marriage. I'm sorry, but we do not live in Jane Austen Land! This is 2012 and the average age a girl loses her virginity is SEVENTEEN. Would it kill an author to have the girl be the one to say no? Making the female protagonist into a little nympho is NOT ORIGINAL! Score- 4

Structure: Ok, why the Hell sixteen? I'm getting so, so, so sick of that being the magical age. What's wrong with seventeen? Eighteen? I feel like sixteen works because it makes it socially acceptable for the female to be in a serious relationship (which is wasted if you refuse to make it a proper relationship to begin with). Nothing new here, standard, I'm magically in love with you after 24 hours, when can we get married and spend eternity together? Also, Weatherford definitely should have put more effort into the magic system. It seemed very slapped together almost laissez faire and would have helped the book instead of hindering it if it had been more solid. Score- 5

Plot: Eh. This was sketchy. So much effort was focused on the irritating romance that the plot sort of fell by the wayside and resurfaced when it was convenient. I did not like the ending, I thought it was predictable and kind of stupid. The problem with this genre is that the conflicts seem to have such easy resolutions that it's laughable. This category was a little bit pathetic and I didn't buy it for the most part. Weatherford should have focused on making a stronger story, rather than relying on the mediocre romance to keep the novel going. Score- 4

 Vervain says: "The weird thing about the magic in this book was that it was very self-determined. For example, when Portia wanted to design a spell for protection she pretty much got to make up the entire thing, which didn't ring entirely true."

Eternal Eden- Nicole Williams

Bryn is forever alone (pardon my meme). She has no parents and is a social pariah at her obscure college in Oregon. The one day, a new transfer student shows up named William Winters. In spite of her objections and denial, there is an instant spark between Bryn and the new students. Even though every instinct warns her away, Bryn ends up falling in love with William. However, William may not be from the same world as her. Bryn must decide what she will sacrifice in order to spend the rest of her life with the man she loves.


Overall Merit: The only thing that might be worse than Twilight (I don't know why I even italicize; Twilight isn't a real book), is a terrible knockoff of Twilight. This book screams Edward and Bella so loudly that my ears almost shriveled up and fell off. If I listed all the similarities, it would take all night. Maybe the only difference is that Bryn has a bit of a backbone and she's slightly more interesting than Bella. Slightly. The only reason this book doesn't quite get a 0 is because at least Williams made a very minor effort to create something new whereas Meyer took a preexisting idea and threw glitter on it. Also, Williams' writing was a bit tighter in terms of technical skill. Score- 2

Characters: William is overbearing and protective and one day decides to leave because it's "for Bryn's own good". Bryn throws herself into the ocean...jeez where have I heard that before? I'm sorry for the spoilers, but to be honest you shouldn't even be reading this book. Also, of course there's a love rival named Paul who shows up out of nowhere and decides to be madly in love with Bryn. Cough Jacob Cough. The antagonist is predictable and to be honest, stupid. In fact, Bryn is stupid too, since she doesn't catch onto something that is basically stabbing her in the face and screaming at her at the same time. Like it's fine that she's stupid, but apparently she got into Harvard, Stanford, etc. NO. Bryn is an idiot. She should be going to community college. Score- 1

Blush Factor: Don't give me that "I want to wait for marriage bullsh**". Come on. Stop copying Stephenie. PLEASE. The romance in this book is annoying. By the time I got to the middle of the book I was like, "If William uses the word 'temptress' one more time I'm going to go into the book and run him through with a machete". Saying 'temptress' a million times is not sexy. Hell, it's not even sexy the first time. Vixen is a sexier word by far. Or how about minx? I don't know. Something else. I beg you, Nicole. Not to mention: What the BLOODY HELL is with all these guys being like 'I won't have sex until I find the one'? That is crap. Boys like to have sex. Girls like to have sex. No guy is going to wait hundreds of years to have sex, even if the Council orders it. Score- 0 (There is nothing wrong with sex and if you're writing a romance novel about anyone over the age of 17, it's pretty much inevitable.)

