Touch of Frost (2011) Jennifer Estep When I perused the reviews for this story, I almost didn’t get it. Too much sex for a YA the negative review cried. Aw crap, I thought. I hate boinking books, which is one reason why I like YA–much less boinking, and it’s mostly off screen. But it was [...]
First Frost (2011) Jennifer Estep Gwen Frost has a Gypsy gift–when she touches things she learns about the people who held those items. In addition to that skill, she has a good dose of curiosity, that eventually shows her things she never wanted to learn. This is a short story, and an introduction to Touch [...]
The Legend of Eli Monpress: The Spirit Rebellion (2010) Rachel Aaron This is the third book in The Legend of Eli Monpress. The third book is much less about Eli, which is too bad, because Eli was the character I most liked. Instead, we see that those who are supposed to be watching over the [...]
The Legend of Eli Monpress: The Spirit Rebellion (2010) Rachel Aaron This is the second book in The Legend of Eli Monpress. Following the events of the last book: Nico needs a new coat, which sends Joseph, Nico, and Eli to the one man who could make another garment for her. Miranda returns home only [...]
A Conspiracy of Kings (2010) Megan Whalen Turner Although Eugenides makes many appearances in this story, it is about Sophos, the heir to the throne of Sounis. Sophos had disappeared, and this story is told, in large part, as his retelling of what happened to him. As with every other book in this series so [...]
Deathless (2011) Catherynne M. Valente I should have loved this–I love folklore and so was familiar with Koschei the Deathless, and was eager to read a tale staring him. And the hero of the story is the young Marya Morevna who has seen birds turn into her sister’s husbands, and so expects magical adventures to [...]
The Legend of Eli Monpress: The Spirit Thief (2010) Rachel Aaron This was a fun, straight-up fantasy romp, something I haven’t read in awhile, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Eli Monpress is a thief. As far as he’s concerned, he’s the best thief in the world, and his goal is for the bounty for his [...]
The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland–for a Little While (2011) Catherynne M. Valente Mallow is content to live with her cast iron ducks doing the occasional magic for those in need, but mostly she prefers to be left alone. But then the King of Fairy calls a for a Foul in the capital of Pandemonium and [...]
Doubletake (2012) Rob Thurman I believe I’ve made my love of Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series well known. I love the relationship between Niko and Cal, and how Niko keeps Cal human, despite everything. And how Cal remains human, because of Niko. Cal has changed a lot over the course of the series. He’s overcome [...]
Born at Midnight (2011) C. C. Hunter Kylie is having what is justifiably the worst day ever. On top of losing her favorite grandmother and her boyfriend breaking up with her, she comes home from school to discover that her parents are getting divorced. In fact, her father is throwing clothes in a suitcase and [...]
Turned at Dark: A Bonus Shadow Falls Short Story (2011) C. C. Hunter Free story that’s an intro to the Shadow Falls series. It obviously worked, since I then got the first book, Born at Midnight. Della Tsang doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she has to wonder, when one night she sees her dead cousin. [...]
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2011) Ransom Riggs I liked this right up until I realized it was book one in what will become an ongoing series. I love that the story is based upon found pictures–and that we get to see the pictures. I just hate getting involved in ongoing series when there [...]
Hounded (2011) Kevin Hearne Atticus O’ Sullivan is a druid who has lived for more than two thousand years. He’s spent the last several in Arizona, hiding from the god of love, who wants his sword back. Adding to his problems, his ally of sorts is the Morrigan, who warns him that his enemy is [...]
Wilder’s Mate (2011) Moira Rogers Satira is the daughter of a whore, who has spent the last several years working for Nathaniel. Like her mentor, Satira is mechanically gifted, but unlike her mentor, because she’s a woman she is forbidden to officially study and join the guild. Wilder is a bloodhound. Bloodhounds are men who [...]
Photographs & Phantoms (2011) Cindy Spencer Pape This is a novella set in the same world as Steam & Sorcery, with the characters from that story making an eventual appearance in this one. Amy Deland is a photographer, who is haunted by marks appearing in a handful of her pictures that seem to presage the [...]
Uncle Flower’s Homecoming Waltz (2012) Marissa K. Lingen This is the first of a spate of short stories I read. Because I like short stories. Zal is a century dreamer–she dreams far into the future, a skill that is quite rare, and one to which she is adjusting, as it only recently came upon her. [...]
The Desecrator (2011) Steven Brust This is a short story set in Dragaera. It features both Daymar and the Dzur Zungaron/Telnan. It’s only a dollar! If you’ve read Steven Brust, you know you want it! Published by Tor
Undone Deeds (2011) Mark del Franco Wow. I totally wasn’t expecting THAT. This is the last book in the series. I also had problems with the book, few of which had to do with the actual ending of the series. Although I gobbled down earlier books in the series, I had a hard time getting [...]
