Curse on the Land (2016) Faith Hunter This is the second Soulwood book, set in the same reality as the Jane Yellowrock series, but not featuring Jane (although she does make appearances). Nell Ingram is tied to the land. She’s not a witch (she doesn’t test as one anyway) but she can do things that […]
The Lost Child of Lychford (2016) Paul Cornell It’s December in Lychford, Lizzie’s first Christmas as Reverend of St. Martin’s–the busiest and most stressful time of the year in the church. “The song ‘I Believe in Father Christmas,’” she continued to Sue and Oliver, her elderly churchwardens, twelve hours later, at their weekly meeting round […]
Blood of the Earth (2016) Faith Hunter We met Nell Ingram in the Jane Yellowrock short story “Off the Grid.” (In the anthology Blood in Her Veins). She is a very interesting character, and I can see why the author wanted to spend more time with her. Nell has escaped from the cult in which […]
Hellboy in Mexico (2016) Mike Mignola, Richard Corben, Mick Mahon, Fabio Moon, Gabriel Ba I generally like the Hellboy books that are collections of short stories, but for some reason I had a hard time getting into this collection. It had lots of the things I generally like about Hellboy (like getting into (and losing) […]
Salsa Nocturna: Stories (2012) Daniel José Older This is a collection of stories set in the same world as the Bone Street Rumba series, and although some of the stories were about Carlos, there are other stories as well. “Tenderfoot” “Salsa Nocturna” “Skin Like Porcelain Death” “The Collector” “Graveyard Waltz” “Protected Entity” “Magdalena” “Red Feather […]
Chaos Choreography (2016) Seanan McGuire This is the 5th InCryptid book, and shifts back to Verity and Dominic. Verity is offered the chance to return to Dance or Die–the reality show she was one before she retired her Valerie persona, and so she decides to take a chance, taking Dominic out to California to compete […]
Black Arts, audible version (2014) Faith Hunter, narrated by Khristine Hvam I really enjoy listening to this series. The narrator does a good job with the story and the characters. In Black Arts the story begins with Evan Trueblood storming Jane’s house, demanding to know where Molly is. Jane doesn’t know, and it take her […]
The Grendel Affair, Audible version (2013/2014) Lisa Shearin, narrated by Johanna Parker This is a really fun series. Mac Frasier has moved from her little town in the south to New York City, but instead of making it as a reporter, she’s now working for SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigations) when they discovered she was […]
The Dark Side of The Road (2015) Simon R. Green I have an off-and-on relationship with Simon Green’s stories. Some I love very much (Nightside) while others, I just can’t get into (The Secret Histories). But finding it on sale, I decided to give this new book a try. Ishmael Jones lives under the radar, […]
Shadow Rites (2016) Faith Hunter It’s the final days before the witch-vampire conclave, and preparations for the conclave are supposed to be finishing, but as with all group projects, problems keep popping up. The first problem is an attach on Jane. Then things start to spiral out of control from there. Molly and Evan and […]
Witches of Lychford (2015) Paul Cornell I thoroughly enjoyed London Falling, and so ordered both the sequel, and also this unrelated short story, when I saw them. However, London Falling was a very complicated story that required my attention to keep things straight, so I put off reading The Severed Streets and this short story, […]
Fire Touched (2016) Patricia Briggs And after finishing everything else, I went back to re-read Fire Touched. I actually really liked reading these one after another, because there were bits that I’d forgotten from previous books, that remained fresh in my mind. It added a bit of extra enjoyment, since I remembered why these characters […]
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson (2014) Patricia Briggs Interspersed with the novels, I read the short stories in Shifting Shadows. Patricia Briggs is quite good at writing short stories, which is why re-reading is such a pleasure. Silver Fairy Gifts (previously published in Naked City) Gray (previously published in Home Improvement: […]
Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs The fourth Alpha & Omega book occurs before Night Broken. Charles takes Anna out to Colorado to meet an old friend. “Really?” said Joseph tentatively. “You don’t remember?” “Someone asked me not to,” said Charles. “And I told him I would oblige him. So no. I don’t remember.” And to […]
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs The third Alpha & Omega book takes place several years between River Marked and Frost Burned. After the werewolves became known to the public, Charles’ job became much more difficult, since infractions that were previously allowed to slide, now carry a death sentence–a sentence that in many cases Charles has […]
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs The second Alpha & Omega book takes place soon after the events in Cry Wolf (around the events of Moon Called.) Bran has called a meeting with the European wolves, to discuss the fact that he is bringing the wolves out into the public. Anna is still coming to terms […]
