Wildwood Dancing (Wildwood #1)- Juliet Marillier

In the woods of Transylvania live five sisters and their father. The second oldest, Jena spends her time exploring the forests and enjoying her freedom accompanied by her unusual pet frog. Inside the castle where the girls live is a portal to the magical Other Kingdom. Every full moon, the girls pass through the portal and dance through the night with the inhabitants of this world. Their visits are filled with joy up to the point that the eldest daughter, Tatiana, falls in love with one of the more dangerous inhabitants of the Other Kingdom. However, there is little at stake until when their father falls ill and their cousin Cezar comes in and takes control of the household while their father travels south to recover. Cezar tries to prevent the girls from returning to the Other Kingdom to partake in their monthly revelries. Jena will be tested to see if she can save her sister from the clutches of her dangerous paramour and if she can stave off Cezar until her father recovers and returns home.

Overall Merit: This book was filled with standard fairytale elements and the female protagonist was strong yet flawed at the same time--Marillier has a talent for these sorts of leads. The fairytale elements drew a good amount from mythology, but it seemed a bit muddled at times as if she couldn't decide which pantheon she wanted to draw from. The fairy world she crafted was vague, but I guess that was the point. For the most part, it was an enjoyable read even though it used the typical fairytale story structure, quests and true love included, as a crutch. There was a definite "Twelve Dancing Princesses"feel to the novel, but to name that the central thematic fairytale would be a fallacy due to the overwhelming amount of fairytales present. The main thing that bothered me about the story was that it seemed to convenient for the father to be sick and unable to communicate with his daughters, thus leaving an opening for Cezar to come in and take control.  Score-8

Characters: I understand that Jena was the main character, but it would have been nice to flesh out Tatiana and the other sisters a bit more. Tatiana was a moonstruck teenager and didn't progress past that--she didn't need to overcome anything to end up with Sorrow, all the work was done on his end. Jena's flaws were what made her strong, but when the big reveal about her love interest comes to pass, her response was confusing and out of character. Cezar would have been a better antagonist if his motives were more believable. I didn't buy that he was holding on to a grudge from so many years ago and that he still hadn't gained closure from a trauma that occurred so many years in the past. It's fine to have a vendetta or something like that, but the intensity of this one and the reasoning behind it did not   Score- 6

Blush Factor: Gogu and Jena were a cute couple, even with the whole enchanted frog thing going on. However, the Tatiana and Sorrow romantic arc seemed a bit forced. I wasn't getting any chemistry from that couple. I know that Marillier was trying to complicate the romantic arc for Jena and Gogu and make it more hard-won, but there were better ways to go about it. Both Gogu and Jena behaved in ways that were very uncharacteristic. There wasn't any major chemistry in the couplings, unlike in some of Marillier's other novels where the reader is rooting for the lovers the entire time. Not to say that the romantic aspect was bad or unsatisfying, there were just some aspects that were disappointing or unrealistic. Score- 7

Plot: There seemed to be a ton of different plot elements going on at the same time and while they all seemed to stick to the same story, I thought that having so many conflicts going on at the same time was incredibly distracting. The companion book, Cybele's Secret, had the same problem. Mariller had characters running around on quests right and left and trying to dodge Cezar at the same time. It was just way too much going on. None of the elements were inherently bad, but when put together in a slapdash manner it was confusing and disorienting. Score- 6


Structure: This was largely Jena's story and while it's fine to leave the supporting characters to be not as fleshed out, I felt there was an imbalance to the amount of backstory each one got. For example, we get a lot of information on Cezar, Gogu, and Tatiana (to a certain extent), but the other sisters are somewhat ignored as well as many of the other characters who seem thrown in there, but don't serve much of a purpose. As I mentioned earlier, my main issues with the story were the unrealistic aspects. I know that women were supposed to be married young during the approximate time-period of this story, but fifteen seemed a bit too young to me. Jena also didn't really act like a fifteen year old--she seemed to be more around seventeen. Score- 6

Vervain Says: If you liked Marillier's other books then you may as well go ahead and read this one too.

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." 

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."

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."

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."

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."

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

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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."

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." 

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."