Structure: Look at that, another similarity. First person Bryn. Um my bad, first person Bella. The world is horribly structured. I give this book a minor kudo (one kudo, not kudos) because I thought it was interesting that she made the immortals in this book responsible for all the natural disasters in the world. A decent concept. Not great, but decent. Everything else about  the world was crud. Why the Hell would anyone waste so much time making sure that people stayed virgins? I need to do research on this lady, but if she's religious too that would explain a lot. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a sex fiend, and there isn't a place for sex in every book, I accept that, but if you bring up the subject then it needs to be addressed. Score-1

Plot: What plot? Seriously, where is the plot? Oh right, Bryn and William try in desperation to find a way to be together even though the council forbids it. Sound familiar? Then William spirits Bryn away to live with his family, which consists of couples that are eerily reminiscent of Rosalie, Emmet, Jasper, and Alice...wow who would have thought? How creative. And then there's some weird prophecy nonsense that shows up at the end. Yea, maybe Williams should have mentioned that sooner? Maybe then there would be some semblance of a plot. No? Score- 0

Vervain says: "Something very imaginative that Williams does is she gives each immortal a special talent. Just like all of Stephenie Meyer's vampires!"

Katie's Hellion (Rhyn Trilogy #1)- Lizzy Ford

Katie is having a terrible day. First she gets pulled over for driving two miles over the speed limit, and then she gets in trouble for not taking care of a son that she knows she doesn't have. According to everyone around her, she has amnesia due to a rape, but Katie knows that this can't possibly be the case. Her suspicions are confirmed when it turns out her "son", Toby is actually an eons old angel and a mysterious man named Gabriel shows up at her house claiming to be something called a 'Death Dealer'. Apparently, Katie's blood is special and it has something in it that makes her immune to immortals and therefore an immortal's mate. However, she isn't just an immortal's mate, she's an ancient's mate (which is like a step above an immortal's mate). By all rights, she should go to the eldest Ancient, but instead she is claimed by the outcast half-breed, Rhyn who rescues her from the depths of Hell.

Overall Merit: The problem with this book was that there were way too many things going on at the same time. Since the books were short, I read the whole trilogy, but the problem was consistent throughout. There were a million things going on and it was difficult to keep a firm grasp on the storyline. The characters were strong, which is always a plus, but I felt like the story was going in like twenty different directions at the same time and I found myself confused by what was going on and where the plot was going. I think that the other book by Ford that I scored (Damian's Oracle) was a much stronger book. Score- 6

Check out the trailer:

Characters: Rhyn is interesting. He is definitely a typical bad boy stereotype, but centuries in Hell have made him bitter and at times cruel. He was my favorite character if only because Katie wasn't nearly as solid. Her character tended to waver at times and I didn't get a good sense of who she really was. I do rather detest the annoying sister. I feel like this is an oft used character who is remarkably irritating. True, she can act as a foil for the heroine, but more often than not, she overstays her welcome and starts to get in the way of an enjoyable reading experience. There is a good reason everyone hates their siblings at one point or another. I already hate my siblings, I don't need to hate someone else's too. Score- 6

Blush Factor: To be honest, there wasn't a ton of romance in this book, that didn't come until the later books in the trilogy. I mean you know who's going to end up together from the start and I was a bit disappointed that Rhyn and Katie never really resolved their feelings for each other until later on. Even the end result of their romance was disappointing (by the third book). Not my favorite part, I liked the romance much better in Damian's Oracle. It wasn't horrible, it was kind of just nonexistent. Score- 6

Structure: Nothing new here in terms of writing style. I think Ford's problem is that she tried to cram a ton of information into a small amount of pages without giving the reader a chance to let it all sink in. She could have made the book a lot longer and structured it better so that all the plot lines had a chance to naturally converge. Instead, the writing seemed hurried as if she wanted to get a crazy amount of story down without developing the world or the conflict well enough. Score- 5

Plot: As I've said several times--way too much going on at once. I was incredibly confused. Ford needed to pick one or two subplots max instead of having twenty going on all at once. Also, I kept reading and reading waiting for Katie and Rhyn to get together, but she dragged it out horribly so that by the time I got to the end of the book I basically didn't even care anymore. This book had potential, but I wasn't seeing the necessary execution. Damian's Oracle takes place under a similar premise, in a similar world so go for that instead of this one. Score- 6

Vervain says: "There are seven Ancients, but most of them are dead."