Night Broken (2014) Patricia Briggs Book 8 finds Beauclaire wanting his father’s walking stick back from Mercy. “Beauclaire knew that someone was going to have to take out Lugh. He was, apparently, girding up his loins to do just that when Da took care of it. That didn’t mean he didn’t swear vengeance.” Adam’s ex-wife […]
Frost Burned (2013) Patricia Briggs Book 7 finds Mercy adjusting to married life–and being a step mother. It also has Mercy attempting to discover what has happened to the entire pack, when they are kidnapped by rogue federal agents. This book has several scenes that have stuck with me, including Mercy throwing up on Kyle’s […]
River Marked (2011) Patricia Briggs Book 6 is Mercy’s wedding to Adam, and further problems with the Fae and other supernatural creatures. And their honeymoon. “Are we going to Portland?” I asked. “Or Multnomah Falls?” He smiled at me. “Go to sleep.” I waited three seconds. “Are we there yet?” However, on the good side, […]
Silver Borne (2010) Patricia Briggs Book 5 finds the Fae wanting an item back from Mercy–except that she’s not certain just what is is they want back, and also finds the pack using those bonds against Mercy. I stumbled back away from the truck, shaking and sweating in the night air, the fae stick in […]
Bone Crossed (2009) Patricia Briggs The 4th Mercy Thompson book follows immediately after the events in book three–actually it replays and finishes the scene that the third book closes, and I appreciate the way this scene plays out. Mercy had really awful things happen to her in the previous book, and it seemed like she’d […]
Iron Kissed (2008) Patricia Briggs This is probably the hardest Mercy story to read, but I read it, and cried like I always do. Samuel had learned to write before typewriters and computers rendered penmanship an art practiced by elementary school children. His notes always looked like formal wedding invitations. “Shoot,” he said, the word […]
Blood Bound (2007) Patricia Briggs This is the second Mercy Thompson book, and finds Mercy paying back her debt to Stephan that was incurred in the first book. Why couldn’t the people I cared about just need someone to fix their cars? I could do that. I especially like the end of this story, where […]
Moon Called (2006) Patricia Briggs And now comes the re-reading of the Mercy Thompson series. Here’s the back-cover blurb: Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself. I […]
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs This is the first full Alpha & Omega novel, and takes place immediately after the events in the novella. (And by immediately, I mean, the next day.) Charles’ Brother Wolf has claimed Anna as mate, but as Anna knows very little about being a werewolf, and absolutely nothing about being […]
Alpha & Omega (2007) Patricia Briggs (found in Shifting Shadows) The novella Alpha & Omega first appeared in On the Prowl, which I picked up only for the Patricia Briggs story. I recommend getting Shifting Shadows rather than that. That is not, by the way, the cover for either Shifting Shadows or Alpha & Omega, […]
Fire Touched (2016) Patricia Briggs The 9th Mercy Thompson book finds the problems with the Fey becoming even greater. They Fae are still hiding on their Reservations or Underhill. (W)e thought for a while that we could stay on our reservations. No humans could get in, not with their fighter jets or tanks. A bard […]
Half-Resurrection Blues, Audible version (2015) Daniel José Older, read by Daniel José Older I admit I was slightly nervous about this audio book, since it was ready by the author. But I liked the book so much, I decided to give it a try. I had nothing to worry about. Michael and I listened to […]
Jinn and Juice (2014) Nicole Peeler I absolutely adored the Jane True series, and so I eagerly ordered this book. Then I got it, started it, and then put it right back down. It just didn’t grab me the way the Jane True series did. But recently I decided that I was going to give […]
Wickedly Ever After (2016) Deborah Blake Barbara Yager–one of the Baba Yaga in north America, has been married in the eyes of the mundane world, but in order to share her long life with her husband, she must be hand-fasted by the queen of faerie. This is a novella that follows Wickedly Dangerous and it […]
Blood in Her Veins (2016) Faith Hunter Wesa and the Lumber King The Early Years Snafu Cat Tats Kits Haint(s) Signatures of the Dead First Sight Blood, Fangs, and Going Furry Dance Master Golden Delicious Cajun with Fangs The Devil’s Left Boot Beneath a Bloody Moon Black Water Off the Grid Not All Is as […]
Blood Trade audible version (2013) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam I really like the Jane Yellowrock series, and I remain pleased with Khristine Hvam’s narration, especially her differentiation between Jane and Beast. Rating: 8/10 Published by Audible
Shadowshaper (2015) Daniel José Older I think that Daniel José Older is now made it to my Must Buy list of authors. I have adored everything I’ve ready by him, and I also cannot WAIT to give this book to the teens in my life. Sierra Santiago wants to spend the summer painting, working on […]
The Brimstone Deception (2016) Lisa Shearin I really like this series. Makenna Fraser is a seer for the SPI–the government agency in charge of supernatural crimes (and seeing that the supernatural don’t come to the attention of the public). Her talent is a rare one, and the previous individuals to hold her job all died […]
