Bloggiesta - The Wrap Up (#bloggiesta)

I finally got started taking part in Bloggiesta today and so I set my to-do list at just two "must do" items (revamp my pages and check out as many hints and tips as possible). I've achieved both of these and also done a lot more so I'm going to write a what I've done list :)

• Added Rating System page
• Added Memes page
• Added Giveaway Policy page
• Updated Review Policy page
• Updated my Review Archive
• Created a gravatar with the help of Jenni Elise
• Changed my blogger and twitter icons to match my new gravatar
• Added a cool background to my twitter page
• Replied to neglected comments
• Added LinkWithin (something I love on other blogs)
• Added an FTC disclosure
• Added copyright
• Halved my review backlog
• Learnt what alt tags are, and how to use them
• Learnt how to grade my website from Smash Attacks Reads

Bloggiesta To-Do

I'm a bit late getting started as I've been feeling under the weather this weekend, but here is my to-do list for Bloggiesta:

• Revamp my pages
• Check out as many hints and tips as possible

Missing Rebecca Book Tour

I've been lucky enough to take part in the Book Tour for Missing Rebecca, and as a part of that I've interviewed the author John Worsley Simpson.

What do you enjoy most about being an author?

I enjoy discovering and exploring characters and their lives and adventures. While it may seem that I, as author, create the characters, the reality is that they make themselves known to me — as characters do to all writers. If you “make them up,” they won’t be real, they won’t be true, their stories will be yours, not theirs.

Which authors inspire your writing?

I’m inspired indirectly by Shakespeare and Flaubert and Dickens, et al. More directly, I’m inspired by Elmore Leonard, Rex Stout, Eric Ambler, RossMacdonald, Colin Dexter, Dorothy Sayers, Georges Simenon and G.K. Chesterton.

What are you favourite books?

Madame Bovary, Maigret Hesitates, The Moonstone, Jude the Obscure and the Nine Tailors.

What was the inspiration behind Missing Rebecca?

It began with a fantasy: man goes to the mall with his wife and she vanishes. That takes on a particular slant if it’s a comedy, and an entirely different one if it’s a mystery. In the first, the man can conveniently let the missing wife stay missing; in the second, despite his wishes, he has to look for her, or he must have bumped her off, or arranged for her removal.

What is next for you as an author?

I’m working on the fifth book in my Harry Stark, detective series. Stark, retired from the Toronto police service, is in England, workingas a private detective, charged with investigating the robbery of a million-pound ruby.

Missing Rebecca by John Worsley Simpson

Title: Missing Rebecca
Author: John Worsley Simpson

Publisher: Gollancz
ISBN: 978-1475266603
Pages: 217
Series: N/A
Type: Adult Mystery
Source: Received for Review
Goodreads


After a whirlwind romance, Liam and Rebecca marry despite knowing barely anything about each other's backgrounds. A few short months after their wedding in the middle of an afternoon shopping trip Rebecca vanishes, seemingly abducted leaving a miriad of questions in her wake. Who would want to abduct Rebecca? Or did she willingly disappear? Was the marriage a sham? Is Liam a dupe?

This is one of those books which sounds really interesting and you can't wait to start reading. A whirlwind romance cut short when the girl suddenly disappears, leaving her heartbroken husband to discover why? It sounded exactly like the kind of book I'd love so I was disappointed when my enjoyment fell short. I really struggled with the author's writing style which has long sentences and chunks of dialogue where I had to keep checking who was who.

The character development was unusual in that it relied mostly on info-dumping their pasts while failing really tell you who the characters were. It was easy to see the facts of their life - the cop who joined the Marshals rather than continue on to law school - but it didn't really show their motivations. This meant I never really felt engaged with the characters and didn't feel connected enough to be more than a little interested in why Rebecca disappeared.

A big flaw in the book is that the romance between Rebecca and Liam, the supposed driving force behind his desperation to find his wife, is covered in a few paragraphs. A short while after her disappearance and he's already calming talking about the possibility he was conned. For a whirlwind romance I'd have expected his emotions to be a lot higher rather than the oddly unemotional way he acts after the first couple of chapters.

I did enjoy the mystery as it was cleverly written and packed with more twists and turns than I thought could fit in a single book. The author has deftly created layer upon layer of plot that undermines the reader's assumptions at every turn. The drug industry angle was well handled, creating a believable manipulative force underpining the central mystery. Unfortunately that was the only part I did enjoy.

All in all this was an okay read but I'm not sure I'd read anything else from this author.

