Walking on Wednesday w/Audios ~ Summer Knight

*Book source ~ Purchased at Audible.

Title ~ Summer Knight

Series ~ The Dresden Files, #4

Author ~ Jim Butcher

Narrator ~ James Marsters

Publisher ~ Buzzy Multimedia

Published ~ 10 June 2009

Genre ~ Fantasy

Length ~ 11 hrs 12 min

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Narration ~ 4 bites out of 5

Harry Dresden, Wizard Extraordinaire and Private Investigator is in the dumps because his girlfriend has left town to deal with the after effects of being bitten by a Red Court vampire. He needs to get his act together because he needs money for rent and everyday living, but instead the Winter Queen walks into his office and offers him a job he can’t refuse. He has to find the real killer of the Summer Queen’s Summer Knight and clear her name or the two Faerie Courts will go to war. In exchange for doing this one little (yeah, right) thing for her she will grant the White Council passage through her realm while they fight their own war with the Red Court. Oh, and she has taken over his debt to his godmother which means he now owes Mab the debt. Harry has to find a killer, prevent a war that would destroy most of mankind, win safe passage for the White Council and pay off his new debt with the Winter Queen. All in a days work for Chicago’s only wizard.

Guest Reviewers:

A ~ my 16-yr-old daughter

T ~ my 14-yr-old son

K ~ my 13-yr-old son

Narration: Marsters is improving as the series goes along. He's done a much better job in this one than the ones previous though sometimes his pronunciations aren't quite right.

This series continues to entertain the kids (and me). We all love Harry. The humor is a big hit still, the magic is always interesting and the mystery keeps us guessing.

Many favorite characters are back such as Bob, Murphy, the Alphas, Thomas, Michael and Toot-Toot. In addition to meeting many of the Fae and some Changelings we met Elaine, Harry’s very first love and who he thought was dead. Surprise! We also got to meet many of the White Council and more importantly the wizards of the Senior Council including Ebenezer McCoy who took Harry in when he was a teenager and was his mentor.

Everyone liked the battle with the troll and the Chlorofiend at Walmart and it was unanimous that the big battle at the end was awesome. Everyone enjoyed all of the information pertaining to the Faerie Courts. They did not like many of the Fae, but then who does? The loved meeting the Senior Council. They were very surprised at who killed the Summer Knight.

Favorite quote: “I stretched out my hand, adrenaline and pain giving me plenty of fuel for the magic, and called, 'Ventas servitas!' Wind leapt out in a sudden spurt, seizing the Unraveling and tearing it from Aurora's fingers, sending it spinning through the air toward me. I caught it, stuck my tongue out at Aurora, yelled, 'Meep, meep!' and ran like hell.” 

Walking on Wednesday w/Audios ~ Grave Peril

*Book source ~ Purchased from Audible

Title ~ Grave Peril

Series ~ The Dresden Files, #3

Author ~ Jim Butcher

Narrator ~ James Marsters

Publisher ~ Buzzy Multimedia

Published ~ 10 June 2009

Genre ~ Fantasy/Paranormal

Length ~ 11 hrs 59 minutes

Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Narration ~ 3 bites and a nibble out of 5

Marsters is getting better, but he's still not up to snuff.

Harry teams up with Michael Carpenter, a Knight of the Cross, when the ghost world starts going haywire. Something is stirring up the spirit world and Harry is determined to figure it out and put it to rights, if at all possible. Because nothing is worse than spirits gone wild.

Guest reviewers:

A ~ my 16-year-old daughter

T ~ my 14-year-old son

K ~ my 13-year-old son

We meet some new characters in this book, ones the kids hope will continue on in the series. Everyone loves Michael and his sword Amoracchius. Actually, I think they just like any swords, but Amoracchius does have special abilities since it has a nail from the crucifix in its handle and not just any Tom, Dick or Harry can wield Amoracchius. Thomas, a vampire of the White Court, is also turning out to be a cautious favorite. The kids do not like Harry’s faerie Godmother, Leanansidhe, who is a Sidhe of the Winter Court. T said she is a ‘B’ meaning bitch which I can say and he is not allowed until he’s older. Father Forthill is another favorite. A thought the Nightmare was a very interesting character and the barbwire spell was pretty cool if nasty. T & K thought the Nightmare was a badass baddie.

The plot was twisty enough to keep them interested in the proceedings and the description of the Nevernever wasn’t quite what they expected. A said she thought it would be more like the Nether (from the game Minecraft), but overall it was pretty cool.

