Archive for May, 2009
Fantasy Book Review: Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre
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You can run but you can’t hide . . . .
For over a year Corine has been keeping a low profile. She’s been hiding away in Mexico City hoping to start a new life and forget her past. You see, Corine’s got a special gift. When she touches a magically charged object she gets visions of where it’s been, who last held it, and what the owner was doing when the object was last in their possession. She sometimes even gets glimpses of the owner’s future.
But not without paying a painful price.
Before fleeing to Mexico Corine and her boyfriend Chance made their living by putting her talent to good use. They became pretty good at finding missing persons and helping the police nab criminals. Life was okay until their last case almost cost Corine her life. For Corine, that was the tip of the iceberg. She packed up her belongings and disappeared, leaving her old life behind. She now owns a pawn shop and appears to be moving forward with her life.
Until now.
Chance just walked back into her life. He needs her help finding someone that’s dear to both of them: his mother Min. Although Corine wants to tell him to hit the road she’s taken aback when Chance shows her his mother’s pewter Buddha statue, something Min always kept on her person. Touching the object shows Corine that Min was violently abducted and driven away in a white van. Because she developed a close relationship with Min she can’t deny Chance’s request for help.
Thus begins Corine’s dangerous journey into the dark and dangerous world of the supernatural. In order to locate Chance’s mother they must face demons, witches, sorcerers, ghosts, and zombies. Corine thought dealing with gangsters was bad – she’s totally unprepared for battling powerful creatures that have been using black magic all of their lives. She’s completely out of her element and in over her head when dealing with supernatural beings of this magnitude.
And that’s why I love Corine’s character so much. She’s a regular, down-to-earth gal. Does she have super powers? No. Does she have special martial arts training? No. Is she the most beautiful woman on the planet with an athletically-toned body, able to eat anything without gaining weight, and usually seen wearing black leather jackets, skin tight leather pants and stiletto boots with knives and guns strapped to her arms and legs? HELL NO. She’s much more comfortable wearing simple and functional clothing. She’s an average woman who never asked for the “gift” her mother bestowed to her on her death bed.
Don’t get me wrong, I loves me some Rachel Morgan, Anna Strong, Zoey Campbell, Anita Blake (pre-nympho stage), Cassie Palmer. But it’s refreshing to read about a human female heroine who isn’t afraid to admit she’s, well, afraid.
Likewise, Aguirre does a fantastic job fleshing out Corine and Chance’s characters and their relationship to one another. Because this is a first in a new series a significant portion of the book is devoted to getting to know the characters and their past, which helps explain some of their motives and actions. As such we understand why Corine has such a hard time trusting Chance; we accept the internal conflicts that Jesse (a potential love interest for Corine) undergoes when he pits his heart against his value system; and we get it that Corine and Chance’s actions are sometimes counterproductive because their emotions get in the way.
Aguirre’s pacing is another strong point in the book. The world building is refreshingly subtle and allows us to gradually learn about the supernatural world as the story progresses. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of action in this book and a fantastic climax, it’s just not presented in an “in your face” manner.
Overall I found Blue Diablo to be a well written and appealing urban fantasy book. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. Blue Diablo can be purchased in paperback format or in ebook format from online etailers.
Kim Harrison Books
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Kim Harrison writes a series of urban fantasy books called “The Hollows” which center around Rachel Morgan, a practicing witch who lives with a vampire. Together they hunt supernatural bad guys for a living, along with their wise-cracking pixie partner. This is a well written, funny, and action-packed series.
The Hollows (Rachel Morgan) Series
#1: Dead Witch Walking
#2: The Good, The Bad, and the Undead
#3: Every Which Way But Dead
#4: A Fistful of Charms
#5: For a Few Demons More
#6: Outlaw Demon Wails
#7: White Witch, Black Curse
Here’s the complete list of Rachel Morgan books available from Amazon.
Sookie Stackhouse Book Designs From the UK
Posted by: | CommentsI love book covers, especially fantasy book covers. I recently came across the following UK book covers for the extremely popular Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. I found two different book designs: one with cool psychedelic colors and another with great black and grey designs with some red thrown in for contrast.
Click on the book cover to see a larger version of it. Some of these designs are awesome!
Question: do you like these better than the American Sookie Stackhouse book covers? Let me know in the comments.