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)- Brandon Sanderson

In a world where ash rains from the sky and flowers are an impossibility, the skaa toil in misery and live in fear. The Lord Ruler reigns over this world as a 'sliver of infinity', a piece of God. He is invincible and immortal, at least according to most. Hope is such a foreign concept that it has nearly been forgotten until a heart-broken, half-skaa named Kelsier escapes from the Lord Ruler's prison and decides to use his talents to overthrow the Lord Ruler. He recruits the elite of the underworld to help him in his endeavor, but it isn't until he discovers the half-skaa urchin named Vin that his plan has any real hope of succeeding. Kelsier must teach Vin to harness and master her vast powers and to learn to trust again after years of abuse have left her skittish and afraid.

Overall Merit: READ THIS BOOK. Please. Sanderson is a genius. The world is vibrant and original and I found myself incredibly attached to the characters. I had only one small gripe with the story (the romantic sequence), but that was not nearly enough to deter my enjoyment. If you are a high/epic fantasy fan and you read one book this year, make it this one. Yes, it is long, and yes it is a hefty read, but please take the time; it is well worth it. Score- 12

Characters: The characters are phenomenal. They are fresh and real and have the depth and struggles of real people. Vin is captured masterfully and you watch her grow from scared and paranoid to confident and capable. Kelsier grows too in spite of himself as he teaches Vin what he knows about allomancy and learns to care about someone again. Even the side characters have their own story and they feel real as well as opposed to cardboard cutout space fillers, which seem to be employed in so many novels. Even the villain was refreshing. The Lord Ruler was typically wicked, but I've never seen an entity like him in terms of abilities. Score-13

Blush Factor: My one gripe was this category. The romance wasn't bad per se, it was just minimal and the little I saw didn't ring true for me. The romantic leads spent so little time together and then magically woke up and were like "OMG I'm in love with him/her", which is fine, but I really would have liked to see a more realistic progression of feelings. However, I did like the coupling of personalities so this category won't get a horrible score. Score-7

Structure: Vin's perspective was refreshing. I've never met a character quite like her and I was pleased to make her acquaintance. The beginning plodded a bit, but once the action started it was non-stop and kept me reading for hours on end. My favorite part was his new type of "magic"--allomancy it takes brilliance to create an effective new superpower/form of magic and Sanderson did just that. Bravo to him. Score-11

Plot: Wow, talk about an original world and concept. Sanderson's imagination must be boundless for him to have come up with something like this. The story was incredibly complex and must have required an extensive amount of planning on his part. It was an original take on the battle of Good Vs. Evil in a world where Evil originally won out. The ending came as a surprise to me, which seldom happens so kudos for that. I can't wait to read the Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2). Score- 12

Vervain says: "Allomancy is the ingestion and internal combustion of metals. Each different metal allows the user to access a different power, for example, pewter gives the user advanced strength and agility."

Hazy Shade of Winter (Unbound Series #1)- Jessica Bradshaw

Jude can see ghosts, which is okay by her for the most part, but it puts her guardian angel Samuel in a tizzy. Her main concern is the incessant bullying she faces at the hands of her peers in school--it it so bad that she is forced to transfer at the end of the year. Samuel is with her all the way; not that he has a choice. Usually, a guardian angel, or sentinel has access to their charge's 'book' and through that they can keep tabs. However, in Jude's case, Samuel isn't allowed to see her book, which drives him crazy and makes it so that he has to spend every waking moment watching her in person. As luck would have it, Samuel is falling in love with Jude in spite of himself, and more than ever he wants permission to fall so he can be with her, but it seems his supervisors have other plans.

Overall Merit: I didn't like the story so much as I really liked the afterlife structure. I'm a huge fan of all things afterlife (the more twisted the better), but seldom do I find anything unique. This book relied heavily on the concepts of reincarnation and made Heaven seem very bureaucratic, which again was something I hadn't seen before. Bradshaw's writing is skilled and captivating--another plus for the book. However, both Jude and Samuel were moderately annoying characters and I didn't really care about them all that much. Score-7.5

