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Tag: Vampires
Night Owls by Lauren M. Roy
October 12, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
"Valerie McTeague's business model is simple: provide the students of Edgewood College with a late-night study haven and stay as far away as possible from the underworld conflicts of her vampire brethren. She's experienced that life, and the price she paid was far too high for her to ever want to return.
Elly Garrett hasn't known any life except that of fighting the supernatural beings known as Creeps or Jackals. But she always had her mentor and foster father by her side—until he gave his life protecting a book that the Creeps desperately want to get their hands on.
When the book gets stashed at Night Owls for safekeeping, those Val holds nearest and dearest are put in mortal peril. Now Val and Elly will have to team up, along with a mismatched crew of humans, vampires, and lesbian succubi, to stop the Jackals from getting their claws on the book and unleashing unnamed horrors."
Okay, any book that takes place in a bookstore has my attention. Boy, I wish there had been a store like this when I was in college—I'd have definitely worked there! The setting is guaranteed to appeal to all book-geeks like me. Night Owl Books is open extremely late, carries all kinds of cool books, and even has a rare book room. Plus, it's run by a friendly vampire. What's not to like?
There are some fairly typical fantasy elements at play here: super-secret organizations that fight monsters; books that hold magical secrets in strange languages; kindly professors with esoteric interests; and so on. I'm not saying that these things make the book trite or boring, but you're sure to see some familiar tropes here that are combined in a way that's fun to read.
I would have liked some more background on the Jackals (or Creeps, as Elly calls them). Most of the other creatures are common enough not to need explanation, like vampires or succubi, but Creeps are something new. I'm certainly willing to grant an author the right to make up their own things that go bump in the night, but I do want them to have some reason for existing.
Something that amused me was a running reference to Sacramento. Apparently, Val was part of a hunting group in Sacramento where something went horribly wrong, and the details are dangled in front of us for most of the book. We do eventually get the gist of the tale, thus saving it from becoming like the Calvin and Hobbes "noodle incident", and it both explains why the story takes place back East and also seems to sow the seeds of maybe heading out West in a future novel.
Night Owls was a decent read with some unique monsters and a good dollop of action. I'll be curious to see what the author does with this story next, and very curious to see if her characters head out our way.
This review was originally posted on April 7, 2014.
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
Throwback Thursday: Written in Red
Since I just finished re-reading this book, it's featured here as my Throwback Thursday pick. It's one of my favorites, so check out the review!
"As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.
Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow."
Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
March 25, 2016 Kristin Leave a comment
"Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.
But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don't realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…"
Okay, so this is one of those series where I try to review the books and end up just Muppet-flailing all over the place because I love it so much. So, please bear with me while I try to write something coherent.
My first love in this book is the characters. I feel like Meg, Simon, Tess, Vlad, Henry, and all the other residents of the Lakeside Courtyard are friends, and the book is like a long letter from them catching me up on what they've been doing since I last heard from them. The interactions among them feel very genuine, and it reminds me of something said by someone overhearing my co-workers and I bantering: "You sound like family." The people in this book are the same way–you can hear the depth of their relationships and the time spent together in what they say to each other, as well as in what they don't say. I adore Meg and Simon's friendship, and while I know there are those out there rooting for them to start a romantic relationship, I hope they stay just friends, because it's so sweet to read about.
My next love is for the world-building. Once again, Bishop has expanded her readers' view of her world, not only by going across the ocean for some scenes, but also by giving us a glimpse at the older, more powerful creatures that live in the wild places of our country. They've only been hinted at in earlier books, but now… well, you don't get a really good look at them, but they do step out of the forests and take an active role in the story, and you will get to see the aftermath.
My third love in this novel is the politics that have been slowly built up through the entire series thus far. Knowing that human nature is to take as much as we can, the situations that play out through this book are all too believable. I was wincing reading what the humans in this world do in the name of "humans first", not because it was far-fetched, but because it was so plausible. That being said, there are some long-running aspects of this storyline that come to their natural conclusion here, and I defy you not to do a fist-pump when they do.
This series remains one of my all-time favorites. Ever since Meg and Simon and the other Courtyard residents first appeared in book form and helped to get me through a rough period in my life, they've occupied a place of honor on my shelves. Marked in Flesh wraps up some parts of Meg's tale but leaves plenty of room for more adventures. I, for one, can't wait.
(Description nicked from Goodreads.)
March 1, 2016 Kristin Leave a comment
"Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.
Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?"
While I have consistently enjoyed this series, the previous couple of books felt like the overall story had stalled. With this novel, however, Briggs has brought the story roaring back to life and delved into some interesting politics among both the werewolves and the Fae. There was more excitement and forward momentum in this book than has been the norm in the recent past.