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Here’s the next set of book covers:
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New Fantasy Books for May 2009
Posted by: | CommentsThis month has some great new fantasy book releases by known entities like Jeri Smith-Ready (Bad to the Bone), Laura Anne Gilman (Blood From Stone), Devon Monk (Magic in the Blood), and Phaedra Weldon (Wraith) as well as titles by authors whose books I’ve not read before:
-Fall of Light by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
-Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock
-Witch Way to the Mall by Esther Friesner
-A Flash of Hex by Jess Battis
-Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti
So sit back, grab a glass of lemonade, and enjoy!
Sleepers Awake by Patrick McNulty
In this dark fantasy, a militia of ghostly bounty hunters is employed by the mysterious Ministry of the Wraith to find and destroy “sleepers”—evil, violent creatures from an invisible world. Bishop Kane, one of the vigilante wraiths, is sent on a mission to the small Alaska town where he was killed nearly 30 years ago. His prey is the wife of the of the town sheriff, who is also Kane’s daughter, a daughter he thought was dead and who was the cause of his death. The sheriff foils the assassination attempt against his wife, and learns the terrible truth about her identity and the evil she unwittingly harbors. As cataclysmic events unfold, ever increasing numbers of citizens die and are transformed into wolf-like monsters. When darkness falls, a menacing army of spectral beasts emerges from the shadows led by the woman both men have loved, and whom both men have vowed to kill before the next sunset. To protect the huddled and terrified townspeople, he must pay the ultimate price.
Blood From Stone (Retrievers Book 6) by Laura Anne Gilman
Wren Valere’s job is driving her crazy. She’s still Manhattan’s most sought-after Retriever, but after last year’s deadly confrontation with the Silence, all this magic-user wants is a break. With her apartment going co-op and her relationship with the demon P.B. putting stress on her romance with partner Sergei, is Wren finally ready to settle down to a more stable existence?
Not likely. Because when you’re good, trouble always finds you. Wren’s next assignment puts her on the wrong side of a child-snatcher—and a collision course with her past. But to save a friend—and protect her future—Wren must pull off the most important Retrieval of her life…and for once magic isn’t on her side.
Fall of Light by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Opal LaZelle is a special effects make-up artist, transforming actors into fantastical and grotesque creatures. Unknown to the casts and crews of the films she works on, Opal is gifted in the art of magic—and she applies more than make-up when altering an actor’s features.
Her latest job requires turning Corvus Weather into a dark god of the forest. But when Corvus’s performance becomes too convincing—on set and off—Opal realizes he’s not acting. Something has taken possession of Corvus. Something sinister tied to the town’s past, with the ability to absorb the very essence of life. Something Opal doesn’t have enough power to confront, much less drive from the man she has fallen in love with.
Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock
Second in the delightful series featuring a vampire princess in the Sunshine State, adjusting to life, undeath, and that brutal Floridian sun.
228-year-old Francesca Marinelli thought her past was dead—then a stranger from the Atlanta vampire nest crashes her home looking for sanctuary. A budding stand-up comic, Jo-Jo’s running from an undead superior eager to drive a stake through the heart of his dream job. But Jo-Jo’s bad jokes aren’t the only dark clouds on the horizon. A psychotic vampire with a murderous agenda has followed Jo-Jo to Florida, putting everyone close to Francesca in danger.
Magic in the Blood (Allie Beckstrom) by Devon Monk
Working as a Hound—tracing illegal spells back to their casters—has taken its toll on Allison Beckstrom. But even though magic has given her migraines and stolen her recent memory, Allie isn’t about to quit. Then the police’s magic enforcement division asks her to consult on a missing persons case. But what seems to be a straightforward job turns out to be anything but, as Allie finds herself drawn into the underworld of criminals, ghosts, and blood magic. Note: I read this new fantasy book a few weeks ago and loved it. Stay tuned for a review.
Wraith (Zoe Martinique, Book 1) by Phaedra Weldon
Part paranormal whodunit, part urban fantasy, Weldon’s lively debut introduces Zoë Martinique, a professional snoop based in Atlanta, Ga., with the ability to project herself out of body and spy on illicit activities. Things get complicated after Zoë becomes an astral witness to murder, and the killer, who can not only see her but also touch her, leaves her branded with a red hand print and a shock of white hair that just keeps getting thicker. Zoë teams up with sexy cop Daniel Frasier, who thinks infamous televangelist Theodore Rollins is somehow behind the murder, but Zoë’s also pretty sure that the dead man’s boss, Koba Hirokumi, president of Visitar Inc., knows a lot more than he’s telling. Before long, what began as an apparent case of industrial espionage turns into a battle against evil from another dimension. Weldon keeps Zoë and her readers off balance with brisk pacing and brain-wrenching plot twists, drawing the story to a satisfying close while leaving enough loose ends to set up Zoë’s next adventure.
Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready
TURN ON. TUNE IN. DROP DEAD.
If you’re just joining us, welcome to radio station WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock’n'Roll.” Con-artist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs — including her new boyfriend Shane McAllister — who really sink their teeth into the music of their “Life Time” (the era in which they became vampires). It’s Ciara’s job to keep the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive — without missing a beat.
For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash sure to raise the dead. They’ve got cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails — what could go wrong? Well, for starters, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the illegal transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be…a canine vampire? And behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it).
Now Ciara must protect the station while struggling with her own murky relationship issues, her best friend’s unlikely romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece, she’ll need to learn a few new tricks…. Note: I just ordered this one.
Witch Way to the Mall by Esther Friesner
Move over, urban fantasy—here comes suburban fantasy. What self-respecting witch, vampire, or werewolf would be caught dead—or undead—anywhere but the Big City, you may ask? Look, let’s give the uncanny crew a little credit for intelligence: If they had the smarts to see the advantage in packing up and moving into the cities, why wouldn’t they have the smarts to move out of said cities if it looked like they could get a better quality-of-life/death elsewhere? (Tough enough going about your otherworldly business and evading the occasional mob wielding halogen torches and designer pitchforks, but have you ever seen city real estate prices?)
So let’s welcome our first group of supernatural suburbanites, the witches. Their powers are awesome, their methods of coping with the lumps, bumps, and idiosyncrasies of Suburbia are ingenious, and they always bring the loveliest gingerbread to the PTA bake sale. But whatever you do, don’t try telling them that life in a non-city setting is bland, banal and boring, or you might get turned into . . . ribbit!
Stories of suburban sorcery by Harry Turtledove, Sarah A. Hoyt, Jan and S.M. Stirling, K. D. Wentworth, and more—including Esther Friesner herself. Note: this sounds like a fun new fantasy book that I just added to my shopping cart.
A Flash of Hex by Jess Battis
After a series of brutal murders, Occult Special Investigator Tess Corday is convinced the identity of the killer is locked in her own head. The only question is—how many rules is she willing to break to get to the truth?
Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti
It’s been ten years since Melanippe Saka left the Amazon tribe in order to create a normal life for her daughter, Harmony. True, running a tattoo parlor in Madison, Wisconsin, while living with your Amazon warrior mother and priestess grandmother is not everyone’s idea of normal, but Mel thinks she’s succeeded at blending in as human.
Turns out she’s wrong. Someone knows all about her, someone who’s targeting young Amazon girls, and no way is Mel going to let Harmony become tangled in this deadly web. With her mother love in overdrive, Mel quite a force…even when she’s facing a barrage of distractions — including a persistent detective whose interest in Mel goes beyond professional, a sexy tattoo artist with secrets of his own, and a seriously angry Amazon queen who views Mel as a prime suspect. To find answers, Mel will have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do: embrace her powers and admit that you can take the girl out of the tribe…but you can’t take the tribe out of the girl.
Audio Books
Haunted by Kelley Armstrong, Narrated by Laural Merlington Smart-mouthed Eve Levine, a witch with a reputation for breaking the rules, may be dead, but as she proves in this overstuffed paranormal romance (a follow-up to Industrial Magic), she can still raise hell in the hereafter—which, in this case, is a curiously ordinary dimension in which ghosts like Eve and her also deceased former lover, a sorcerer named Kris, can bicker, have sex and use their paranormal powers. The Fates, three elusive sisters, are the rulers of this otherworldly dimension, and they have a job for Eve. If she can defeat a demonic Nix who’s wreaking havoc in the human realm by inducing people to kill, she’ll earn her wings—literally. The catch: she can’t capture the Nix without the powers that angelhood affords. Eve surmounts this hurdle by teaming up with a hunky and humanlike angel named Trsiel, but her quest, which is fraught with obstacles as well as distractions, is lengthy and quite challenging. Those who appreciate heroines with a good measure of spunk, sass and strong-arm savvy will find this a fun read. Read our review of Haunted by Kelley Armstrong.
Hex and the City by Simon R. Green and Marc Vietor Lady Luck has hired John Taylor to investigate the origins of the Nightside–the dark heart of London where it’s always 3 A.M. But when he starts to uncover facts about his long-vanished mother, the Nightside–and all of existence– could be snuffed out.
Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong, Narrated by Laural MerlingtonSet in a supernatural but credible underworld of industrial baron sorcerers and psychologically crippled witches, the fourth novel in Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series (after Dime Store Magic) follows young renegade witch Paige Winterbourne as she pitches a group of uptight business-suited witches to join her alternative coven, which she claims will re-empower the new generation. It’s a task made nearly impossible by Paige’s romantic association with sorcerer/lawyer Lucas Cortez; in Armstrong’s world, witches and sorcerers are bitter enemies. Lucas aims to bring down the mafia-like cabal to which he’s heir apparent, but this goal and Paige’s are put on the back burner when someone starts murdering the children of rival cabal leaders. In their hunt for the killer, Paige and Lucas must rely on a number of unpromising allies: a vicious aging vampire, a TV celebrity necromancer and the ghost mom of an adolescent witch who may be the murderer’s next victim. As in the author’s first book, Bitten (which introduced the world’s only female werewolf, Elena, who also figures in this plot), breakneck action is tempered by deep psychological insights, intense sensuality and considerable humor. Check out our mini-review of Industrial Magic.
Turn Coat – Dresden Files Book 11 by Jim Butcher
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“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”
-Sun-Tzu, Art of War
Perhaps that was going through Harry Dresden’s mind when he opened his home to his arch nemesis, wizard Warden Donald Morgan. Perhaps deep in his heart he never really considered Morgan to be a true enemy. Or perhaps Harry’s just a sucker for a sad sob story and can’t refuse to help those in need.
Whatever the reason, when Morgan, one of the most powerful and feared Wardens on the White Council appeared bleeding and semi-conscious on Harry’s doorstep, Harry quickly chooses to give him sanctuary.
You should know that there’s no love lost between Harry and Morgan. Both are talented wizards who serve as Wardens; strong arm enforcers of the White Council which is a governing body that regulates and monitors the activities of the wizarding world. But Morgan has always seen Harry as an out of control renegade who unjustly escaped punishment for killing a wizard during his youth. According to the White Council, killing a wizard or misusing one’s magical powers is punishable by death. No questions asked and no exceptions. Although Harry believes he was wrongly accused because the wizard he killed was attempting to kill Harry and another young wizard at the time, much of the wizarding world thinks Harry should have been executed for his actions. Morgan embraces that sentiment and has sought to discredit Harry for many years.
So when Morgan tells Harry that the White Council is unjustly pursuing him for the murder of a powerful Senior Council member, Harry understands all too well why Morgan sought refuge with him: the White Council would never expect Morgan to go to Harry for help. It’s the last place they’d look for him. Even so, by hiding Morgan, Harry puts himself in grave danger and knows that the White Council will eventually track Morgan down. He also knows that when they do, they could decide to punish him because he harbored Morgan.
So Harry begins an intensive investigation into who committed the murder in the hopes that when the White Council does finds he and Morgan, he can present evidence which proves Morgan’s innocence. Or guilt. He has to work fast because several magical beings are out to capture and collect the bounty on Morgan. And on top of that, it looks like somebody on the Council (a potential traitor) is pulling strings and will stop at nothing to recapture Morgan.
This, the 11th book in the urban fantasy Dresden Files series packs quite a punch. I was instantly sucked into Harry Dresden’s Chicago world of magic and never wanted to leave. If you have read any of the earlier books in the series you know that Jim Butcher is an outstanding storyteller whose books are filled with action, suspense, and humor. His world building and character development talents stand out among current fantasy writers – it’s understandable that he’s a NY Times bestselling author. His Dresden Files books are so engaging, action-packed, and adventurous that in my opinion, Harry Dresden is the Indiana Jones of the wizarding world.
From the opening sentence till the last word penned, this book is full of action and suspense and was a thorough delight to read. Even though the tension in the book is frequently at full throttle, Harry’s wit and sarcasm add levity to several of these scenes.
The fabulous characters, the storyline, and the climax will keep you biting your nails to the very end. This is one of the best Dresden Files books in this fantastic urban fantasy series. It’s fast paced, amusing and thoroughly satisfying. I highly recommend it! Turn Coat is currently on sale at Amazon.
Charlaine Harris Books
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Charlaine Harris has been writing books for over 25 years.
Charlaine Harris started out writing ghost stories but then switched to writing plays and poetry while in college. After she had her kids she began writing mysteries; her first mystery book “Real Murders” from the Aurora Teagarden series, won an Agatha Award nomination.
Charlaine then developed a new mystery series set in Arkansas about Lily Bard, a woman running a housecleaning business who’s trying to escape a horrific act that occurred in her past.
