Into the Vampire City by Phil Tucker ★★★☆☆

Kept me guessing!

Fiction – YA – Dystopian/Urban Fantasy

224 pages

Publication Date:  2012

Other Name: Vampire Miami

The Human Revolt #1

Selah Brown chooses to go to the only family she has left in the vampire controlled city of Miami when her father disappears.  Originally on the hunt for her father Selah’s course changes when she unexpectedly gets tangled up with the vampires and a unique gift she possesses reveals itself, putting her family and new friends in danger and even possibly starting a new Vampire War.

Right from the beginning the well-designed book-world and finely crafted characters shine through.  Selah is very dynamic and I found the examination of how people react in survival mode, either holding onto the humanity harder or going no holds bar, fascinating.  Also, having the story take place after things had settled in an uncomfortable holding pattern after the vampire wars was an interesting time to choose and gave the story a unique perspective.  The writing was not to my taste - I found it rough, raw and a bit crowded – but my love for the premise and plot overcame the writing and led to another late night trying fight off my obsessive need to continue the story.  Not only does this plot drip with potential for growth, but I never knew what to expect next during the whole story.  There was one very gross part that bothered me, but luckily it was short and the only one of its kind.  Thanks to www.bookbub.com I was introduced to another book I probably wouldn’t have found otherwise.

The Shambling Guide to New York City by Mur Lafferty ★★★★☆

A Joyful reading experience.

Fiction – Adult - Urban Fantasy

361 pages

Publication Date:  2013

The Shambling Guides #1

Zoe is sure she can find the right job in New York City as a travel book editor, but when she thinks she may have found it one thing holds her back.  The fact that she is human.  Tenacious with a hardy helping of desperate Zoe finally convinces them she is the right girl for the job, now all she has to do is convince herself. 

This was a fun and quirky story from page one, with a clever and snarky writing style that made me laugh out loud.  Lafferty creates an interesting world with a well-constructed back story and subcultures.  The lovely eccentric characters added texture and various view points, from John the incubus who is slightly obsessed with Zoe to Arthur the human who can understand Zoe, but is still way more of an outsider than Zoe. 

Zoe is smart, observant and tenacious.  She is affected by the monster world, but doesn’t let it completely overwhelm her, she is also just a vulnerable human, but not impotent in a world of super powers and monsters which is a very nice balance.  I loved the excerpt sections in between the chapters and the foreshadowing in them.  One thing wasn’t my favorite.  There is one very racy scene and I have to say if the whole book was like that I would have been really unhappy, but fortunately it was only a brief part sandwiched in between deliciously scrumptious other ones.

This book is a jewel; yep I have been reduced to a gushing fangirl over this book.  I have been thinking of giving my fangirl side a name since she seems to have her own personality.  Maybe something like Mildred, a sassy girl with a black Daria bob, thick glasses and enough curves to warrant a drive carefully sign.  I’ll have to think on it.  But I digress back to review.  I felt in the very core of my being that this book could be delightful and it was.  Of course I tend to be a sucker for quirky.  The closet feeling I can relate my excitement to while reading this story is bubbly.  This book made me feel bubbly - not a great descriptor, I know - but that is how it made me feel, bubbly with joy at the writing, the characters and the story possibilities.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks ★★★★☆

Offbeat and Lovely

Fiction- YA –Urban Fantasy/Mystery

Grade 7 and Up

384 pages

Publication Date:  2009

Literary Awards:  ALA's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults (2010)

Nina Harrison, wishes being a vampire was glamorous like in the movies instead of the reality of monotonous boredom and support group meetings.  So when a chance to investigate a killing of one of their own presents itself Nina is hot on the case.

After a rather surprising start the story rolls on quickly, breaking down preconceived notions.  This story is not your stereotypical paranormal. I love the typical sexy vampire (Buffy forever), but I have to say the lack of glamorization of vampires in this story was such a breath of fresh air.  The premise was great and well thought out with an engaging plot that kept my guessing – which doesn’t happen very often.  The characters were well crafted with elaborate back stories and eccentricies.  Ms. Jinks has a real talent for turning a phrase and deliciously layers in dramatic details and word pictures into her writing.  It is also incredibly funny, but not belly laugh kind of funny, more of a quirky funny that really appeals to me (see every book Jasper Fforde ever wrote). 