Dragon Bound (Elder Races #1)- Thea Harrison

When Pia, a half wyr (shapeshifter) half human is blackmailed into stealing something from Dragos Cuelebre, she thinks that changing her name and appearance will be enough to hide herself from his wrath. Of course, hiding from an extremely powerful and wealthy dragon shapeshifter does tend to be a bit of a challenge--especially if he's after your head. Under any other circumstances, Pia would likely be dead, but it turns out that Dragos is intrigued and amused by the fact that she was able to get past the powerful warding spells on his hoard. So instead, Dragos claims her for his own and intends to explore the curious desire she sparks in him as well as her secret abilities.

Overall Merit: This was a class A romantic fantasy as in it followed the cookie cutter format that brings lonely, single girls temporary happiness everywhere. Well, at least the ones who aren't jaded like me. Pretty much: boy meets girl, boy feels very protective of girl, girl pretends she doesn't like being protected even though she secretly does, boy and girl have sex after like twenty pages, girl ends up getting pregnant with magical and illicit baby, girls tries to hide this from boy, boy finds out and becomes even more protective, girl admits she loves boy with all her heart, boy and girl live happily ever after for the rest of eternity. The end. Wow, because who doesn't want a super-rich boyfriend who puts his private bodyguards up to babysitting you? I mean sure all the girls in these books protest, but they love the attention, we all know they do. If this is your thing, and I'm sure it is for many people then go for it. I'm going to give this book two scores: one based on my fed up and jaded brain, and the other based on the average 20-some-odd-year-old lonely and sexually frustrated romantic (LSFR).
Me-6 LSFR-11

Characters: Pia was plucky, I liked that, but it seemed like all her spark was doused as soon as Dragos took his shirt off. Come on, be realistic, when was the last time you felt lightheaded and lost all coherent thought because a hot guy took his shirt off. Yes, I know I hate everything, but still. While Pia had potential, Dragos was such a stereotypic alpha-male that it made me kind of nauseous. (For a much better alpha-male dominated romantic fantasy check out the Tairen Soul series, that one had a phenomenal plot.) He basically got angry if anyone touched Pia except him and went all dragon on their ass. Also, he was supposed to be an ancient "Elder wyr", but I wasn't getting that impression from him, he acted young and hotheaded so I didn't buy his supposed age. Score- 7

Blush Factor: Oh my was there sex here. Keep the children away. You know when Pia describes herself as being "destroyed" that there's a hardcore male dominance thing going on. The problem was, there wasn't any real 'romance' here, just Dragos constantly smothering Pia, rescuing her from falling/walking into things, and then throwing her onto the bed and ravaging her every 20 or 30 pages. All romance was further destroyed when she was like, "Omg I'm preggers with a dragon baby!" Why does Pia have to get pregnant to finally admit that she loves Dragos? Pregnancy shouldn't be a contract of love, it certainly isn't in real life, but in this book it definitely felt that way. Harrison tried to make this better by having Pia seem like a 'mystery' to Dragos, but to be honest I'm pretty sure he was the only one who thought anything was even vaguely mysterious about her. Score- 6

Structure: The mythology behind books like these is essential to having a smooth story, but somehow it is always forgotten. It seemed like Harrison was inventing the rules of the world as she went along, rather than having a firm idea when she started writing. I didn't quite understand the structure of her "Other World", which seemed like it would be important and also, the wyr, half-wyr structure confused me. Other worlds are difficult to pull off, for sure, and the main issue is they tend to be too ephemeral and difficult for the reader to envision. The scenes that took place there were difficult for me to follow because it was tough for me to orient myself within the new world. Score-5

Plot: Books like this often spend too much time focusing on the romance (sex) as opposed to the plot line. There was a story going on, but it brought me to a lot of dead ends. For example, there was something brought up about Pia having a relation to the Elves, but after the initial mention, Harrison never mentioned it again, which would be fine, but I know this book doesn't have a technical sequel (it has companion books). I can also understand that Pia might not want to know about her past, but there definitely should have been more curiosity there if not from her, then at least from Dragos. I felt like Harrison didn't know exactly where her story was going because it sort of faded in and out of focus and the conclusion seemed too simple and didn't really work that well. I wasn't pleased. Score- 5

In summation: if you're looking for a good romantic alpha male smut book then go for it. Otherwise, you'd best seek your fantasy fix elsewhere.