Charlaine’s next endeavor was to develop a series that was much darker that included elements of mystery, romance, and fantasy. That launched the beginning of the popular Southern Vampire Mystery series, commonly referred to as either “the Sookie Stackhouse books” or “True Blood books.”
Charlaine Harris lives in Arkansas with her husband, 3 children, 3 dogs, and “Not Duck.” You can read Charlaine’s hilarious story about their new pet at the Charlaine Harris blog.
Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) Books
These books by Charlaine Harris are the basis for the extremely popular True Blood TV show in HBO. They center around Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress in a bar in Louisiana who falls in love with a sexy and dangerous vampire.
#1: Dead Until Dark
#2: Living Dead in Dallas
#3: Club Dead
#4: Dead to the World
#5: Dead as a Doornail
#6: Definitely Dead
#7: All Together Dead
#8: From Dead to Worse
#9: Dead and Gone
#10: A Touch of Dead
Here’s the entire listing of Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Books in order
And here’s a comprehensive overview of ALL of the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books, including the short story books that have Sookie in them.
Harper Connelly Mystery Series
#1: Grave Sight
#2: Grave Surprise
#3: An Ice Cold Grave
#4: Grave Secret
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries
#1: Real Murders
#2: A Bone to Pick
#3: Three Bedrooms, One Corpse
#4: The Julian House
#5: Dead Over Heels
#6: A Fool and His Money
#7: Last Scene Alive
#8: Poppy Done to Death
Fantasy Book Review – Real Vampires Have Curves!
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If you’re a vampire book reader you know that when you’re “turned” into a vampire you generally maintain the physical attributes you had at your moment of transformation. Sure, some vampires end up becoming more beautiful but for the most part, you’re stuck with what ya’ got.
Such is the case for Glory St. Clair. Unfortunately for her, she got turned on a day when she was bloated. And a few pounds overweight. Thus begins the hilarious escapades of Glory, the plus-sized female vampire with a fierce fashion sense.
Glory has just decided to move to Austin, Texas to open a new vintage clothing store. After you’ve been alive for a few hundred years you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff, especially if you love clothes like Glory does. As such she’s got the perfect wardrobe with which to stock a vintage store.
Coincidentally, her former lover also lives in Austin (okay, maybe that’s not such a coincidence). Glory and Jeremy Blade have had a love/hate relationship for many years. So Glory is apprehensive about meeting Blade again – she’s not sure if there’s still a spark between them.
In the meantime, she’s got to get moved in and open the store. Fortunately her new neighbor, a stunning female werewolf, is looking for a job and the two of them soon become fast friends. Glory also reconnects with several of her vampire friends in the area, including a lovable gay couple, an overbearing Countess, a lovestruck but street-smart femme fatale, and a wisecracking supernatural guard dog with a weakness for Cheetos and Twinkies. Yes, this book has quite the cast of characters.
But all is not well in Austin. A team of professional vampire hunters led by a ruthless billionaire game hunter is in town. And he’s set his sights on Glory and her friends. He doesn’t care that they’ve sworn off human blood in lieu of synthetic. In his mind all vampires are evil and must be destroyed. So between selling 50′s pencil skirts and twinsets, Glory has to watch her back. This is where the fun really begins. Glory acknowledges the danger, but resents having to be protected and so inadvertently puts herself in the cross hairs of the killers. It’s often up to Valdez, the smart talking guard dog, to keep her in line and protect her:
“I’m fading fast Glory. It’s been swell knowing you. Say good-bye to Florence for me.”
He licked my hand.
“Could you call me puppy one more time? I liked that.” He groaned. “I just wish I had time for a farewell bag of Cheetos.”
Okay, so he failed one time. But he quickly recovered and was back on the job in a jiffy.
Gerry Bartlett does a good job with character development and successfully moves the plot along at a steady pace. A good portion of the book focuses on the vamps’ attempts to capture the hunters while avoiding capture themselves. The book nicely integrates humor with more serious subjects like love lost and death while maintaining believability. Smatterings of intrigue and a hint of distrust amongst friends create a fairly well rounded storyline.
I wouldn’t categorize this as a vampire romance book – it’s got so many funny scenes (in particular between the two main characters) that the romance, although prevalent, is more of a secondary element in the book. I found the book to be a light, fun, and entertaining read that’s perfect for a long drive during a vacation. It’s so upbeat and its characters are so likable that I found it lifted my mood each time I picked it up. Get Real Vampires Have Curves at local bookstores or online.