Midnight Taxi Tango (2016) Daniel José Older First things first: that is an absolutely MARVELOUS cover. I LOVE it. It’s (obviously) not Carlos, who was the main character of the first book (and who is a main character here, never fear) but is Kia, the high school student who works at Baba Eddie’s botánica and […]
The Last Watch (2009) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield The fourth book in the Night Watch series means I’m now ready to read the fifth book–finally! “A car’s not the right place for showing off to a girl— the bed’s for that. The consequences of a mistake there are more upsetting, but less tragic… […]
Twilight Watch (2003/2007) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield This may be my favorite book as a whole, although other books have stronger single stories. “We’re the ones who corrupt people,” the boss said bitterly. “Do you understand? We do it ourselves! Offer someone money once, twice . . . and the third time he […]
Day Watch (1999/2007) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield Although the first story in this book is probably my least favorite in the series (even though it’s good, I don’t like it) the second story might be one of my favorites. It seemed that the accepted thing among members of the Watches was for the […]
Night Watch (2006) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield I really love this series, so it was time to re-read! “The common good and the individual good rarely coincide . . .” Sure, I know. It’s true. But some truths are probably worse than lies. He enjoyed life for its own sake, not for material […]
Deadly Spells (2015) Jaye Wells This is (possibly) the conclusion to the Prospero’s War series. There are other places the story could go from here, but the major story arc–with Kate coming to terms with her past and how she is going to let it affect and influence her present–is concluded. The MEA is called […]
Dark Heir (2015) Faith Hunter I pre-ordered this, started to read, saw that it was going to be about the Son of Darkness, and then put it down for a couple months, because I wasn’t sure how I felt about Jane going up again a Son of Darkness. Luckily, it didn’t go where I was […]
Unspoken (2015) C.C. Hunter This is the conclusion to Della Tsang’s Shadow Falls story arc. I presume we’ll soon get a Miranda arc, but as she’s my least favorite character of the three, I’m not sure how excited I’ll be about that. Della is still not sure how she feels about Chase, although she’s been […]
Death’s Rival, Audible Version (2012) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam Jane has returned to New Orleans–she has no other home right now, and nowhere else to go after the events of the last book. So she’s working for Leo, and heading out to collect blood samples from sick vamps–someone has created a vampire illness […]
Dark Ascension (2015) M. L. Brennan I believe this is the conclusion to the series. If it’s not the conclusion, then I’m extremely disappointed with the ending. If it is the conclusion, then I’m okay with the ending. It wasn’t awesome, but I can understand the desire to neatly wrap things up. Fort has started […]
A Red-Rose Chain (2015) Seanan McGuire This is the 9th Toby Daye book, and Toby and Tybalt have not yet gotten married, but everyone seems to be awaiting their wedding. But in the meantime, war is preparing to break out, and it’s up to Toby to stop it. And… that gets to me no longer […]
Mercy Thompson: Hopcross Jilly (2015) Patricia Briggs and Tom Garcia I’m a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson series, and also love Patricia Briggs’ short stories, so although I didn’t love the first Mercy Thompson graphic novel I read, I got this because I do like her short stories. This story puts a great deal […]
Raven Cursed Audible version (2012/2012) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam I am really enjoying listening to this series–perhaps more than I was expecting to. I’ve found that when I listen to a book, I tend to hear things I missed when reading, especially when it comes to action scenes, where I’m speed reading through […]
Sympathy for the Devil (2011) Justin Gustainis I came to this series because I very much enjoy his Occult Crimes Unit Investigations (despite the horrific covers), so I’ve been slowly working my way through his Quincy Morris series. Slowly, because I just don’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as the other series. I started […]
Kitty Takes a Holiday Audible Version (2007/2009) Carrie Vaughn narrated by Marguerite Gavin This is the third Kitty book, and finds Kitty out in the woods, attempting to recover from the events of the previous book (where she was exposed to the world as a werewolf). I’ve listened to the Kitty books while I’ve been […]
Moon Called Audible Version (2006/2009) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King The first time I tried to listen to this was immediately after finishing a Rivers of London audio book. There was just no way anyone can compare to Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, so I just couldn’t get into it. So, I started it again after when […]