Ghost Hedgehog (2011) Nina Kiriki Hoffman Jack is in fifth grade and can see ghosts. Unfortunately for him, when his fifth-grade teacher dies, he discovers that ghosts can also see him, and attach themselves to him. I love Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s writing and stories. I love even better that eBooks can make these stories available [...]
River Marked (2011) Patricia Briggs Things are going well for Mercy–except for the fact that her mother is driving her absolutely crazy with details for her upcoming wedding, which drives Mercy to beg Adam to elope, before things get even more out of hand. But can the Alpha of the Columbia River basin really get [...]
Raven Cursed (2012) Faith Hunter Jane Yellowrock is back in Asheville, NC, providing security for a vampire meeting. Lincoln Shaddock wants to lead his own clan, and has petitioned Leo Pellisser for that right. Shaddock’s ability to shorten the time of devoveo has made him a power, and so Lincoln must decide if he deserves [...]
Cat Tales: Four Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock (2011) Faith Hunter These are (as the title suggests) four stories in Jane Yellowrock’s world.Three of the four stories feature Jane–the is Rick’s story of how he got his tats and came to work for the vampires. The first story, “The Early Years” is very [...]
Something Wikkid This Way Comes (2012) Nicole Peeler This is a novella set in the same world as her Jane True series, but with a different group of characters, and set in Illinois. Capitola, Moo, and Shar are the halfling detectives. Normally, they only take supernatural cases, but when Capitola’s father shows up at their [...]
Thud (2005) Terry Pratchett I don’t know what it is, but sometimes, I think when my OCD is acting up, I have a hard time reading new books, instead going back to old favorites. I think part of it may be a fear that I won’t be able to put a new book down, which [...]
Roadkill (2010) Rob Thurman I’ve got one book left and then I’m all caught up on the Cal Leandros series. In a way, that’s a good thing, because I have a huge to-read pile. But mostly it’s sad, because I love spending time in this world. As I reread these books, I keep coming upon [...]
Deathwish (2009) Rob Thurman Yeah, still can’t stop reading the Cal Leandros books. Deathwish is the fourth book, and even better than the previous three. Which are damned good. Unlike the previous stories, in Deathwish, each chapter alternates between Cal and Niko’s point of view. In this I like not only the perspective of Cal [...]
Madhouse (2008) Rob Thurman I have a huge To Be Read pile, yet I can’t stop rereading this series. This book starts off with Cal and Niko working on a kidnapping case. Cal–who is still pretty high strung (justifiably)–hates kidnapping cases, so there probably isn’t much chance things are going to go well. So of [...]
Moonshine (2007) Rob Thurman Yup. Another re-read. I’ve been out of sorts, so a re-read of a favorite series is always good for helping my mood–or at least drawing me out of myself to forget about what’s bothering me. This is the second Cal Leandros book, and it’s even better than the first. Niko and [...]
Magic Gifts (2011) Ilona Andrews I actually finished this a couple weeks ago, but somehow forgot to write about it. For Christmas, the husband and wife team of Ilona Andrews made a novella, Magic Gifts, available for download from the website for a limited time. I of course downloaded it and once I figured out [...]
Nightlife (2006) Rob Thurman This is a reread, because I was talking about it to someone else, and I just couldn’t resist going back to the start of this series. There are so many things I love about this book, and this series. First and foremost, is the relationship between Cal and Niko. “You should [...]
A Hard Day’s Knight (2011) Simon R. Green Walker is dead. Long live Walker. Because now John Taylor is Walker, and now it is his job to keep order (of a sorts) in Nightside. Unfortunately for him, someone has decided it’s time for Excalibur to make a reappearance in the world–and he needs to be [...]
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (2004) Susanna Clarke I admit it. When I saw this on sale on the kindle I grabbed it even though we already have the hardback book. Because this is a HUGE book, and it’s so much nicer to read a kindle than an 800 page hardback book. And since I [...]
Fables Vol 16: Super Team (2011) Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Eric Shanower, Terry Moore That was… unexpected. Rating: 7/10 Published by Vertigo
Naked City (2011) edited by Ellen Datlow This collection of urban fantasy stories has several of my favorite authors, so it was a no-brainer to get. The bad thing is that I’ve been reading this collection for several months, so I now have no idea what the stories at the start of the anthology were [...]
Dracula in London (2004) edited by P.N. Elrod I give up. After six months I’m about three-quarters of the way through, and haven’t enjoyed one single story I’ve read. I generally like P.N. Elrod’s stories, and I’ve read several other anthologies she has edited, all of which I’ve enjoyed, but these stories? No. Yuck. One [...]