Vervain says: "In this book, names have power, but when it comes time for Pia to reveal her true name, we never actually find out what it is! That seems like a cop out to me."

The Mating (Law of the Lycans #1)- Nicky Charles

Elise comes home from a run one day to find out that her father is mating her with a complete stranger in order to form an alliance between their (werewolf) packs. She is forced to uproot and join her new mate, Kane's pack. When she gets there, most are welcoming aside from one female named Marla who seems to be vying for all of Kane's attention. Elise must adjust to her new pack and assert her position as Alpha Female. At the same time, she has to navigate and try to put a stop to Marla's advances and manipulations so she can form a proper bond with her new mate and ensure the stability of the pack.

Overall Merit: This is the first time I've seen something like this done in paranormal fantasy. Charles combines paranormal romance with a crime novel, which I found fascinating. The plot isn't overly complicated, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to guess who is friend or foe. The characters were all strong and Charles created a phenomenal villain--something I haven't seen in a long while. I think that if you have the time, this book is actually worth your while. Not to mention, it's free for e-readers so even if you don't like it, no harm no foul. Score- 9

Blush Factor: There is definitely R-rated content in this book so keep the kiddies and overzealous young adults (12-15) away from this. Kane and Elise's relationship feels natural, which I really liked and I think their chemistry is great. Charles really nailed this aspect of the book. The sex scenes are there, but they're tastefully done and not excessive. Score- 10

Characters: Talk about a kick ass villain. Marla is priceless, she is manipulative and sneaky and as a reader sometimes I couldn't even tell what she was up to. Elise is a strong protagonist and I enjoyed her story and her perspective. Kane was a solid character as well in that he frustrated me sometimes in his inability to see what was right in front of his face. This was a good thing. Too many times a protagonist is designed to please the reader instead of challenging them to see a different perspective. Very solid. Score- 9

Structure: This novel was very well structured and kept me turning pages. Once I got to the end I had to flip back to earlier pages to get a full perspective of how all the parts fit together. The suspense was well crafted and Charles writes with finesse. Score- 10

Plot: There wasn't anything super innovative here, but it was the suspense that kept me reading. Charles mastered the plot twists, which made me excited even in a story that was essentially mundane. She did a lot of describing pack tradition and structure and the action was isolated mostly to the end of the novel. Nevertheless, it was a strong book overall. Score- 8

Vervain says: "In this book, being a werewolf was a hereditary thing rather than a curse forced upon an unwilling mortal."

Damian's Oracle- Lizzy Ford

When Sofia begins to suffer from strange, incurable symptoms, she cries out for help in desperation. Her call is heard by two forces: the White God- Damian and his counterpart, the Black God-Czerno. It turns out that Sofia is a Natural- a human with strong paranormal gifts. If she were any normal natural, Damian would not waste his time with her. However, she is an Oracle, the first in thousands of years and whoever controls the Oracle will tip the balance in their favor. When the Black God kidnaps her and tries to force her to go through a binding ceremony, she is rescued by Damian. Now, instead, Sofia must bind herself to the White God to stop the Black God from taking over humanity and to weed out the traitors he has planted among the Guardians (Naturals who belong to Damian's regime).

Overall Merit: Wait for it, wait for it...I actually liked this book. True I have to give it a bit of leniency seeing as it was self published (if it were published by a big house then I'd bump each of the scores down about a point), but that aside, once I got past the errors and looked at it big picture, I truly enjoyed this book. The characters had legitimate struggles and there were times when I thought Sofia was literally going to go insane. The only thing that really bothered me (aside from the minor typos) was the beginning. This book was good. It was a great concept with a great cast of characters and if it had gone through a more intense publishing/editing process, I think I would be in love. Score- 9