Favorite part: When Harry goes to the Bianca’s Vampire Masquerade Ball dressed as a vampire including fake fangs. 2nd favorite: When Harry encounters the Nightmare in his dreams.

Favorite quote:

“Holy shit," I breathed. "Hellhounds."
"Harry," Michael said sternly. "You know I hate it when you swear."
"You're right. Sorry. Holy shit," I breathed, "heckhounds.” 

Bring on Summer Knight!

Showcase Saturday

Title ~ Sin

Author ~ Sharron Riddle

Publisher ~ Curiosity Quills

Published ~ 13 January 2014

Genre ~ YA/Fantasy

Pages ~ 274

My Rating ~ 3 bites out of 5

Sin Blackmore is sixteen and having a hard time getting a handle on her temper. Her dad decides she needs to get some psychiatric help so Sin is heading to be locked up in the nuthouse. However, on the way there they encounter some zombies. While her dad is distracted her mom races off with the car and takes Sin to the airport to get her on a plane to Chicago. Sin needs to get to her great-aunts since they are the only ones who can help her with her problem. Because Sin isn’t human and her world is about to be turned upside down.

The plot for this story is inventive, exciting and excellent. The doors between Faerie and the human world are being breached and the Hellhounds have been stolen. All hell is breaking loose, humans are becoming aware that there are other things than themselves out there and Sin is at the middle of it all though she has no idea why. The characters are wonderful, varied and detailed. This story would have easily gotten a 5 out of me if it weren’t for the execution. While the writing itself is pretty good, I think I got whiplash from the mood changes. The characters must be bipolar because their constantly switching moods, even in the same paragraph, were lightning fast and unpredictable. It was massively irritating to have no transition from one mood to the next. I love, love, love the story and I hate that the execution of it disappointed me.  I mean, massively disappointed. *sigh* I can’t say that I wouldn’t pick up another book if this is to be a series because I love the world so much, but I would be wary of the same quick mood changes.

  

Title ~ Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Super Villain

Author ~ Richard Roberts

Publisher ~ Curiosity Quills

Published ~ 15 February 2014

Genre ~ Middle Grade/Sci-Fi

Pages ~ 384

My Rating ~ 4 bites and a nibble out of 5

Penny Akk is the 13-year-old daughter of two superheroes, The Audit (her mom) and The Brain Auk (her dad). She’s impatiently waiting for her super powers to manifest even though they may not do so for a few years yet. But wonder of wonders, they do pop into existence. Only, Penny has no control over them nor can she make them perform at will. Excited and disappointed that she may still have to wait for them to settle, she continues about her life with her two best friends Claire and Ray. However, when her powers spark more and more within a week, and those powers set off Claire’s and Ray’s it’s only a matter of time before they’re out doing things they shouldn’t really be doing. Now, instead of being firmly on the superhero side they are instead pegged as new super villains. One little lie, some omissions and a few misdirections lead to another and another until they are leading the lives of super villains. How are they going to get out of their situation? But the more important question is, will they want to?

Very well-written with great characters this is a story I think my kids would love. Who wouldn’t want super powers? I wouldn’t mind some especially if they helped me win the lottery once in awhile. The trio of best friends become, by accident, a team of super villains and then they can’t just admit who they are. So they slide further and further into the super villain arena while still trying to be good because they intend to be “converted” to the superhero community when the time is right. However, they’re enjoying their newfound fame a bit too much to give it up. Heck, most adults would screw up like that and these kids are only 13. At least they try to keep from hurting anyone, causing a lot of property damage or outright stealing. And can I say that Penny’s Machine is pretty freakin’ awesome? That thing alone would be a huge boon to the environment, but she invents some other really cool stuff, too. This is a fun read that I think most people would enjoy.

Saturday Shorts

Saturday Shorts

Saturday Shorts is a feature where I review 3-4 short stories that are 100 pages or less. Enjoy!

*Books source ~ Many thanks to the authors for providing review copies in exchange for honest reviews.

 Title ~ Rose of Skibbereen

Series ~ Rose of Skibbereen, #1

Author ~ John McDonnell

Publisher ~ John McDonnell

Published ~ 9 March 2013

Genre ~ Historical/Romance

My Rating ~ 4 bites and a nibble out of 5

In 1880 Rose Sullivan left her home in Skibbereen Ireland and sailed to America with her cousin Mary. Another cousin, Kate, had gone to America years ago and she made enough money to send home so that her family lived like royalty in the poverty stricken country. She wrote and told Kate and Mary that she could get them jobs as serving girls in the household where she works. So Rose and Mary left the only home they knew and crossed an ocean to America.

