REVIEW: The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Ceony Twill had wanted to be a Smelter. While most graduates of the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined were able to choose which material they dedicated their craft to, headmaster Magician Aviosky had assigned Ceony to Paper. "There simply aren't enough Folders left in the world", she had said. And thus Ceony was grudgingly begins her apprenticeship as a Folder under the tutelage of Magician Emery Thane. What follows is a fast-paced, perilous romp through the chambers and chasms of Mg. Thane's heart... literally!

I read this book on my Kindle, and at only 226 pages, I finished it in less than a day, so engrossed I was in the story that I didn't want to put it aside. (Fortunately, I had to paint my nails and toes today so I was able to sneak in the extra reading time.) The story was the perfect tempo and I immediately fell in love with Ceony, her astute mind and quick thinking.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

REVIEW: Ripped by Shelly Dickson Carr

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Katie Lennox makes a wish on the famed London Stone to go back in time, to have her family back, and find the true identity of Jack the Ripper, who murdered her distant relative. Unfortunately, she ends up getting a lot more than she wished for when she travels back to Victorian London 1888, and is thrown into the midst of the Ripper's murdering frenzy.

The story was well written, though a couple parts of it did feel a bit forced or contrived at times, as if manipulated to fit the outcome the author was hoping to achieve. The part leading up to the ending was one of those forced parts; I was jarred out of the scene playing out before me by the way parts of it played out.

But despite those few instances, I enjoyed the rest of the story and the characters themselves. It was well thought out and the author has a good sense of time that truly transports you back to Victorian London. Overall, I feel this is a very solid first novel from Ms. Carr and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

REVIEW: Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) by Charlaine Harris

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

In this 10th installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Sookie has begun to recover from the injuries she sustained in the recent Fae war, and her relationship with Eric seems to be getting more serious all the time. But as is often the case with Sookie, someone is still out to get her. And even though her great-grandfather Niall supposedly sealed off the land of Faery from the human world, there is still one who would wish to do her harm.

This was another excellent book in the series, and I have been trying to spread out these last few books out because I will be so disappointed when it all ends after book 13. Boo hoo! As with all her other works, this is another fast, action-packed read, impossible to put down. I've literally walked into walls, chairs, you name it, while carrying my book around the house. LOL

REVIEW: Allegiant (Divergent, Book 3) by Veronica Roth

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Growing up in alternate reality Chicago, Tris and Four never knew anything of the world outside their walls--a world ruled by factions, where each group has it's place in society: the brave, the intelligent, the selfless, the peaceful, and the honest--until now. With the help of their friends, the two are ready to escape the city and discover the truth about what lies beyond. But what awaits them outside the city's walls? And will they be able to find their place in the world out there?

Allegiant brings to a close the final book in the riveting Divergent trilogy, and new author Veronica Roth has done a fantastic job of putting together an alternate reality universe that has become a fast favorite with fans of the The Hunger Games and other young adult dystopian fiction. The first book in the series, Divergent has already been made into a movie and I look forward to seeing if it's as good as the book.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the quick-paced writing style and fast action, I wasn't all that happy with the way it all ended. Then again, some of the best stories often leave you a bit uncomfortable at the end. If you felt the similarly, take the time to seek out the alternate ending online, written by fan fiction writer Stephanie Ziel. Maybe it'll make you feel better. :)

REVIEW: A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Wow! I can't believe how much I've missed Rachel, Jenks, and Ivy. I have done a lot less reading over the last couple years, and this series got put to the side while I tried to catch up with books I owe to others, or reviews I owe to publishers, and things like that. But I'm glad that I'm finally making some time again to get back to my favorite series!

In this fourth installment of The Hollows series, Rachel and Jenks set out on an expedition to rescue Nick (Rachel's ex-boyfriend) and Jax (Jenks's son). Their run is anything but routine. And when they meet up with a pack of militant werewolves from Michigan, things only get worse from there!

Rachel has begun to discover some very unusual things about herself, and the magic she is capable of, stuff that no ordinary witch can usually handle. And Jenks... well Jenks is just as loveable as ever, and in this installment, there's even more of him to love... literally!

Harrison delivers yet another engaging well-rounded story that will keep you up reading way past your bedtime. Bosses beware! LOL

BookCrossing journal page for this book

REVIEW: Black Feathers by Joseph D'Lacey

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 10 out of 10 stars
read April 10-28, 2013

Black Feathers was a very thought-provoking dark fantasy that I had a hard time putting down. Part dystopian, part fantasy, 100% engrossing.

I had so much going on in my life at the time I finished this book that I didn't have time to sit down and write a proper review for it, but suffice to say, it's the kind of story that stuck with me long after I finished reading it, and I found myself going back to it in my mind again and again, reflecting on many of its twists and turns.

It's one I'd definitely like to read again and perhaps the second time around, I can write a more detailed review while all the characters and events are still fresh in my mind. It was really just that good!

REVIEW: A Conspiracy of Alchemists by Liesel Schwarz

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

It is 1903, and the world is divided between light and shadow. On the side of light is a wondrous science that has transformed everyday life by harnessing magical energies to ingenious new technologies. But each advance of science has come at the expense of shadow—the traditional realm of the supernatural.

Now two ancient powers are preparing to strike back. Blood-sucking immortal Nightwalkers and their spellcasting Alchemist allies have a plan to cover the whole world in shadow. All they require is the sacrifice of a certain young woman whose past conceals a dangerous secret.