Characters: I didn't find the supporting characters realistic--they were too 'cliched high school sitcom' I felt like I was in a scene from Mean Girls while Jude was still in the U.S. Jude annoyed me also because her character wasn't consistent. She's portrayed as this geeky, socially awkward girl, but then once she gets to the U.K. she's cool all of a sudden? I think in trying to make Jude unique, Bradshaw went overboard and made her kind of obnoxious and pathetic. Samuel is consistently self-described as a 'cad', but I didn't get that impression at all from him. This is a risk that writer run too often. If a character describes him/herself as being something they should be that something unless it is obvious that they are delusional about their self-image. Not the case for Samuel. I mean she sort of tried to throw it in in his flashbacks, but I really wasn't convinced. The characters weren't awful, but neither were they people who I would love to meet in real life. Score- 7

Blush Factor: Eh. That's all I can really say. Eh. I mean I guess it was sort of romantic with Samuel running around whining that he wanted to be with Jude. And I mean it was a decent attempt when Jude temporarily dated one of her friends, but to be honest the romance was weak--especially since you knew what was coming due to a poorly placed prologue. (I am not a fan of prologues at the best of times, but especially not when they're Twilight-esque and give away the ending before the damned story even starts.) I'm not going to lie I was bored and read the second book...Bradshaw needs to work on her romance. It's as if the characters go through the motions, but I DON'T FEEL THEIR BURNING, FIERY PASSION!!!! Score- 5

Structure: As stated earlier, I had gripes with the prologue, but then again also the ending. I felt like Bradshaw wrote the ending first and then manipulated the story so that it would culminate where she wanted it to. I don't like this approach for several reasons, the main one being that it locks the story in and doesn't allow nearly as much wiggle room as if it were left to flow to a more natural close. The technical writing was very good however, so I have to give some kudos for that. Score-7

Plot: Like I said, it was kind of like a bad high school rom-com with angels. The plot wasn't anything so innovative, and I know Bradshaw was hinting at some demonic activity, but I didn't see nearly enough of it to really consider it part of the plot. I felt like she made too much of an understatement with it and either she should have brought it to the forefront more or excluded it completely, rather than weakly hinting at it every now and then. Score-7

Vervain says: "Sentinels can petition to fall--meaning they gain a human body and get to spend that lifetime in mortal form."

Bonded (Law of the Lycans #0.5)- Nicky Charles

Brandi is a recruit at Lycan Link Academy with hopes of becoming a member of the Disaster Control Unit (DC). She couldn't really do anything else of course because she only passed her physical defense class out of pity. However, Brandi thought she could ignore this fact until one day she is volunteered to help Reno, an Enforcer (a werewolf equipped to use physical confrontation to break up dangerous situations) , do a demonstration for some of the newer recruits. True, she is pummeled, but she also discovers an unexplainable attraction to this near-rogue were. Enforcers and DCs are notorious in their inability to get along, but under the circumstances, Reno and Brandi may not have a choice. 

Overall Merit: Nicky Charles is officially up there with some of my favorite paranormal/fantasy romance novelists (Anne Bishop, C.L. Wilson, Jacqueline Carey). She earns a spot because Charles knows how to tell a story. There are sex scenes, yes, but that's a characteristic of the genre--what sets writers apart is their ability to hook me with the story. Sex scene after sex scene gets boring as hell. (I haven't read Fifty Shades of Gray, but people keep telling me I should). I've read her entire Law of the Lycans series and another thing that struck me was how different she managed to make all her characters. Major kudos to her for that! It is definitely difficult to make alpha males different people and too often authors will botch it and the male leads seem exactly the same. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the twist at the end. It was so out of left field that it wasn't believable at all, Charles needed to plant more indicators earlier on in the story for it to work properly. Either way, Charles is a powerhouse. Read her stuff! Score- 9.5

Characters: Brandi is great, she's a definite alpha female and the only type of personality that could counter the over-macho Reno. I liked Reno too, he was a stereotypic powerful male, but there were moments when you could see that a lot of his manliness was bluster, but it wasn't in your face so as to be obnoxious. Little things, like him playing with children were enough to show this facet of his personality. I also enjoyed 'cult leader' Victor, he was creepy and underhanded, a very good villain in my opinion. Strong characters, strong category. Score-10

Blush Factor: This was pretty standard Charles, but there wasn't as much explicit sex in this book as in the others in the series. It was fine, I needed a break from all that and it seems like she did too. The romance was there and the tension was great, but if you're looking for more heart-pounding sex scenes you'd be better off with books 2 or 3 of the series. Score-9