Plot: 6/10
Characters: 4/10
Ending: 5/10
Enjoyment: 4/10
Cover: 5/10

Overall: 24/50

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Title: Enclave
Author: Ann Aguirre

Publisher: Frewel and Friends
ISBN: 978-0-312-65008-7
Pages: 259
Series: Razorland #1
Type: Young Adult Dystopian
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


In College enclave, hidden in the tunnels beneath a ruined New York, people only earn the right to a name if they survive their first fifteen years. Once you age enough to leave the ranks of unnamed brats, you choose a path as a Breeder, a Builder or a Hunter. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember so she is thrilled to join their ranks, even when she is paired with Fade a boy who grew up outside the enclave. A Hunter's job is to patrol the tunnels, bringing back food and fighting the monsters known as Freaks but as the Freaks become more intelligent, Deuce is forced to question the rules she has lived her life by.

This is the first in the Razorland trilogy and it was a book I approached with trepidation. I'd seen good reviews, it sounded interesting, even the trailer looked good but something made me hesitate. Now I've read it I really regret that hesitation as this is an outstanding read. Set in a future where people have taken refuge in underground tunnels, it soon becomes clear the author has really done her research as the narrative has a realistic take on how difficult that life would be.

The dystopia and world building are excellent as by introducing Deuce at the start of her Huntress career, the reader is introduced to the world alongside Deuce meaning that there is no info dumping and the revelations come in some surprising twists and turns. The plot is tightly written and a steady pace is maintained throughout as Deuce's world steadily expands beyond the tunnels that used to be all she knew. The dystopia itself is scarily believable yet leaving room for new facts to emerge.

Deuce is a great lead character as she is strong and relentless. I found it really easy to identify with her, despite the fact our lives have nothing in common. Her determination to serve her enclave and her gradual realisation that things aren't okay made me like her. Fade is the perfect way for Deuce's illusions to be shattered. He doesn't maliciously change her world, just points out things with the perspective of an outsider allowing the revelations to happen naturally. The romance between them takes a backseat to the action but it is nevertheless well written and developed.

The Freaks quickly become a horrifying threat, and their existence develops alongside the main plot. They quickly go from dangerous but stupid monsters, to terrifyingly smart calculating predators a shift which undermines the stability the enclave claims. In some ways this is a book of two halves as the story development leads Deuce and Fade "topside" and out of the tunnels, revealing the reasons behind the downfall of society and more about Fade's past. The storyline flows through the location change and the ending leaves Deuce and Fade ready to continue their adventures.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm really looking forward to Outpost.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Fall into Reading 2012

Fall into Reading is a great challenge hosted every year by Katrina @ Callapidder Days. Fall into Reading is a no-stress challenge where you create a list of books you want to read this fall, and then try and read them by December 21st.

I took part in Fall into Reading last year and while I had a ton of fun, I also set my reading goal waaaaay too high. This year I'm taking a more relaxed approach and only choosing 5 books. It's enough to feel like a challenge, especially as I have no idea what to read at the moment, but at the same time feels achievable.

My reading list:

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh - I've heard so many awesome things about this one but it took the release of the sequel for me to finally pick up a copy. The characters sound fun, the romance sounds sweet but it's the connection to Poe that caught my attention as I love his work.



 

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake - I read Anna Dressed in Blood last year after my sister treated me to a copy and I loved it so I'm not sure why I have yet to read my copy of the sequel. I'm hoping it's as creepy as the first.

Outpost by Ann Aguirre - Recently I read Enclave (the first in the Razorland series). I picked it up thinking I'd read a chapter or two, and ended up reading half the book in a single sitting. Had I not been exhausted by that point I'd definitely have continued so I'm really looking forward to this.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick - I've been waiting for this to come out since I finished Silence last year. It's the final book in the Hush, Hush series and after the end of Silence I cannot wait to see what happens to Patch and Nora next.



 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater - Another preorder, but one with only days to go. I'm a huge fan of Maggie's writing so getting a copy was always my plan but when I saw the trailer I got really excited for this. It looks incredible!

The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Annette Blair

Title: The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 0-425-21346-3
Pages: 269
Series: Accidental Witch Trilogy #3
Type: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Rory MacKenzie has been treated as a pariah for his entire life because his ancestor lost the woman he loved and by sending her his greatest piece of work, he cursed the village for all eternity. Victoria Cartwright has inherited the key to a mysterious wardrobe that will only reveal its treasures for the woman with the magic of her ancestors. When Vickie opens the wardrobe and finds a beautifully carved unicorn, she and Rory find themselves thrown together by the choices of their ancestors.