Mercy's character has continuously grown and matured as the series has gone on, but I've liked watching her expand into both an independent woman and a strong member of Adam's pack. The two roles seem like they'd be mutually exclusive, but they actually complement each other quite well. Mercy has to be very sure of herself and confident in order to find her place in the pack hierarchy, and I like seeing that in her character.
What I enjoyed the most about this novel was the deeper dive into werewolf pack politics across the entire United States and the interplay between them and the Fae. Some of Mercy's actions early in the book have some far reaching consequences that she didn't expect, and that sets up a lot of the conflict–in this book, certainly, but I can tell that it will continue to ripple outwards into future installments as well. Those events also play into how humanity views the supernatural creatures living among them and advances that part of the global plot as well.
The power struggles of the Fae step front and center too. Readers finally get to see some of the more powerful players in Fae politics and what their beliefs are concerning their contact with humans. And it's not just the beautiful, human-looking Fae, either; there are more frightening things living in the shadows that are starting to peek out into the light. Finally, standing behind it all, is the spirit of the Fae lands itself, who has an agenda of its own.
Mercy is one of my favorite characters in urban fantasy, and I look forward to each new book with her in it. With this book, the series takes on fresh life and will delight fans.
Dark Ascension by M. L. Brennan
August 20, 2015 Kristin Leave a comment
"After a lifetime of avoiding his family, Fort has discovered that working for them isn't half bad—even if his mother, Madeline, is a terrifying, murderous vampire. His newfound career has given him a purpose and a paycheck and has even helped him get his partner, foxy kitsune Suzume, to agree to be his girlfriend. All in all, things are looking up.
Only, just as Fort is getting comfortable managing a supernatural empire that stretches from New Jersey to Ontario, Madeline's health starts failing, throwing Fort into the middle of an uncomfortable and dangerous battle for succession. His older sister, Prudence, is determined to take over the territory. But Fort isn't the only one wary of her sociopathic tendencies, and allies, old and new, are turning to him to keep Prudence from gaining power.
Now, as Fort fights against his impending transition into vampire adulthood, he must also battle to keep Prudence from destroying their mother's kingdom—before she takes him down with it…."
I've read some other reviewers' thoughts on this novel, and I have to agree with them: this is the best book yet in this series. Brennan hasn't gone the tired route of having the same characters do the same things over and over with minor variations. Nor does she draw out the overarching story to the point that you want to tear your hair out. Each novel has advanced not only Fort's character, but that of his family and Suzume as well. There are changes, real and dramatic changes, that happen over the course of the books, and none so dramatic as the ones in this novel.
I'm also impressed at how the author makes me feel for the characters. Most books about vampires can make you feel pity for them, but it's not often that I feel respect for a vampire character. And it's not just Fort that I'm talking about, either. Chivalry, Fort's brother, tries his best to mediate among his family members; Prudence, Fort's sister, may be bloodthirsty but often tries to honestly help Fort; and Madeline, the matriarch and terror of New England, is truly doing as she thinks best to keep the peace in her territory.
So much happens in this book that I was genuinely surprised–I hadn't expected things to progress so quickly. That might speak as much to the quality of other series as much as it does to the quality of this one. I like that I'm going into these books not knowing what will happen and being taken aback at unexpected twists. Too many books/series out there slow their pace down to a snail's crawl, perhaps to ramp up the tension; however, I find that sudden changes are more satisfying, because you're just not prepared for them.
There's not a lot I can say without spoiling the book for readers of the series, so I'll just say to those of you who haven't read these books, you should go out and get them. It's urban fantasy at its best, not derivative, but finding its own path to telling a great story and weaving magic into what we think is familiar.
Tainted Blood by M. L. Brennan
"Former film student Fortitude Scott is finally gainfully employed. Unfortunately, said employment happens to be with a group of sociopathic vampires—his family. And as much as Fort is loath to get too deep into the family business, when his brother, Chivalry, is temporarily unable to run the territory, it's up to Fort to keep things under control.
So when the leader of a powerful faction of shifters turns up murdered, Fort finds himself tracking down a killer while navigating dangerous rivalries, longtime grudges, and hidden agendas. Even with the help of his foxy kitsune sidekick, Suzume, he'll need to pull out all the stops to hunt for the paranormal assassin.
But as he calls on fairies, witches, and ghouls for help, he discovers that the problem is much bigger than a single dead werebear. The supernatural community is preparing for a massive shift in power within the Scott family leadership—and Fort has landed right in the middle of the gathering storm.…"
One of the things that I like about the power struggles in this series is that it's not the typical clash of megalomaniac vampires bent on world domination. Fort's family has a territory, and rules of living within it, and they co-exist at least somewhat peacefully with other supernatural creatures. And yet, it's still apparent that Fort's mother, the formidable Madeline Scott, has many habits and ways of thinking leftover from earlier centuries. She expects to rule supreme and to have those under her act as her vassals. And some of her attitudes bleed over into her older children, Prudence and Chivalry.