Structure: Same style as her other novels, it switches perspective in third person between Brandi and Reno for the most part. Solid narrative, but nothing new was done here. The only thing about this book that threw me was the ending (more the resolution, really) where blame is placed somewhere that doesn't make any sense. Score-7

Plot: Like I said, this was mainly a plot driven book and for the vast majority of the novel I was quite pleased with the fast-paced action and the subtle build up to the climax, but the resolution to the main problem was definitely disappointing. I was kind of upset that Charles copped out the way she did because usually her solutions are much tighter and more believable. Score-8

In summation: Read this book for the paranormal thriller aspect, not for the sex.

Vervain Says: "Lycan Link usually has a problem with purist Alphas weeding out any half-bloods from their pack and either killing or forcing them into servitude." 

Inexpensive Book Slush Pile

If you haven't noticed my recent trend, I've been trying to scour the free (or very inexpensive) book section of online book sources to see if I can find anything good. Mostly because if I'm somewhat broke and still need something to read without going to the library. Sifting through that mess can be a ridiculous hassle, so I'll try and point you in the right direction if you find yourself library-less and semi-broke like me. The ones I post on here are the palatable ones I find, meaning the ones I actually finish because there is some saving grace in the work.

*Not every single book I post will be discount

Energy- M.J. Schutte

Brighton and Lilian live together in their peaceful mountain town, but it is not long before Lilian's past catches up with her and she is snatched away. Brighton devotes his life to searching for her and hoping that she will return, even after he is told she is dead. At the same time, he must develop the enormous and unique power he has been given--the power to manipulate energy. The world is governed by people gifted with the ability to steal energy from other things, but Brighton's gift is different and this makes him a threat. Brighton is the only one who can save the kingdom from the tyranny of the energy-thieves, but first he must learn how to harness his unwieldy and terrifying abilities.

Overall Merit: When I saw this book online for $ 0.99, I figured it would probably be cliched and stupid, but I was bored so I decided to read it anyway. I was pleasantly surprised. I should warn you that it's very long and the beginning is kind of slow, but once you get into the story the action keeps you on the edge of your seat. Obviously there were still some things that bothered me (aren't there always?). One thing that annoys me in books is when people get resurrected a million times (sorry if this is a spoiler, actually I'm not, I don't really care if I spoil things for you). Once I'll buy, but more than that it's kind of like "Ok, really?" Anyway, it's a good read and definitely worth it if you have a bunch of time on your hands. Be patient though, it takes a while to get into. If it's any indicator, I have plans to read the sequel. Score-9

Characters: Strong characters definitely. They had distinct personalities and I definitely sympathized with them, which doesn't happen very often since usually I want to clock the whining female protagonist on the head with a sledgehammer. Brighton and Lilian were both complex and Schutte did a good job with the supporting characters as well, which is also unusual. This part of the book was very strong and for that Schutte has my commendation. Score-10

Blush Factor: This was sweet, I was a little skeptical at the beginning when Brighton (16) had the hots for Lilian (13), but it was pretty innocent so I didn't mind all that much. Their relationship is sweet, once they finally get back together, although I thought their whole "I've been waiting for you, love at first sight" was a bit much. Schutte should have given them a chance to get acquainted again after a few years of separation before they fell head-over-heels. They had a solid relationship though and it wasn't overly gushy or an overpowering factor in the novel, so I was pleased enough. Score-7.5

Structure: The perspective is third person close, following  Brighton and Lilian for the most part. Nothing unique was done here with perspective or narrative, but it was a solid quick-paced read. My main gripe, as I said earlier, was the slow beginning. Also, the concept of "death" was not as concrete as I would have liked. Score- 7.5

Plot: I loved the world that Schutte created and the magical abilities, while not entirely original, were refreshing. I enjoyed following the characters on their journey, I mean it was a pretty standard fantasy journey, but the fact that there was such conflict on the matter of good vs. evil was a new thing for me. Definitely worth reading if you have the time. Support self-publishing authors! Score-9

In summation: Read this book, please.

Vervain says: "Brighton can take energy from living things and channel it for his own purposes."