Characters: Wow, Sophia had kick in her. I was actually so proud of her for not being a typical fantasy heroine and being like "Damian is so hot. We MUST be soul mates." Nope. After the initial realization that he was indeed very hot she fought tooth and nail to keep herself from falling for him. Hell, they didn't even sleep together until the very end of the book! Damian was such a bad-ass, and a legitimate one too. So many times, writers will try to make a "bad-ass" character who just falls flat on his or her face. Damian did not disappoint and neither did his immortal siblings who were super fun characters as well. The only character that upset me a bit was the antagonist. There was the typical femme fatale character floating around and she was annoying, but not gut-wrenchingly evil. However, Czerno played a surprisingly small role. It seemed like his henchmen were scurrying around while he sat back and didn't do all that much. For the most part, solid protagonists and a few good supporting characters. Score-8

Blush Factor: This was refreshing. They were attracted, but they resisted. Key word being: RESISTED. It was like a dream come true (pardon my platitude). Most power couples will make a flimsy effort to resist and end up in each other's arms by page 100, Sofia whacked Damian upside the face and made him work for her attention. I'm not a crazy feminist by any means and would have been just as please if Sofia had to work to make Damian admit he liked her. Turns out they were a great couple, which made me even happier when they finally got together. So many romance novels smoosh the love interests together without making them do any work! Score- 10 (yes, look at that, a 10)

Structure: The viewpoints weaved a bit between Sofia and another character named Two, but I loved all the perspectives, which is rare. Usually I find I like on perspective over the other(s), but Ford kept me entertained throughout. The only issues I had with this were sometimes she didn't explain some of the technical inner workings of her world well enough e.g the way the powers worked, the hierarchy of gods/Watchers and the beginning. The beginning felt rushed, the characters didn't get fleshed out until later and the premise wasn't explained very well so I was sort of lost until I got a good 50 pages in. Score- 8

Plot: There were a ton of things going on at the same time and the non-stop action kept me reading. I liked the underlying storyline, which was essentially the timeless battle between good and evil. However, I would have liked more insight into the world of the "baddies". Great idea, great potential. I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, but it's a possibility. Score- 8

In summation: Read this book and support a self-publishing author. Best part is, it's super inexpensive so I should hear no complaints on that front.


Vervain says: "There are three levels of deities: the primordial gods, the Watchers, and then the gods on Earth (Damian, Dusty, Jule, and Czerno). It's a bit hard to keep straight sometimes."

Angel Burn- L.A. Weatherly

Willow is gifted with the power to look into the future and decipher the hopes and dreams of others by touching them. She doesn't know where her power comes from as no one else in her family is gifted. It isn't until the assassin, Alex, shows up with instructions to kill her that she finds out what she truly is and why her powers exist. However, Alex isn't the only one who wants Willow, she is also being chased by legions of evil angels and their followers. She must team up with and learn to trust Alex to escape from the angels because she might be the last hope for the human race's survival and freedom.

Overall Merit: When I picked up this book from the YA section of the library, I was thinking one thing: this is going to be exactly like every single angel book out there. Weatherly tries very hard to break out of that mold and in some ways she does, so bravo on that front. Her angels are dark, soul-sucking creatures who lure humans in and feed off them. See this would be original if it didn't sound exactly like another type of supernatural being. Let's think, where have I heard that exact description before...? No way, it's a vampire!  Please, for the love of all things fantasy, come up with some new ideas! To be nice, I did like that people who interacted with the angels slowly withered away from disease. Willow's character disappoints because she is set up to be such a kick ass heroine and then she just isn't. My main issue with this story is the missing plot line. The story plods along for a good 350 some odd pages, but nothing actually happens until like the last 20 pages! Score- 7

Characters: The biggest issue I had with this category was that the antagonists didn't seem to be trying very hard to do anything. It seemed like they were like "oh, well we want Willow, but before we exert any effort getting her let's have some afternoon tea." Willow had the potential to be a badass. I mean come on! She fixes cars for fun and is a psychic, I wanted someone more quirky, someone unique. What I got was a gushing, lovesick girl, "oh Alex, I wanna snuggle!" Where are my villains!? Sure there was Raziel, but he seemed to spend a lot of time bossing people around and gloating about his wickedness as opposed to doing anything proactive. Score- 4