I thought it was a bit strange that the evening before Rose and Mary left there was a party to see them off. That wasn’t the strange part. It was called an American Wake. Why call it a wake? I guess because family, friends and neighbors figured the girls (or whoever the party was for) were never coming back. So, even though Rose plans to return in 10 years, they were given an American Wake. Fascinating.

This short story is part one in a series documenting Rose’s life after she leaves Ireland, docks in Philadelphia and ends up as a serving girl in a rich man’s home in Pittsburgh. At her party she meets a handsome mysterious 16-year-old boy/man named Sean McCarthy. They talk, he kisses her and then he walks away. Rose spends a lot of time thinking of him on her journey to America and even after though she’s so busy working she falls asleep exhausted. The ending is a cliffhanger as Rose’s life takes a serious turn. What is she going to do now? Very well-written and I’m looking forward to reading more about Rose’s story.

Title ~ Chasing Faeries

Series ~ Appletwist Garden, #1

Author ~ E.W. Saloka

Publisher ~ E.W. Saloka

Published ~ 29 March 2012

Genre ~ Fantasy/Middle Grade

My Rating ~ 4 bites and a nibble out of 5

Calla Rose stays with her Grandma Cordelia every summer and every summer is filled with gardening, baking, fun and stories of faeries. She has friends to play with and the summer of her tenth birthday a new family moves in nearby and Calla Rose and Dylan become friends. This summer, right before her tenth birthday, she discovers that her grandmother’s faeries are real, but she thinks her grandmother doesn’t believe her when Calla tells her she’s talked to the faeries and the enchanted creatures in the garden. However, Calla couldn’t be more wrong. Not only does her grandmother believe her, but she’s worried that Calla has discovered the faeries too soon. What is a grandmother to do?

This is a charming middle grade story about a 10-year-old precocious girl who has the best summers ever with her loving grandmother. Her grandmother loves to tell her stories about the faeries in the garden and one day Calla decides she wants to look for those faeries. She doesn’t see them for awhile, but then one morning, she does. And after that the creatures in the garden talk to her. Calla Rose is a delight to read and I wish my grandmother had been more like Calla’s. If you know a middle-grader who loves stories about faeries then this is the one to get. Be warned though, it does have a bit of a cliffhanger and I don’t see when the next book will be released.

Title ~ Stop, or I'll Shoot & Out on a Beam

Series ~ Cuffed 1

Author ~ Bill Howe and Suzanne Rorhus

Publisher ~ Quake

Published ~ 19 January 2012

Genre ~ Middle Grade/Humor

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Cuffed Vol. 1 includes two tales: Stop, or I’ll Shoot! and Out on a Beam. The stories are short, humorous and not made up. The names of the officers have been changed and some of the points may have been exaggerated a tad, but for the most part these are funny officer anecdotes suitable for all ages to read. I’m looking forward to reading Vols 2-6.

Stop, or I’ll Shoot!

Office Lance Yandell is on patrol when the call comes in that an alarm has sounded at a shoe store. Yandell responds and sees the broken glass. He waits for back up before going in. He’s never had to fire his weapon before. Will tonight be the night?

Out on a Beam

Officer Kim Brunetti is a seasoned officer. She’s not afraid of most things, but when she responds to a possible theft at a construction site, she realizes as she crosses a beam that she’s afraid of heights. Not just afraid. Petrified. Oh, what a pickle for the veteran to be in.

Saturday Shorts

Saturday Shorts

Saturday Shorts is a feature where I review 3-4 short stories that are 100 pages or less. Enjoy! 

*Books source ~ Many thanks to the authors for providing review copies in exchange for honest reviews.

Title ~ Cursed

Series ~ Touched, #1

Author ~ S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Publisher ~ Ravynheart Publishing

Published ~ 28 October 2011

Genre ~ Fantasy

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

London Eyer is a private investigator specializing in the paranormal. When she is blackmailed into working for Rico of the Sidhe her life changes in an instant. She may be forced to work for him, but she’s not doing it without fighting for all she’s worth. She will do the job, but as much on her terms as possible considering the Curse he’s put on her. The question is: Will she survive?

Ok, this story is definitely a good start to a new series. It’s very short, so there’s only a brief glimpse of what this new world and characters are like, but it’s enough to make we want more. I like London. A lot. She reminds me of Harry Dresden (though he’s a wizard) and Anita Blake in the early books (though she’s a necromancer), but the attitude is one that I enjoy reading. She may be forced to do something, but she’s not going to just roll over and play nice. The ending is very intriguing and not how I expected it to turn out, but I very much look forward to reading more in this series.