But when they come after Elle, they get more than they bargained for. This enterprising young woman, the daughter of a scientific genius, has reserves of bravery and determination that even she scarcely suspects. Now she is about to meet her match in more ways than one: a handsome yet infuriating Warlock named Hugh Marsh, whose agenda is as suspect as his charms are annoyingly irresistible.

Part fantasy, part history, 100% steampunk, A Conspiracy of Alchemists is Liesel Schwarz's debut novel and the first in an interesting new steampunk series. A provocative look inside an urban fantasy world where magic and Faerie are alive, and Alchemists fight with Warlocks for power and control. There are many other creatures that live within the Shadow realm, and a force greater than themselves that keeps the Shadow and the Light in balance.

Taking place during late 1903 Britain, the story was rich with vivid descriptions and examples of many of the important inventions of that time--the steam engine and various flying crafts for example--all of which lent a vibrant feel to the landscape and gave the reader a very strong sense of place and time.

The only trouble for me came with the characters, none of which really endeared themselves to me, at least not until much later in the story. I found Elle to be a bit overly combative, to the point where it was actually kind of irritating. Yes, I'm all for a girl who wants to buck the system and doesn't conform to a society's ideals in which she doesn't believe, but I felt she took this a bit too far, to the point where she was almost angry and mistrustful of everyone she met. I don't know, perhaps it was just a sign of the times she lived in, and the opposition she faced being one of the only woman pilots in the world.

Marsh's character grew on me after a while; he was likeable enough in the beginning but it wasn't until the end that I actually started to like him enough to root for his well-being. ;) But I think my favorite character had to be the Baroness Loisa Belododia, a Nightwalker and fairly minor character in the overall scheme of the story. I hope to see more of her in future books.

Overall, I found this was a strong start to what's sure to be an curious new series. Congratulations Ms Schwarz! You've done a commendable job here, and I believe you've definitely accomplished what you set out to:  "write a steampunk novel that resonated with female readers". I look forward to reading the second book in the series when it's released.

REVIEW: Riddle in Stone by Robert Evert

Buy @ Amazon

My Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

Edmund is an antiquarian and scholar who lives in the small remote village of Rood in the Far North. Though you'd usually find him immersed in his books, Edmund's actually got big dreams of one day leaving Rood and doing something really important with his life, something that will earn him the respect of the townsfolk who think he's nothing but a stuttering, bumbling idiot, and the eye of Molly, whom he's loved from afar for a long time.

When a royal proclamation from the kingdom presents itself, granting Lordship over the Highlands to the person who can locate and bring to the King the long last Star of Iliandor, Edmund thinks this is finally the chance he's been waiting for. For in his own personal library lies the precious diary of Lord Iliandor himself, beloved ruler of the Highlands who fought against and defeated the Undead King and his goblin armies in three hard-fought wars. It was at the end of the third and final war that Iliandor died in combat, and the blue jewel he wore upon his crown was forever lost to history. But a lone squire from Iliandor's army had managed to find his way back back to Rood, and he carried on his person the diary of Lord Iliandor. Written in the ancient tongue of Dunael, a language which very few living people could still read or understand, the diary included the last dying words of Lord Iliandor, and with this arcane knowledge, Edmund is certain he knows where to start looking for the prized jewel. For if he can accomplish this single task, he'll most assuredly earn the respect he's been craving all his life, plus have his own heroic tales to hold a captive audience.

Edmund sets out in the dead of the night on an epic journey to locate the lost Star of Iliandor. Shunted by a strong self of self-doubt and a negative voice in his head that keeps telling him to turn back, Edmund has his own inner demons to battle in addition to those he meets on his long trek across the wide plains and into the mountains of the Highlands where he's certain he'll find the prized jewel... But what he discovers along the way is so much more!

Edmund is definitely not your typical hero. Slightly overweight and with a strong stutter, he's not taken seriously by any of his fellow townsfolk. There's a good lesson here about the underdog being able to overcome all obstacles that stand in his way and come out on top. Though with everything that gets thrown at Edmund along the way, you never really know if he's going to make it out alive or not.

I enjoyed this debut novel from author Robert Evert, and understand that it's to be the first in a new series. The book was fairly long at about 462 pages, but read fairly quickly most of the way through due to lots of action. The world building and vivid descriptions the author uses transplanted me right into the story, where I could almost sense the damp, chill air of all the tunnels through the mountains, and the eerie feeling of never knowing what lay around the next corner. However, during the first half of the book, I would sometimes find myself quickly snapped out of that world because I was starting to get tired of listening to all Edmund's self-doubt--I just wanted to shake him and tell him to snap out of it! Fortunately, Edmund eventually does develop a backbone along with a bit more resolve and and starts to take on the shape and characteristics of a true hero, surprising even himself, and a lot of his negativity ceases with the increase in his bravery.

I'm giving this book a solid 6 out of 10 stars (3.5 for Goodreads). I would've rated it slightly higher if I didn't find Edmund's character a bit grating. I also felt the last 1/4 of the book could've progressed a bit quicker. But that's a bit harder to talk about without spoilers. Suffice to say, the action seemed to slow down a bit in the last 1/4 or so of the book so I felt some pages could've been saved there in keeping it with the pace of the rest of the story. Overall, a very strong debut novel from this author and I look forward to reading the next one.