Fort is the one who seems most caught in the middle of the oncoming shake-ups. It's clear that his mother is weak and near death, and it's also clear that the races living in Scott territory are hoping to take advantage of the passing of power to effect some change. With Prudence and Chivalry so set in their ways, and with the other peoples so firmly steeped in the modern world, Fort is the best bridge between all the various factions.
It's in this way that the main mystery of the novel, the murder of the shifter leader, plays into this larger plotline. Fort is drawn further into his family's politics as this smaller change of power echoes and predicts the greater ones to follow if and when Madeline dies.
This book is obviously setting up some massive events and yet it doesn't drag. There are plenty of funny moments and memorable lines. The characters are solid and the worldbuilding strong. It's no wonder that I've stuck with this series when others have lost my interest. I heartily recommend this novel, and the ones preceding it, as a great alternative to the cookie-cutter urban fantasy that is all too common.
This book was a personal purchase.
Kitty Saves the World by Carrie Vaughn
August 4, 2015 Kristin Leave a comment
"It's all come down to this, following the discoveries made by Cormac in Low Midnight, Kitty and her allies are ready to strike. But, when their assassination attempt on the evil vampire Dux Bellorum fails, Kitty finds herself running out of time. The elusive vampire lord has begun his apocalyptic end game, and Kitty still doesn't know where he will strike.
Meanwhile, pressure mounts in Denver as Kitty and her pack begin to experience the true reach of Dux Bellorum's cult. Outnumbered and outgunned at every turn, the stakes have never been higher for Kitty. She will have to call on allies both old and new in order to save not just her family and friends, but the rest of the world as well."
Warning: spoilers ahead.
How do you end a series that has gone on for several years and do justice to all that has gone before? It's a pretty big task to wrap up more than a dozen books and bring events to a satisfying end. So, did Vaughn manage it? Well… not completely.
My main complaint with this book is that too much of the tension relies on Kitty, Ben and Cormac–but mostly Kitty–being stupid. Roman's "end game" involves triggering a massive volcano using an ancient artifact. The gang runs around frantically trying to figure out where in the world is the volcano powerful enough to be the target of Roman's plan. And yet with all the clues in front of them, knowing that Roman is in Colorado and came there specifically, it takes over half the book for Kitty to realize that Roman is going to trigger the Yellowstone caldera. I thought to myself "Maybe I'm just way too knowledgeable about stuff like this" and asked a couple of people I know to predict the volcano based on bare bones info that I gave them from the book. They figured it out immediately as well. The author even has Kitty thinking to herself that all the conspiracy theories about the supervolcano should have clued her in. It's not good when an author has a character acknowledge that they've piddled away a good chunk of the novel.
My other complaint is that the science aspect of these books, which I enjoyed, goes mostly out the window. Yes, this series has magic. Yes, there are things that are supernatural. However, the earlier books in the series talk about scientists trying to understand the mechanisms that transmit vampirism and lycanthropy, and of course Kitty loves her research. If nothing else, even setting aside scientific concerns, the supernatural world is well defined and follows a steady trajectory. In this final book, suddenly, we have… angels? Demons? Heaven and Hell? Where were the hints of this in previous books?
Otherwise, there are all the aspects of a final book that you would expect. Characters from earlier books appear to aid Kitty and her allies. Kitty herself faces some of what she has been forced to give up as a werewolf. Much of her and Ben's world is destroyed or seriously rocked. It's fairly typical "let's wrap this up" fare. It's not terrible, by any means, but it also isn't anything unique. I got more enjoyment from the previous book starring Cormac, because it had more original aspects.
Vaughn lets her characters go out on a positive note, and it's nice to see Kitty and Ben getting a little peace and quiet after the ups and downs we've seen them go through. I may not have felt that this novel quite lived up to all that came before, but it is a solid enough ending.
(Description nicked from Goodreads.com.)
Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
"The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn's help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.
Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon's only hope of ending the conflict.
For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon's doorstep…."
Like most other reviewers, I find it hard to write a review of a book in the Others series without descending into frantic Muppet flails of happiness. For me, this series is pure entertainment, and I find it effortless to sink so far into the story that I put down the book and wonder which world I'm in. This book, and the series as a whole, works on so many levels that it's hard to categorize them all.
On one level, like I said, this book is just fun to read. I love the characters–Sam with his squeaky-door howl, Grandfather Erebus and his love of old movies, the Crowgard and their addiction to sparkly things–and I especially love their interactions with the main character, Meg. She oftentimes puzzles the local terra indigene, but they retain a deep affection for her, and it shows how they treat her. There are some new characters introduced in this novel, most notably Monty's daughter Lizzie, that liven up the story. And readers learn what happened to the freed cassandra sangue after the end of Murder of Crows by following one as she adjusts to freedom.