Blush Factor- The entire novel was consumed by a cheesy romantic "subplot" to the point that it would have been more productive to write this as an erotica novel. Weatherly went out of her way to put the characters in situations in which they would have "no choice" but to embrace each other or get all touchy feely. I'm just as much of a sucker as the next girl for a good romance thread in a novel, but this wasn't even well done. It was cheesy and to be perfectly honest a seventeen year old guy is not going to behave like Alex does. (Like I said, it would have made a better erotica, provided the characters were older.) Score- 4

Structure: This might have been the undoing of the entire novel. There were far too many POVs going on at the same time and therefore things were revealed to the reader before the protagonists were aware. If done WELL this can be effective and make a story better, but when I learn what the "villains" are going to do there is no element of surprise and in a story with an already weak plot line this just bangs the final nail in the coffin. As a reader, I want to experience the action along with the protagonists, I should be traveling on a journey with them. If I already know what's going to happen then the impact is minimal. Score- 2

Plot: Hmm...still searching for this...give me a second...ah there we go! 350 pages in, whew thought I'd never get there. I mean there was sort of a premise...? There was a definite deus ex machina employed at the end to try and salvage some sort of action from the extended period of nothingness. There was a lot that could have been done with this concept, Weatherly just didn't take advantage.

Vervain says: "Alex's full name is Alex Kylar, his job title: Angel Killer. If that doesn't make you cringe, shame on you."

Incarnate- Jodi Meadows

In a world where everyone has been reincarnated hundreds of times, Ana is a nosoul. A few years before her birth, a woman named Ciana died, Ciana was supposed to come back, but she never did. Ana was born instead. While all the others in her world remember their past lives, she has none and that makes her a threat--dangerous. Ana's cruel mother, Li casts her out of their home on Ana's 18th birthday. Ana has no choice but to go to Heart and see if she can figure out why she was born and if she will be born again or if her life will fizzle out. Li gives her a faulty compass and she loses her way to Heart. She is rescued from freezing to death in Range by a mysterious man named Sam. They venture to Heart together, a place where he will be her greatest ally and possibly her greatest love.

Overall Merit: First of all, I love the cover so kudos for that. Secondly, the premise was fascinating. Imagine remembering all of your past lives for millennia. However, some of the storytelling didn't ring true for me and I was especially disappointed by the ending. The world didn't make sense because there simply weren't any rules in place. There were dragons and sylphs running around and some god-like entity called Janus, but we never knew whether or not he was real and if he was what purpose he served. Also, in the story, the people just found Heart already built and waiting for them. What?! No, just no. At the beginning, Ana had a motive: find out why she exists, but after about a day she seemed to forget. She was way too busy drooling over Sam for 80% of the novel. This book had so much potential, but it fell flat. There were too many inconsistencies and technicalities that went unexplained. Score-6

Characters: The characters all had a fatal flaw, they were almost good but not enough, the antagonist was almost evil, but not enough, etc. They were boring. Ana was dull, she is a passive character who steps up at random moments to rescue someone, usually Sam. However, how come she can stand up to sylphs, but when she sees Sam sneaking out every night and overhears him talking behind her back, she can't confront him about it? Where is her backbone? Sam wasn't very interesting either and I didn't buy his "crippling" fear of dragons. It was a cop out. Meadows makes him seem like a brooding artist character, only to reveal that he's distant because he's afraid of dragons. Hmm...yea no. Li was the only real antagonist, and well she wasn't even that interesting. It seemed like she was being mean for the sake of being mean. She had some connection with Ciana, but it was never established properly and therefore her animosity wasn't convincing. Score-6

Blush Factor: This consumed the entire story. Literally the whole novel was about the romantic tension between Sam and Ana, which would have been fine if it were actually interesting. It actually got frustrating how slowly it moved. It's like "just kiss her already!" There was nothing unique about their romance and when I can predict exactly what's going to happen, it makes me irritated. Basically it was a standard YA romance that took up more space in the book than it should have. Score-6

Structure: Standard linear first person, but the thing about first person is that it's limiting so unless the narrator is compelling, the reader is apt to get bored. Ana was not a very interesting narrator. For all her abusive upbringing there was no inner turmoil, I could not feel her angst! YA novels are supposed to have a TON of angst! Nothing interesting happened in terms of structure. First person is pretty straight forward so nothing new here. Score-6