This is the final book in the Accidental Witch Trilogy (after The Kitchen Witch and My Favorite Witch) and this time focuses on Vickie. Although the series began as pure contemporary romances, the magical aspect has steadily grown and this sits very close to being a paranoraml romance. I've wanted to know more about Vickie since she was introduced so it's great to see things from her perspective.

The storyline is well plotted and maintains a steady pace throughout. There are a few twists and turns which keep things interesting, one of which introduces Harmony, Destiny and Storm who are set to star in the Triplet Witch trilogy which follows on from this. The romance between Vickie and Rory is well written. Vickie dislikes Rory from the start and Rory isn't looking for romance so they each resist the feelings developing between them.

Unlike in the previous books, Vickie is very body conscious and this is well dealt with as unlike other romances she doesn't suddenly realise her beauty when a hot guy takes an interest. The other aspect of the book that is particularly well done is the scars both Vickie and Rory carry from their childhoods and gradually begin to heal with the support of each other.

I was really surprised by how much I liked Vickie's antique store. Vintage fashion has been a key element in the books since the beginning so it was really great to read more about it. The magic in the story is also unique as rather than cast spells, Vickie seems to make rhyming wishes that come true in some hilarious ways.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to the first Triplet Witch book Sex and the Psychic Witch.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 46/50

My Favorite Witch by Annette Blair

Title: My Favorite Witch
Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 0-425-20723-4
Pages: 286
Series: Accidental Witch Trilogy #2
Type: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Jason Pickering Goddard's career as a playboy ice hockey star came to a dramatic halt when a car accident left him unable to play. At the insistence of his grandmother he is the new Director of Special Events at the struggling Pickering Foundation, hoping his fame will save the foundation's boys foster home. But when Jason walks into the office to see Kira Fitzgerald with wand in hand cursing her ex-fiance, he wonders if he'll be able to survive the year with Kira as his new coordinator let alone save the foundation.

This is the second book in the Accidental Witch trilogy (after The Kitchen Witch), this time focuses on Kira who was introduced in the previous book. Kira has left Salem and moved to Rhode Island to work at the Pickering Foundation after she caught her ex-fiance cheating on her with her sister. Jason has also returned to Rhode Island with broken dreams after being forced to leave the NHL. The book is well plotted and paced, with a few twists and turns thrown in and a healthy dollop of tension from the foundation's struggles to maintain a full St. Anthony's Home for Boys.

Interestingly neither Kira nor Jason are interested in starting a relationship, and while they have sparks from the moment they met each resists them accordingly. This allows them to develop a friendship which eventually grows to include some intriguing rabbit holes. Both Kira and Jason are really well written with interesting backstories and well developed personalities.

The supporting characters are equally well written. Bessie, Jason's grandmother frequently interferes in their relationship, trying to push Jason to be happy despite his determination to return to the ice. The boys from St. Anthony's steal pretty much every scene they are in, especially the twins Travis and Zane. Travis is desperate to be adopted but won't abandon his disabled brother which leads to some heart-wrenching scenes.

Melody and Vicki also appear in this book, allowing us to catch up with Melody and Logan who are now married and expecting a baby as well as the Kitchen Witch show which Kira uses as part of the fundraising campaign. We also get to learn more about Vicki who is the lead character in the final book of the trilogy.

All in all this was another great read and I'm looking forward to The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 46/50

The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair

Title: The Kitchen Witch
Author: Annette Blair
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 0-425-19881-2
Pages: 295
Series: Accidental Witch Trilogy #1
Type: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


When Logan Kilgarven offers to help his neighbour Melody Seabright get a job at his TV station in exchange for babysitting his son, the last thing he expects is for Melody to bewitch the manager into giving her a cooking show. Melody is thrilled to have landed such an awesome job, but resisting the temptation of stuffed suit Logan isn't her only problem. The Kitchen Witch is an great idea for a show...as long as Melody can learn to cook.

This is the first book in the Accidental Witch trilogy and one of my favourite books that I have read and re-read multiple times. This manages to blend magic, laughter and romance flawlessly with interfering parental figures, a television show and mouthwatering descriptions of food. Despite the a magical angle this is a contemporary romance, although if you read the entire trilogy they do evolve into paranormal romance by the third book.

All of the characters are really well written and the author has managed to build believable backstories that help explain their motivations without info-dumping the reader. Melody is the perfect balance of ditzy and determined. She has a major thing for vintage fashion, but she's also stubborn and desperate to prove her worth. Logan hides his bad boy tendancies under a pressed suit, trying to do the best thing by his son Shane, who is the cutest kid ever and I'm not usually a fan of children.