Written as a first person story, Nina tells it as something that already happened.  Nina is a surprising take on vampires compared to either the lone wolf suppressing their evil or the ones who embrace it.  Nina has never really accepted herself as a vampire, somewhat because it doesn’t live up to her ideas of what it should be and because she has never really felt like a vampire.  She desperately wishes she were stronger like the character she created, Zadia Bloodstone, instead of weak and pathetic.  I love how weak and human she is, but still striving to do the right thing even with all of the things against her.  Eventually Nina decides to redefine herself, and her ideas of what a hero is.  Which is the main point of the story, taking control of your circumstances and empowering yourself. 

In the book blurb there were hints toward romance so I kind of expected it to rear its ugly head around every corner.  But in the end it was really an appropriately small part.  Also, how great is it to have a priest not vilified?  Thank you Ms. Jinks.  And one of my favorite things of all was having a satisfying conclusion to the story.

Frankly, I heart it!

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs ★★★★☆

Always just Right!

Fiction - Urban Fantasy/Mystery

340 pages

Publication Date:  March 5th 2013

Mercy Thompson #7

After a seemingly normal car accident during black Friday shopping Mercy quickly realizes that things are not normal.  Her mate, Adam, and his werewolf pack are missing and Mercy believes it might have to do with the political battle for public acceptance.  Feeling very alone and without too many options, Mercy, asks for help from anyone she can.

I have a favorite pillow and its name is “Squish”.  My husband compares it to my daughter’s silky blanket, and frankly he isn't very far off.  Squish is always just right and comfortable and that is how I feel about this series.  I always know the writing, characters and plot will be superior.  I never worry about, struggling to overcome some major deficit in order to get through one of these novels.  So far Patricia Briggs has always delivered.  I used to feel this way about Janet Evanovich, but as my regular readers know when it comes to up and downs with an author as of late it has been mostly down for me and Janet.

As always the action starts right off and instantly sweeps you up in the story.  It is a quick, compelling read, but definitely not a stand-alone book.  To be honest part of the reason this review is so short is, because I was so caught up in the twists and turns of the story I most of the time forgot my responsibilities to actually review the book and not just read it.  I liked getting to Ariana (Samuel’s mate and a fae) better and Asil, the Moor, as a newer character was very interesting.  He was a question mark through the whole thing.  His vanity and violence mixed with shrewdness added a new dynamic and freshness to the drama.  I definitely expect to see him show up again!

This book was great break from having to read books of unknown quality and I would love to own and reread it soon.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith ★★★★☆

A Well Done Enthralling Story!

Fiction – Alternative History - Paranormal

433 pages

Publication Date:  March 2, 2010

Literary awards: Goodreads Choice Nominee for Paranormal Fantasy (2010)

This is the "true" story of Abraham Lincoln's life as gathered from his very secret journal.  Seth Grahame-Smith give the first look into the role vampires played in shaping Abraham Lincoln the man; from the death of his beloved mother caused by vampires to his fight against slavery - a vampire enterprise - and finally the confrontation with the whole of the United State's future hanging in the the balance during the Civil War.

While not an action packed adventure story Grahame-Smith does a superbly well done biography, completely comparable to other actually real biographies.  I originally expected something a bit more campy or even some tongue and cheek, but this book takes itself seriously without being pretentious.  The story was enthralling and carried me along with it at a very good pace.

The intro gives the book an air of authenticity and sets the believable tone.  I found the intro to be very comfortable and homie and the narrator someone I could actually know in real life.  While the exquisite detail in the story reinforces it’s validity.  The character Henry was incredibly fascinating and I liked the introduction of Edgar Allen Poe.  I didn’t find Abe very likeable at the beginning with his ridiculous pride and endless search for vengeance, but as the story progressed I became so engrossed in his life that I couldn’t help but understand him.