Plot: Before I start, I promise that this category will score extremely low. The concept was there and it was brilliant, but the execution was painfully bad. What started as a promising story turned into a long running love story with a protagonist who seemed to forget what she had been looking for in the first place. Sure she spent some time researching in the library, but  most of her time was spent mooning over Sam and learning to play the piano because apparently she had a passion for music. The ending was atrocious, talk about a deus ex machina (literally). I won't say exactly what happens, but just know that you couldn't possibly conceive this ending because no one in their right mind would come up with it and think it was a good idea. No offense to Meadows, but this was pretty sad.

Vervain Says: "Deus ex machina is a Latin phrase and it literally means 'God out of the  machine'. In other words, it is when a writer invokes a god or higher power or even just brings in a character that seems to have all the answers and can put the story to rights with little difficulty. This is a device that should be avoided at all costs." 

The Wizard's Ward- Deborah Hale

Maura's world of Umbria was ravaged by Hanish invaders and the only hope of restoring Umbrian power is to find and awaken the mythical "Waiting King". However, the only one who can do this is the "Destined Queen". Maura's guardian, the wizard Langbard informs her on her birthday that she is said "Destined Queen" and she must venture to the magical grove where her husband awaits. That afternoon, Maura finds herself in the woods gathering some magical herbs when she rescues a young outlaw named Rath from some Hanish soldiers. She brings him back with her to Langbard's cottage and the wizard decides that Rath will accompany him and Maura to Maura's Aunt who is in possession of the map that will lead them to the grove of the "Waiting King". Am I the only one who could see what was coming as soon as I read the synopsis on the back of the book?

Overall Merit: I mean, it wasn't a bad book. Then again, neither was it a good book. For all the interesting premise, the story fell rather flat. Not to mention, if I can guess the ending by reading the synopsis on the back it is not a good sign. Same goes for the characters. They weren't bad characters, but I didn't find myself caring about them all that much. By the end of the book I got pretty bored because I knew exactly what was going to happen. Not really worth your time. Score- 6

Characters: They were non-descript. I for one did not take Rath very seriously as an outlaw, he was far too civilized for that and there was not enough inner turmoil over his identity. There should have been more of a struggle between his desire to be good for Maura and his instinct to behave like a thoughtless boor. Maura was ok, she annoyed me a bit at points, but there was nothing so horrendous about her character that made me want to stop reading. I think that Hale tried to make her a plucky, strong female heroine, but the attempt fell flat. Maura was too goody-goody for that. Score- 6

Blush Factor: This aspect of the book irked me. There was all this really horrible attempt at romantic repression where it got to the point where I was just like "either be with her or don't just make up your mind!" Obviously Rath and Maura end up together (if that was a spoiler I'm really not all that sorry). However, the thing that bothered me the most was the gratuitous sex scene at the very end of the book. It really did not fit at all and it made me question the morals of the characters. I'm not a prude by any means and if sex is appropriate then go for it, but going off the basic tone and cultural structure of the book it didn't work. Score- 4

Structure: It was linear and third person from Maura's point of view. Nothing interesting was done here, but it wasn't convoluted or confusing. Score- 5

Plot: This could have been interesting, but it seems like Hale came up with an initial premise and never really did any development beyond that. The stakes weren't high enough, meaning I never felt like the characters were in imminent danger. A good story beats the character over the head with a mallet until they are ready to collapse. Neither Maura nor Rath faced any such predicament. It was far too easy for them to get to the grove and the Hanish threat that was introduced from the beginning wasn't used to its full potential by a long shot. Score- 4

In summation, I strongly advise avoiding this book unless you are given an important puzzle and the only way to solve it is hidden somewhere in the pages of this rubbish.

Vervain says: "There are two types of magic used in this world: mortcraft and vitcraft. Mortcraft calls upon dark powers whereas vitcraft is a nature based form of magic. 

Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1)- Patricia Briggs

After her abusive pack leader is killed, Anna is taken in by a new leader whose son, Charles claims Anna as his mate. Anna always thought that she was just a particularly weak beta wolf, but it turns out that she is a rare omega instead. Omegas have the ability to sense neutralize tension in other wolves, therefore protecting themselves from the ferocity of others. News comes to the new pack that a rogue werewolf has been killing humans in the surrounding areas and it is up to Charles and Anna to hunt it down. Not only do they need to eliminate the threat, but they also need to work on stabilizing their pair-bond or Anna is fair game to any other wolf who comes along. Sounds vaguely familiar...

Overall Merit: This book was decent as far as paranormal romance is concerned. It didn't bring anything new to the table, but for fans of the genre, go for it. I did like that Briggs played around a bit with werewolf powers and didn't just stick to the by the book rules (nor did she make them sparkle, phew). The actual conflict in the story was interesting, but without revealing too much detail, some of the mythology didn't seem to click properly. By that I mean: it was an interesting idea, but the technical details didn't convince me of the possibility of said magical occurrence. Score- 9

Characters: Anna wasn't the most interesting character, but neither was she unlikeable. Same goes for Charles. There were times when I could really feel their personalities shine through, but I wished I could sense that throughout. There was some interesting flashback stuff going on with some of the side characters and the antagonist and I almost wish that Briggs had gone into that more. The book was fairly short by genre standard and she definitely could have fleshed that part out without any difficulty. Also, the supporting characters were very stereotypic and would have merited from some more depth. Score-7

Blush Factor: Wow, for paranormal romance, this was surprisingly PG. Usually book with similar covers and premises are dripping with smut, but this was clean--as in I would let a mature thirteen year old read it. The romance was sweet, but not overwhelming and I liked the romantic dynamic of Charles and Anna. Unlike many paranormal couples, they were both pretty balanced (for werewolves).

Structure: This wasn't linear with a few brooding side chapters from the jilted lover, as many paranormal books are. Instead, there was a side story from a different character entirely and his story was fascinating, which is why I was so disappointed that Briggs only chose to brush the surface. She really could have done so much more with it and I would have put this into the "must read" category. The main story (Charles and Anna) plodded along, but there was enough action to keep me interested. Score- 8

Plot: As I mentioned earlier, the plot was solid as in fairly predictable with a few refreshing twists. However, I found myself more entranced by the side plot than by the main plot, which can end up being kind of dangerous if the reader isn't invested in the primary story. It didn't help that the character with the most depth was also a member of said side plot. It was a sturdy story and it held its own, to the point that I'm actually considering reading the next book, even though I find that the second book in any series isn't nearly as good as the first one. We shall have to see if Briggs can keep me reading once again. Score- 8

In summation, it was a pretty good book and a quick read so if you have time then by all means. I was actually surprised that it had a legitimate plot instead of being a smut book.

Foxmask- Juliet Marillier

This is a companion book to Wolfskin, however this novel can stand alone just fine. It is the story of young Creidhe, a talented weaver who follows her best friend and love interest Thorvald on a quest to find his father who was banished from the Light Isles in disgrace. Thorvald and his friend Sam set out in Sam's fishing boat and Creidhe stows away in the hold--she is convinced that Thorvald needs her even if he refuses her help. Sounds like a healthy relationship, I know. Anyway so per maritime tradition, they get caught in a storm and wind up on another island, where the people are living in terror of the Unspoken (a mysterious people, desperate to find their missing seer called the Foxmask). Thorvald and Sam are put to work to "earn" the supplies they will need to repair the ship. Creidhe, on the other hand, is taken away to stay with the other women in isolation. However, evil is brewing as "The Hunt" approaches and the men are determined to find the missing Foxmask before another sacrifice is made.