It is great to read about Logan and Melody's work as well as the development side of television shows isn't something frequently seen in books. I loved Melody's early attempts at cooking and I was really rooting for her show to succeed. I really enjoyed how neither Logan nor Melody wanted to be attracted to each other and actively sought out more appropriate partners, especially when they were working from their preconceptions of one another.

All in all this is an awesome read and I'm looking forward to My Favorite Witch.

Plot: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 48/50

Bloggiesta Fall 2012

I'm really excited to have learnt that Bloggiesta is back for the Fall 2012 edition, running from September 28th to the 30th. Yay! Bloggiesta is a book blogging event hosted by Suey at It's All About Books and Danielle at There's a Book which gives loads of advice and tips on sprucing up your blog, as well as being a great way to meet other bloggers.

My pages definitely need some work so I'm going to be focusing on getting those sorted. I'm also looking forward to picking up some new tips and tricks from more experienced bloggers :)

If you'd like to sign up too then click here.

Teaser Tuesday (39)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.
 

My teaser:

" "You kinky little devil," said the wicked witch of the east, spiking his guns.
    Nearby a gaffer with a death wish chuckled."

~ Page 51, The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair

13 by Kelley Armstrong

Title: 13
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-803-4
Pages: 442
Series: Otherworld #13
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


The Otherworld is perched on the brink of war. The Supernatural Liberation Movement are poised to reveal the existence of supernaturals to the rest of the world in a bloody display of power, utilizing a deadly virus in hopes of controlling those in positions of power. Savannah Levine is forced to make a stand and lead a group to stop the revelations. Now Elena and Clay, Paige and Lucas, Jeremy and Jaime, Hope, Eve and more must stand with Savannah and Adam to protect their world.

This is the final book in the Otherworld series (which started with Bitten) and is the concluding part of a trilogy within the main series that began with Waking the Witch and Spell Bound. This isn't the absolute end of the series as the author plans to release short stories, but it is the end for now. If you are a new reader I'd encourage you to start at the beginning of the series as this is a conclusion of all the previous books.

Once again Savannah is the narrator although I was thrilled to see chapters from the perspectives of past narrators (Elena, Paige, Eve, Jaime and Hope all have a turn) as not only was it a way of saying goodbye to their characters, it also furthered the storyline. Savannah is still pretty much without her powers but she is learning that wasn't her only strength and is fighting back. Her relationship with Adam finally moves into romance territory, although the sheer amount of action in the storyline means that the romance is in the background.

The storyline is fast paced and densely plotted, packed with twists and turns that leave you breathless. The author manages to pick up all sorts of storylines from the previous books and novellas and uses them to create an action-packed deliciously detailed plot. Even storylines I thought were over (Lucas's role in the Cabal, Jaz's imprisonment, Adele's baby, Savannah's relationship with the Nasts) are picked up and developed further. The relationships between the characters are also developed further, with Lucas struggling with Adam's feeling for Savannnah and Karl finally accepting his role in the Pack.

The ending is perfect but hard to discuss without spoilers. All I can say is that each character ends up with something that makes them incredibly happy but thought they could never have. There is a final note included at the end from Kelley Armstrong that explains why she chose to end the book (and series) in this way and I fully agree with her. This is a beautiful, if bittersweet, conclusion to one of my favourite series.

There is also a bonus short story included called "From Russia, with Love" featuring Elena. Basically it is a brief story that shows how she takes on the Alpha role and for me it's inclusion in this edition was brilliant. Before I read the final three books, I felt the series should end as it began with Elena as the narrator. I loved how the series was concluded but this is really the icing on top as it brings Elena full circle and gives the conclusion I was hoping for.

All in all this was a brilliant end to an outstanding series.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Cover Characteristics (1)

Cover Characteristic is a great meme is hosted by Sugar & Snark. Each week a new characteristic is posted, and to take part you pick your favourite 5 covers that fit with the topic.

Here are my top 5 covers for this weeks Cover Characteristic: dresses.

5. The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair is a really cute quirky cover. I love the roses on the dress and how simple the cover is.

4. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake is one of my favourite books and I love how detailed the dress is on the cover...right down to the hemline dripping blood.

3. The dress on the cover of Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey has a beautiful lace section across the shoulders. This is the kind of dress I would wear myself.

2. Rapture by Lauren Kate is my favourite of the Fallen series, although it is really hard to pick just one as they are all pretty. I love how the white dress contrasts with the grey background.