Okay now a couple of minor complaints.  I must confess on occasion the foray into someone’s thoughts during the writing was a bit jarring and the dream sequences did push me out of the storybook world and broke the reality at times.  Likewise, I was a little disappointed with the last couple of chapters; they didn’t seem to measure up to the quality of the rest of the book.  While I found the sequence of events plausible, the writing was harder to follow than it should have been.   I also really would have liked to see a scene between the author and Henry at the end when he turned over the manuscript.  I was invested in the author – it was his story that first made the Lincoln story feel real – and I just didn’t get the payout I felt would have been pretty easy to achieve.  My displeasure in the ending, however, could in no way overshadow the book as a whole.   It was pretty great and fairly comparable to a majority of the “factual” biographies I have read. 

Now I am on the hunt for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  Pride and Prejudice is my favorite of the Jane Austen novels – talk about hilarious -, but I am really interested in seeing what Seth Grahame-Smith has to contribute to it.

ISBN  0446563080 (ISBN13: 9780446563086)

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs ★★★★☆

This book more than kept up its side of the contract.

Fiction – Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

288 pages

Publication Date:  January 1st 2006

Mercy Thompson #1

When the half-starved kid Mercy Thompson was trying to protect ends up on her front porch dead, and her next door neighbor Adam Hauptman, the local werewolf pack’s Alpha, is on the brink of death from the same attack Mercy knows she can no longer stay on the fringe of the supernatural world.  Pulled back in she is forced to return to the werewolf community, that raised her and rejected her, for help opening up old wounds that never healed properly.  

Okay to start out with the cover is a little ridiculous, but it does serve to grab your attention and as a child of the marketing age I can only fault it so much.  Please do not hold this against Moon Called, try instead to treat it as quirk of the series.

This book was easy to like and I quickly fell into the rhythm of the story from page one.  Briggs unravels this fascinating story at just the right speed to keep me interested, but not overwhelmed with detail and mythology.  I found myself pulled into Mercy’s world without really knowing when I agreed to fully enter it.  I mean I know when you start a book there is almost a contractual agreement between reader and story, but it is really so much easier when I can like something without a huge effort on my part.  The caliber of this story is higher than usual for this genre as well as the main character, Mercy.  Mercy Thompson is independent, intelligent strong, but reasonable, and not perfect.  I like the Tri-Cities as a location out of the norm, and appreciate the Washington State flavor Briggs adds to the story (whoo hoo for the Northwest, holla). 

The plot was fun to follow as well as the emotional journey, with an excellent balance between the two.  The politics between species and even within the hierarchies of the species were interesting and I can’t wait to further understand Mercy’s world.

PS  I have been reading the rest of the series and I have to say I like them more than the Sookie Stackhouse novels.  Sure it’s missing the element of horrific fun, but I personally prefer the story construction, mythology and Mercy.  Oh, and don’t worry the parade of ridiculous covers continues.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare★★★☆☆

I’m Looking for Balance

Fiction – YA  - Steampunk

Reading level: Ages 14 and up

502 pages

Publication Date: December 6, 2011  

Infernal Devices Book 2

Literary awards:  Teen Buckeye Book Award Nominee (2012), Children's Choice Book Award Nominee for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2012)

Tessa and the other members of the London institute continue the hunt for the Magistrate, but there is dissension and disloyalty even among their own.  Charlotte’s leadership is being challenged by another Shadowhunter vying for political power putting everyone living at the Institute in a precarious position.  Tessa is still on the search to find out the answers about who she is, while trying to come to terms with her brother’s betrayal and the uncertainty of her future

This book was more character driven than the first and I found the characters much more likable.  The writing is a bit smoother in this one than the first one, which was nice.  I also enjoyed the addition of new characters.  The love triangle between Tessa, Will and Jem was further developed and a much more important point in this book.  The mystery of Will’s behaviors was solved- a little lamely I thought-, but for the most part this book raised a lot more questions than answered them and that was a bit frustrating.  Clare seems to have a hard time balancing action and character development, leaving me a little irritated with her.  Hopefully she can continue developing her story telling ability enough that the next book will be more balanced.

ISBN 1416975888 (ISBN13: 9781416975885)