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 […]

Newford Stories: Crow Girls (2015) Charles de Lint Ah, the Crow Girls. Crow Girls Twa Corbies The Buffalo Man A Crow Girls’ Christmas Make a Joyful Noise “Crow Girls” first appeared as a limited edition chapbook (1995). This is the introduction to the Crow Girls, who are some of my favorite characters. But it’s not […]

Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls (1994) Jane Lindskold This is an unusual book, part fantasy, part science fiction. I generally dislike SF, but the fantasy elements are a bit heavier, and the story is mostly about Sarah–much of the technology takes place in the background until the end of the story. Budget cutbacks have […]

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 […]

Sabriel (1995) Garth Nix Sabriel is the daughter of Abhorsen–the Charter necromancer who puts the restless dead beyond the ninth gate. She has been sent outside of the walls of the Old Kingdom for her education, seeing her father in person only a few times a year, but seeing him in death more frequently, as […]

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 […]

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, […]

A Pressing Engagement (2016) Anna Lee Huber Set in Edinburgh, Scotland in April 1831 This short story is Lady Darby’s wedding to Sebastian Gage. Except it isn’t really a short story, as much as it would truly be an excerpt from either the end of the previous book or the start of the upcoming book. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Far West (2012) Patricia C. Wrede The final book finds Eff grown up, but still unsure what to do with herself, even though she has come to terms with being a thirteenth child. Sometimes I couldn’t help thinking that the unluckiest thing about being a thirteenth child was having all those older brothers and […]

Across the Great Barrier (2011) Patricia C. Wrede The sequel to Thirteenth Child finds Eff coming to terms with her magic, and slowly discovering her dream–to travel the West, beyond the Great Barrier, studying the wildlife in that untamed area. Luckily for her, the events of the previous book have given her some leeway as […]

Thirteenth Child (2009) Patricia C. Wrede Eff’s twin brother Lan is a seventh son of a seventh son, and a natural magician. “Wow,” Dick said, looking after Papa and Lan. He looked back at me. “Does that mean you’re a natural, too? Because you’re his twin?” I stared at him. “I don’t know,” I said […]

A Soupçon of Poison (2015) Ashley Gardener Set in London in 1880 Kat Holloway is a cook for Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury, and although the position isn’t ideal in pay, he agreed to her request for an unusual number of days out, so she stays, even when he begins to make unusual and ridiculous demands. But […]

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 […]

A Study in Death (2015) Anna Lee Huber When Lady Drummond dies in front of Lady Darby, Kiera immediately believes the death not due to be apoplexy, but to poison. Unfortunately, Lord Drummond all but throws Lady Darby out, and so she cannot–even with the help of Gage–openly investigate the death. Additionally, Lady Darby and […]

A Grave Matter (2014) Anna Lee Huber Set in Scotland in 1831 Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) finds Lady Darby staying with her brother, in their childhood home, still grieving her friend’s death. But the Hogmanay Ball is interrupted (at the worst possible moment (of course)) with news of the murder of caretaker at neighboring Dryburgh […]

Dangerous to Know (2010) Tasha Alexander Set in ~1892 Recovering from the events of the previous book, Emily and Colin go to Normandy, to his mother’s house. Which turns out to be far more problematic than either expected. I’m done with this series for now. The stories are intersting, the mysteries are good, and I […]

Tears of Pearl (2009) Tasha Alexander Set in Europe in 1892 There are many problematic things with this story. I liked the historical bits, but the way Lady Emily was let into the Harem etc just seemed a bit far fetched, and I also had difficulty believing Emily actions regarding the harem. Yes, she rebels […]

A Fatal Waltz (2008) Tasha Alexander Set in 1891 This finds Lady Emily, Ivy, and others at a political house party–a party where the host is making it quite clear he will do everything in his powers to break Emily’s engagement to Colin. That was my least favorite part of the story–the whole Emily isn’t […]

A Poisoned Season (2007) Tasha Alexander Set in London ~1890 The mystery here involves the supposed son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and a thief who seems to specialize in articles once owned by the former queen. I do enjoy the dialog in this series. “And, Emily”—he grew serious—“if you ever…if Hargreaves doesn’t…if you […]

And Only to Deceive (2005) Tasha Alexander Set in England (and Paris) ~1889 The first time I read this book (soon after its publication) I didn’t like it. I felt it was more romance than mystery, and I wasn’t interested in reading a kissing book. Upon later reading, knowing what I was going to be […]

Mortal Arts (2013) Anna Lee Huber Set in Scotland in October 1830 The sequel to The Anatomist’s Wife finds Lady Darby returning to Edinburgh with her sister, brother-in-law, and their family when they receive an urgent summons from Phillip’s Aunt to join them at Dalmay house where her daughter has just become engaged to Michael […]

The Anatomist’s Wife (2012) Anna Lee Huber Set in Scotland in August 1830 Lady Darby has spent the last year and a half hiding in Scotland with her sister and brother-in-law, after the death of her husband and the scandal that arose following that. I quite like the relationship between Lady Darby and her sister. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

She-Hulk Vol. 1: Law and Disorder (2014) Charles Soule, Javier Pulido, and Ron Wimberly The A-Force Presents Vol I was my introduction to Jennifer Walters. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy her story (after all, she’s not damaged and conflicted–she’s instead stable with a good head on her shoulders). But I wasn’t expecting a well-adjusted lawyer, […]

Black Widow Vol. 3: Last Days (2015) Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto This is the closing volume of the Black Widow trilogy, and was very — difficult and depressing aren’t quite the right words, but much of it was hard to read. We see glimpses of Natasha’s past through the story, and the volume closes […]

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 […]