1. My favourite dress cover of all has to be Envy by Anna Godbersen. It is such a beautiful dress, and the overlaid detailing on the book is just gorgeous.

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-808-9
Pages: 339
Series: Otherworld #12
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Savannah Levine has made a mistake. In a moment of despair she offered up her powers in exchange for the happiness of a young girl. Unfortunely for Savannah someone - or something - was listening and took her up on her deal. Now she is stuck with no powers in the middle of a crisis the supernatural world has never seen before.

This is the twelfth and penultimate book in the Otherworld series (which started with Bitten) and picks up right where the previous book left off. This is the middle book in a final trilogy that started with Waking the Witch and will conclude in the final installment 13 so if you are a new reader I definitely wouldn't recommend starting here.

The storyline builds on the last book, and begins to pick up threads from the previous books weaving them to create the beginnings of the final battle. Most of the previous Otherworld characters appear in this book, helping to grow the story in anticipation of the final book, although with the exception of the prologue Savannah remains the sole narrator. This means that the main storyline is focused on Savannah but the world building fits naturally with her understanding, rather than relying on info dumping the reader.

I really enjoyed that Savannah is made to grow up even more. She showed her maturity in the last installment, but when her powers are taken away she backslides a little and is forced to realise that her powers were not her entire identity. This aspect of the book is where the other Otherworld characters really add to the narrative as Clay helps her realise she needs to grow up. It also means that Savannah gets advice on her and Adam's changing relationship, forcing her to act as an adult.

This does feel a little like a needs to be done series book as a huge amount of ground is covered in a relatively short period of time. Some of the twists are a little predictable and the pace is slowed by the short period of time the book is set over. I still enjoyed the book and was glued to the page throughout as more and more is revealed about the bad guys and their mission.

All in all, this was another great read and I'm looking forward to 13.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Waking the Witch
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-806-5
Pages: 325
Series: Otherworld #11
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Savannah Levine is taking on her first case as a private investigator. Three young women have been found dead, apparent victims of a ritualistic murderer, and the small dying town of Columbus has been shaken to its core. Savannah's investigation is hindered by resistance from the locals to her presence in their town, but she quickly discovers that the case is a lot stranger and more sinister than she could have predicted and it's not long before Savannah herself is at risk of becoming the killer's next target.

This is the eleventh book in the Otherworld series (which started with Bitten) and is the first installment of the three book conclusion to the series, told from Savannah's viewpoint. If you are a new reader I'd recommend starting at the beginning as this book builds on the previous storylines.

Savannah is a character who was first introduced as a twelve-year-old orphan in the second book of the series. Now she is twenty-one and working for Cortez-Winterbourne Investigations. Savannah has been gradually growing up in the background of the books since her introduction so it is great to see her as an adult taking a leading role. She is a lot more mature now and focused on creating a life for herself as well as gaining the respect of her adoptive parents. One thing that hasn't changed about her is her crush on half-demon Adam Vasic, although her expectations as an adult are different to those as a child.

The storyline is cleverly plotted and fast paced, packed with twists and turns. I did manage to figure out one twist in advance which was a little disappointing, however it then twisted again into something I didn't see coming at all. The twists are spread throughout both Savannah's investigation and her relationships with her fellow investigators Jesse Aanes, a half-demon PI, and Michael Kennedy, an off-duty cop whose sister was one of the victims. There is less of a romantic focus than in previous installments, possibly because Savannah is narrating the two books directly after this.

As with the other books in the series the world building is expanded, although by a smaller amount in this installment as the focus is on a longer running storyline. Witches are explored a little more, with a focus on darker magics, and a new supernatural race is introduced. For the first time in this series the book ends on a cliffhanger, another sign that the final three Otherworld books are essentially a trilogy within a series.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Spell Bound.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Frostbitten
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-775-4
Pages: 405
Series: Otherworld #10
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Elena Michaels has finally accepted her life as a werewolf after years of internal struggle so when she and Clay are sent to Alaska with the twin missions of tracking down a mutt and investigating a series of gruesome murders she expects a simple job. The truth is a lot more complicated and Elena soon finds herself forced to confront the horrors of her past while realising that there are other, older supernatural races hidden in the frozen terrain that may threaten her very existence.

This is the tenth book in the Otherworld series (which started with Bitten) and not only features the return of Elena Michaels as narrator but also a return to form after a couple of less enjoyable books. If you are a new reader I'd definitely recommend beginning at the start of the series as this book is really the culmination of Elena's adventures over the last nine books.