Title ~ Dragged Into Darkness

Author ~ Lisa V. Proulx

Publisher ~ Lisa V. Proulx

Published ~ 18 October 2011

Genre ~ Paranormal

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

Frankie Morelli is an abusive husband to his wife Angela. Married young she fell into the mindset that she somehow deserved the beatings he gave her. Then one night he went too far and killed her. After he was sentenced to prison he stole from the wrong inmate and was beaten to death. Arriving in Hell, Frankie tries to think of a way to bargain himself out of Hell and into Heaven. He finally hits upon the idea that he could exchange his rotten evil soul for his wife’s purer one. Satan agrees, tells him what he must do and sends him on his journey. Will Frankie succeed? Or will he continue to be a pathetic loser?

This is an interesting idea. Bargain your way out of Hell by trading souls. Angela is a sad case of spousal abuse. If she had just had the courage to get out years before she might have made something of herself. Instead, she fell into the thinking that it was all her fault and making excuses for her pathetic excuse of a husband. Frankie’s journey is interesting and Frankie is completely repellent. I love the twist at the end.  All-in-all an interesting, if painful at times, read.

Title ~ Brightarrow Burning

Author ~ Isabo Kelly

Publisher ~ Samhain Publishing

Published ~ 4 October 2011

Genre ~ Fantasy

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

Layla Brightarrow has been in love with Ulric of Glengowyn all her life. When war breaks out between humans and Sorcerers the elves decide to remain neutral, putting Ulric completely out of Layla’s reach. She is one of the best archers around so she is the one given many of the assassination orders to eliminate traitor elves, those who lure humans to the Sorcerers. Then she is ordered to kill Ulric’s brother Althir and almost dies in the attempt. Will Ulric remain neutral? Is he loyal to family? Or Layla?

Not bad for a short story. The world is described very well and the characters are decently fleshed out. The chemistry between Layla and Ulric is off the charts and the conflict put me on the edge of my seat. Ulric seems to care for Layla, but is he still loyal to his brother? Trust is hard for Layla, but in the end it’s all worth the effort. A wonderful quick read.

Frost Burned

Title ~ Frost Burned

Series ~ Mercy Thompson, #7

Author ~ Patricia Briggs

Publisher ~ Ace Books

Published ~ 5 March 2013

Genre ~ Paranormal/UF

*Book source ~ My local library.

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Thanksgiving dinner is over and Jesse has persuaded Mercy to brave the Black Friday sales. However, around midnight they get into a car accident and when Mercy can’t reach Adam on the phone or anyone else in the pack, she really starts to worry. Using her bond with Adam seems to be her only option though it doesn’t always work they way she’d like since she’s a coyote and Adam is a wolf. Concentrating, she can only perceive that Adam is in pain and filled with rage. Getting a lift from the tow truck driver to her garage she discovers Gabriel and Ben there. Ben is hurt and fighting his change to werewolf so he can tell Mercy what he knows. Now it’s up to Mercy to keep Jesse, Ben and Gabriel safe from unknown dangers, find Adam and the pack and rescue them and get to the bottom of the danger to the Columbia Basin Pack. In order to fill that order she’s going to need her wits about her and draw upon every friend she has.

This book starts out with Black Friday shopping which I would never, ever, ever do in this lifetime or any other. But luckily for Mercy and Jesse they get in a car accident. Yes, I say it was lucky. Because if they hadn’t Mercy wouldn’t have tried contacting Adam or the rest of the pack when Adam doesn’t answer his phone. Worrying in itself, but when she tries her bond with Adam she only feels his rage and pain. Uh, oh. This is not going to be good. For them, that is. For me, the reader, it was fucking awesome! Sorry, Mercy.

Non-stop action, humor, mystery, danger, awesome characters and great writing make this a keeper. But then, I’ve loved all of the Mercy books so far. I love the interaction between characters and learning more and more about Mercy. I will also state firmly and unequivocally for the record that I LOVE seeing Adam’s POV in this book. I am a huge fan of multiple POVs when done with skill and this is. I will also state that Patricia Briggs is very cruel to us worshipping fans who hang on her every word. She parcels out these wonderful nuggets of information so miserly that she could give Scrooge a run for his money. However, it is necessary even as it is cruel. She gives us just enough that we don’t gorge ourselves and are left salivating for more. Cruel and yet brilliant. I know I am salivating right now. I can’t wait for the next book. All-in-all an excellent afternoon read.