Overall Merit: I didn't love this book as I found the premise confusing. It took me a while to actually wrap my head around the whole Foxmask concept and  I found some of Creidhe's inaction to be slightly out of character. The romance was also a bit disconcerting and while I enjoy Marillier's writing as a general rule, this was not one of her stronger books. Score- 6

Characters- I don't know if the author intended for the male protagonist (Thorvald) to be so utterly irritating. I did not like him at all and I think she tried to make him somewhat sympathetic, but I could not make myself like him. Creidhe was muddled, sometimes her voice was clear and other times she sounded like a different person entirely. By the end she also started to irritate me. The main antagonist, the chief of the Long Knife People, got to be annoying as well, he was too cliched suave villain stereotype. Definitely not Marillier's best characters. Score-5

Blush Factor- This was definitely PG-13 (I'm going off the fact that they let Breaking Dawn slide through those cracks), there was a sex scene between Creidhe and an unexpected character. However, in terms of the quality of the romance, I found the sequencing frustrating. True, people are often dense in terms of feelings, but Creidhe was literally beating Thorvald over the head with a valentine. It annoyed me. There was an unexpected plot twist, which helped make up for it a little bit, but even then, this new relationship was creepy and based purely on physical attraction. Score-6

Structure- The structure was linear, switching perspectives between Thorvald and Creidhe. It was easy to follow, but as always I find myself more enamored with one perspective over the other. While I didn't love either narrators, Creidhe was definitely more interesting. The writing was succinct and crisp as expected from Marillier. Score-8

Plot- It was definitely original, there was no lack of creativity in the world or the story, but at some places it seemed very forced and there were some things that didn't quite do it for me in terms of "suspending my disbelief". One such example is the protocol followed for the Foxmask, I didn't quite buy the whole leg breaking, eye gouging bit. Either way, points for creativity. Score-8

In summation, I'd only suggest reading this book if you read Wolfskin first and feel compelled to follow the world a little bit more. Otherwise, probably not worth your time. You'd be much better off with any of Marillier's other books.

Song in the Silence (The Tale of Lanen Kaelar)- Elizabeth Kerner

Dragons have been done to death. Point blank, this story didn't bring anything new to the table, but it was a nice fluffy romantic fantasy. Lanen is a twenty-four year old horse farmer's daughter with a tendency to forget her expected femininity. This of course is not helped by her towering height, which is mentioned a few times too many in the novel. When Lanen's step-father dies, leaving her alone with the farm and the horses, she decides that it is time for her to go out into the world and fulfill her dream of meeting a real dragon. She packs up her things and heads to the nearest port city in order to secure a position on board one of the few ships to the Dragon Isle.

A quick note about scoring if it isn't clear enough in my commentary: 1-5 avoid
6-9 if you have time
10-13 definitely read
This can mainly be applied to the Overall Merit category.

Overall Merit: This was a sweet love story, albeit a slightly creepy one. As far as plot is concerned, it was relatively predictable, but still enjoyable to read. I did like the characters and found them easy to care about, even if they weren't the most complex souls out there. Overall, I'd recommend this book for any romantic (not erotic) fantasy fans out there. Score-8.5

Characters: Lanen is a feisty female heroine with a longing for adventure (then again I feel like every book with a female protagonist has one of these). I did like her and her voice was strong, you can really get a feel for the character. The only thing I didn't like about her was that she seemed incapable of getting out of trouble on her own. Sure she fought her captors and gave a few black eyes and bruises, but she never seemed to be able to get out of a situation without additional assistance. The main male protagonist, Akor, is an interesting character in theory (he is a dragon), however, his actual personality was a bit bland. As far as antagonists were concerned, Marik was kind of pathetic and at times you almost felt bad for him. The other main antagonist of the series doesn't really show up all that much in this book so I'll save him for another review. To sum it up, the characters were solid, but didn't bring anything new to the world of fantasy. Score- 8

Blush Factor: There wasn't really any smut in this book and while the romance was sweet, it did get to be a bit too gushy at times. Not to mention a good portion of the time it felt very contrived (interspecies conflict) and left me wondering just how Kerner was going to pull it off in a believable manner. Score-8

Structure: The one thing I didn't love about the structure was that it kept switching perspectives and at times it almost felt like too many characters were getting a say in the story and a good amount of the time I found myself skimming when I was on a perspective that I didn't really care about. Score- 6

Plot: I liked the plot--if I didn't I wouldn't have finished the trilogy. It was an interesting concept if not the most interesting of worlds. It was simple and not all that difficult to follow, I would have liked it better if it was a little bit less predictable. True, there was a somewhat complex subplot going on with demons and dark sorcery, but again it's been done.  Score-7

For summation, read this book if you have time and enjoy a simple, rather sappy romantic fantasy.