Coming back to Elena as a narrator means coming back to the relationship between her and Clay which has changed to a more balanced settled family status with their twins. The romance and passion is still there though. It also means that Elena's pre-werewolf past is revisited and she is given the opportunity to deal and move on, a task made more difficult by the revelation that Jeremy expects her to replace him as Alpha of the Pack. Clay is also struggling with the damage left to his arm from a previous installment and is left questioning if he is still strong enough to protect Elena.

The storyline is densely plotted and packed with twists and turns, and the change of setting means that Alaska gets contrasted with the previous locations of the series. It is vastly different and the location is incredibly well developed and described, almost taking on a life of its own. The book is also fast paced and I was glued to the page throughout. I loved how new characters were gradually introduced and how Elena and the Pack formed new alliances, especially with the Russian Pack.

The idea of other supernatural races that the main community doesn't know about has been featured in some of Kelley Armstrong's books (both her adult Otherworld series and her YA trilogies), but the introduction of a precursor race to werewolves is interesting. The creatures are quite scary in how they are introduced and it definitely adds a new layer to the book.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Waking the Witch.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Living with the Dead
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-396-1
Pages: 440
Series: Otherworld #9
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Robyn Peltier is a completely normal person trying to recover from the loss of her husband. When her new boss is murdered and she finds herself the prime suspect in a murder investigation, Robyn is way out of her depth and turns to her best friend Hope Adams for help. But Robyn doesn't know she's accidentally stumbled into a supernatural turf war, or that Hope is a half-demon and her boyfriend Karl is a werewolf. Now Robyn is forced to accept a whole new reality to save her life.

This is the ninth book in the Otherworld series (which started with Bitten) and sees a change in style. Previously the books had featured one or two narrators, while this one features five giving the story a somewhat disjointed feel. It also continues on from Hope's story in Personal Demon and this means that although this is supposed to be Robyn's book, it never really feels truly hers while the massive cast makes it hard to connect with the new characters.

The plot is cleverly written and well plotted with plenty of twists and turns, and the idea of a human being sucked in to the Otherworld is interesting. The storyline feels darker than the other books, featuring several abusive situations and unsympathetic characters. Even one character who I started the book feeling sorry for ended up being someone I despised by the end of the book. There is also pretty much no romance in the book, except in those scenes featuring Hope and Karl who are toning down their relationship so as not to upset Robyn.

The world building focuses mainly on clairvoyants who haven't received a massive amount of attention in previous installments due to their rarity. It is interesting to see how a group of supernaturals have separated themselves from others in order to protect themselves. It has been made clear in the past that the Cabals are desperate for clairvoyants so to see that relationship from the clairvoyants perspective adds a new dimension.

It does feel that this is setting up the end-game of the series (which will play out in the final three books Waking The Witch, Spell Bound and 13), especially when the book ends with Hope considering all of the unusual events from Broken (book 6) onwards. It does bring these events to the front of the readers mind, but it is another feature that makes this book feel less like Robyn's and more like a gap filler in the series.

All in all, this was an interesting read and I'm looking forward to Frostbitten.

Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 39/50

Teaser Tuesdays (38)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

"Well, no more. It was time to fight."

~ Page 90, Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

Personal Demon by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Personal Demon
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-397-8
Pages: 476
Series: Otherworld #8
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Gift
Goodreads


Hope Adams owes Benicio Cortez a favour, and when he calls it in her hunger for chaos leads her to accept and travel to Miami. Benicio needs her to infiltrate a gang of supernaturals who are causing problems for the Cabal, but Hope becomes intoxicated by the danger and soon finds herself in over her head. When Karl Marsten discovers the shared debt is being fulfilled by Hope alone, he tries to rescue her only for them to discover that the conflict between the gang and the Cabal is deeper and more dangerous than anyone could have predicted.

This is the eighth book in the Otherworld series (which started with Bitten) and sees half-demon Hope Adams take the narration role along with Lucas Cortez. I wasn't sure what to think of the joint narration at first as this is the first time a main book in the series has been written like this, but it soon becomes clear that the complexity of the case needs two viewpoints to explore. There are certain things Lucas can't show as he isn't part of the gang and others that Hope can't show as she is external to the Cabal.

Hope was first introduced in the novella 'Chaotic' featured in Dates from Hell and then appeared in the previous book (No Humans Involved) so her backstory has been partly covered before, although this installment gives more depth and shows things from her perspective. Hope's power is an attraction to chaos, which has the side benefit of allowing her to act as a chaos detector. I really liked how Hope identifies supernaturals by using visions (a storm means a Tempestras demon while running through woodland identifies a werewolf) but I had a hard time identifying with her at times.