On a deeper level, you can read the story as having to do with prejudice, racism, and even colonialism. Here, the "white man" is the intruder and is often dealt with harshly for seemingly minor transgressions. The backlash against this attitude manifests in the Humans First and Last movement, which sadly echoes a lot of the social conflicts of the modern world. Both humans and Others have a lot of learning to do, but I think the humans have the farthest to go: they feel owed a supremacy in Thaisia that they haven't earned. On the other hand, isn't rising up against prejudice something we applaud others for doing? It's an interesting mix in which you identify with, and condemn, both sides of the conflict. I don't know if the author meant all that to show up in the story, but that's how it resonated for me.
On a different note, I love how the worldbuilding expands with every novel. There are hints that we'll soon see what things look like in the Thaisian version of Europe, which I can't wait to see. I also look forward to seeing the feline Others (I'm a cat person) that were briefly mentioned herein. It's so obvious to me how much thought Bishop has put into this world, and I adore every square inch that we get to see. She even roleplays as the wolves on Facebook–if you haven't checked out the Anne Bishop's Courtyard page, I highly suggest that you do so, because it's tons of fun to read.
So, while I stop myself from gushing further over this book, go out and get it for yourself. If you haven't started the series yet, go get Written in Red without delay. If you like urban fantasy, you've got to read this one.
February 4, 2015 Kristin Leave a comment
"Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style–with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what–or who–they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all."
I think that this is my favorite book in this series thus far. Rather than continuing the same things as the previous two books, Carriger turns several ideas and characters on their heads to wonderful effect. There are still the politics between humans and sundowners; there's still the looming threat of the Picklemen; there are still manners to master and intrigues to plot. What makes this book shine is that some assumptions that readers have been encouraged to hold are neatly overset.
The main way in which the author accomplishes this is by broadening the motivations of the characters. I especially liked that a character that has previously been shown as one-dimensionally bad is given a lot more depth. Hidden depths are revealed in other characters, giving their actions more weight.
I was also excited to see that the events of this book lay the foundation for circumstances in Carriger's companion series, The Parasol Protectorate. I'm pretty sure that a lot of this series's readers came to it from the original books, and so tying them together is a wise choice. And teen readers who enjoy these books can use them as a jumping-off point to the others.
I'm not much of a steampunk fan, but I appreciate the humor and zaniness of Carriger's stories. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
This book was borrowed from the Yolo County Public Library Davis branch.
Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
"After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.
The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside's shape-shifting leader—wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.
As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all."
I have to admit that I absolutely adore this series. There's something about it that just hits the spot with me, kind of like a warm hot chocolate on a cold day. I've had a hard time pinning down what I find so appealing about it, but now that I'm reading the first book aloud to my husband, I've been able to figure some of it out.
First, there's the worldbuilding. Bishop has obviously put a lot of thought into how she has structured this version of North America and how the various races interact with each other. Everything seems to constantly balance on a fine line between a workable compromise and utter disaster. The Others hold much of the power, controlling things like raw materials and access to water. Humans, on the other hand, are more technologically advanced, and there are hints that such advancements may tip the balance and cause problems that humanity may not be equipped to deal with.
The plot centers around this tension, as humans have discovered a way to drug Others so that they're vulnerable to attack. All of the escalating violence reminds me of conflicts over such issues as race and religion in real life—eventually, both sides end up ignoring the message from the other side in favor of hammering their own views home no matter the cost. In this case, though, the scales are significantly more lopsided. After all, you may disagree with your neighbor, but he's not likely to see you as clever meat.
What I like most about this book are the characters, and especially the little details of how they interact with each other. Even though the Others are ultimately dangerous predators, it's hard not to be charmed at the image of Simon in his Wolf form putting his head in Meg's lap to snooze while she watches television. The Crows may be canny information gatherers, but their love of all things shiny gives them a childlike quality. And who can help but smile at an elderly vampire who loves watching old human films?
The story revolves, of course, around blood prophet Meg. Bishop has done an excellent job at giving her a lot of power without making her all-powerful. There are restrictions on what she can see when she has a prophecy, and while what she sees always comes true, it's often best understood in hindsight. Mostly, Meg is just a human whose kindness and goodwill becomes the bridge between Others and humanity, and I have to admit that it's refreshing to see a character who is just a nice person.
I can't wait to see what Bishop does with this world next, but I hope she continues to expand outward and give us a look at what the world is like in more of North America, and even over in Europe (or the equivalents thereof). I devoured Murder of Crows the way a Wolf devours cookies—quickly and eagerly, and wishing for more when it was done.
Authors Behaving badly: Baycon edition
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
Just for fun: A Girl Who Reads
Literary Lines–October 18