I loved that Karl Marsten took a big role in this book as I've wanted to learn more about him since his introduction in Bitten. His backstory is explored a lot more, as are his motivations and choices which gives the romance a different quality. Karl however is not alone in his affection for Hope and she finds herself in a love triangle with gang member Jaz. I'm not a big fan of love triangles and this one did detract from the storyline a bit.

The story itself is cleverly plotted and deceptive in its depth. Changes take place that will echo throughout the future books of the series and the Cabal world-building gets a boost as the intricacies of the Cortez family are explored. Karl's backstory also adds a view of life as a mutt (non-Pack werewolf) which contrasts with the Pack's opinions. There are lots of twists and turns and the ending caught me by surprise, although at times the pacing felt like it was dragging.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Living With the Dead.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 42/50

No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong

Title: No Humans Involved
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1-84149-667-2
Pages: 438
Series: Otherworld #7
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Three top spiritualists gathered in one house to raise the ghost of Marilyn Monroe sounds like ideal reality TV, and for Jaime Vegas it could be the stepping stone she needs for her own show. Unlike her colleagues, Jaime is the real deal: a necromancer who can really contact the dead...and knows that the house is really haunted. Soon Jaime realises that multiple spirits are trapped in the gardens and calls upon Jeremy Danvers to help her investigate the ghosts horrifying origins.

This is the seventh book in the Otherworld series (after Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic, Industrial Magic, Haunted and Broken) and sees Jaime Vegas take over as narrator. Jaime has been a supporting character in the books since Industrial Magic and it's great to see her take a lead role given how much her character has been developed. Jaime is the oldest narrator so far and it's great to see how that maturity allows her to deal with manipulative TV executives and backstabbing co-stars.

Jaime's crush on Jeremy has been a key part of her character development as she's generally very mature and isn't prone to uncontrollable blushes and stammering. It has always appeared unrequited so it is fascinating to see Jeremy start showing signs of being interested in Jaime while trying to figure out how a potential relationship would work alongside his role as Alpha of the werewolf pack.

The book is mostly set in L.A. on the set of the spiritualist TV show where Jaime discovers some unusual ghosts in the gardens and is soon led on an investigation with Jeremy at her side. There are chapters interspersed from the perspective of the "bad guys" of the book and it soon becomes clear that the ghosts were killed in a shocking and barbaric way unheard of even in supernatural communities. The plot is well-paced and tension packed with lots of twists and turns, although one I did figure out a big one in advance.

The world building allows a closer look at necromancers and also brings half-demon Hope Adams into a main Otherworld book (she was previously the focus of a story in Dates from Hell). Hope is the narrator of the next book and I'm not really sure if I like her yet, although her relationship with Karl Marsten is interesting. The development of Jaime's necromancy continues from the last book, showing that she has one of the scariest gifts of all whilst allowing her to become more accepting of it. Eve and Kristoff also return to help Jaime out leading to some incredibly sweet scenes.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Personal Demon.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 47/50

Shelf Candy Saturday (24)

Shelf Candy Saturday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Maria at A Night's Dream of Books where each Saturday bloggers defy the saying "never judge a book by its cover" and showcase one that really catches their eye. Covers play a huge role in the books I choose so it's great to have the opportunity to showcase the pretties :)

My shelf candy for this week is the Darkness Rising trilogy (so far) by Kelley Armstrong.

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20s. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.

 

This is one of those books that I brought online and really didn't think much of the cover until it arrived. It's really pretty and shiny, and its actually a little harder to see the details as not only are the colours in the image above are more defined the shine off the cover means you need to look a lot closer. The cover is raised as well so some details are clearer to make out once you've felt them.

 

The cover really fits with the story of the book too with the crossed swords and the creepy hand really fitting with the idea of Hunters and Freaks, and the metallic circular background looks like something you'd expect to see in the underground tunnels of New York. I love how the title looks like a metal plate attached with screws, again fitting with the book.

 

This also gets massive points from me as it actually managed to scare my Mum. I passed it to her and she didn't spot the creepy hand on the cover until she went to pass it back and shrieked really loudly. I hadn't thought to mention the hand, but it freaked my Mum out. After she calmed down a bit she did admit that it fits really well with the book :)

So what's your shelf candy this week?

Broken by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Broken
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 1-84149-342-2
Pages: 444
Series: Otherworld #6
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Elena Michaels owes a favour to the devious half-demon Xavier and when he calls it in, the job seems simple. All he wants Elena to do is steal Jack the Ripper's infamous 'From Hell' letter from a private collector. But nothing is as simple as it seems when supernaturals are involved and a simple accident triggers a hidden spell placed on the letter, opening a portal into Victorian London. Elena must shut the portal as soon as possible, or everything she holds dear could be lost forever.

This is the sixth book in the Otherworld series (after Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic, Industrial Magic and Haunted) and returns to Elena as a narrator after a three book gap. If you are new to the series, or haven't at least read the first two books which are narrated by Elena, I wouldn't recommend starting here as you'll have missed a massive amount of backstory.

Elena and Clay's relationship has changed a lot since their introduction in Bitten. They are now happily together and expecting their first child, whilst Elena is willingly wearing her wedding band for the first time ever content in her decision to spend her life with Clay. They've managed to keep the passion and spark in their relationship although Clay is just as protective as always, if not more so due to the pregnancy. I love that their story has continued on whilst the reader was occupied with the other books as it adds a dimension of reality to the Otherworld. Another aspect I enjoyed was that Elena is happy to mix her old life in Toronto with her new life with the Pack, again showing how much she's grown.

The plot is just as densely plotted as usual, packed with twists and turns and allowing the characters to grow and develop even more. As usual the world-building gets a boost, this time focusing on sorcerers and the mechanics of portals while introducing zombies for the first time. The Jack the Ripper angle was something I was looking forward to when I started reading as I really enjoy anything based off the case. This offers a new and unique perspective to the history, allowing it to go in some unexpected directions. The idea of aspects of Victorian London passing into modern day Toronto are especially well-explored as it isn't only Jack the Ripper who transfers. Cholera, syphilitic prostitutes and diseased rats all cause chaos in a modern environment.

Jaime guest stars in this book and her crush on Jeremy is still as prevalent and unrequited as usual. Jaime is increasingly embarrased by it so it will be interesting to see what happens when she takes the narrator role in the next installment. The crush isn't the only focus on Jaime this time as she gets a scary vision of her future and takes her necromancy to a whole new level.

All in all, this was another great read and I'm looking forward to No Humans Involved.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 47/50

Haunted by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Haunted
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 1-84149-341-4
Pages: 495
Series: Otherworld #5
Type: Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Eve Levine has been dead for three years and has spent most of that time watching over her daughter Savannah who she is desperate to communicate with. But Eve owes the Fates a favour and they've just called it in. The Nix, an evil spirit who feeds on chaos and tempts mortals to kill for her, has escaped from hell and the Fates want Eve to bring her back. The Nix has driven her previous hunters insane and if that wasn't a big enough obstacle, she can only be captured with an angel's sword...and Eve's no angel.

This is the fifth book in the Otherworld series (after Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic and Industrial Magic) and features a brand new narrator in Eve Levine. Eve is an unusual choice as she has never been seen alive in the books, although her afterlife has seen her help Paige and Lucas in the previous installment thus leading to her debt with the Fates.

I've always been fascinated by Eve as her story so far has been pretty much told in the background. We know she was Savannah's mother and that she was a witch/half-demon who practiced dark magic. Beyond that Eve is a mystery so getting to explore her backstory is brilliant as she is a far more complex character than I originally expected. Kristof Nast (Savannah's father) is also a lead character in this book so we get to see his and Eve's relationship which explains a lot about their characters.

The plot is well-paced and developed and packed with twists and turns. I loved how chapters from the perspective of the Nix where shown, especially as these are set at different time periods and featured familiar sounding references (Abbey Borden is mentioned and one of the Nix's past partners sounds a lot like Myra Hindley). The Nix manages to be both evil and not-so-evil at the same time as she doesn't actually make any of her partners do anything. She just provides them with the resolve to carry out their twisted desires.

The world building gives the series an afterlife like no other, filled with various dimensions and levels. Supernaturals have their own afterlife that somewhat overlaps with our world, but even within that there are different regions including a pirate town. It is as if all earthly locations appear in their heyday so Miami is a swamp while Chicago is stuck in the 1920s. Interestingly different "heavenly" afterlives are contrasted with "hells", two of which are displayed - a grey void where your senses are all useless and a world full of homicidal maniacs forever trapped together with no victims.

A new supernatural species is also introduced with angels shown alongside demons who have previously only been mentioned in the books, unlike their half-demon offspring. As is standard with this series the world building is dense and complex without info-dumping, allowing angels to be introduced with a distinct mythology and varying "waves" of angel referring to their age and how close they are to humanity (the younger the angel, the more human).

All in all, this is a great read and I'm really looking forward to Broken.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50