Felicia Day

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed books  here ( you can keep abreast of more current reviews/reads I have on my GoodReads account!) But since I read all five books in this series in three days, I felt the obsession bonus was worth a blog entry.

Yeah, this cover is awful.  The pink font in the trees, the kitchy Meg-Ryan-Movie quote, the chick UNDER the horse (I mean, that just looks UNSAFE!), ugh.  Thank god for my Kindle, I don’t think I’d have been brave enough to pick this one up live.

There are five books in Moira J Moore’s “Heroes” series.  I picked this series up on a whim from an Amazon List (honestly, I find the best books that way! Thank you Amazon contributors!) It looked to be something I wouldn’t necessarily love (a bit twee from the descriptio)n:

In a realm beset by natural disasters, only the bonded Pairs–Source and Shield–make the land habitable and keep the citizenry safe. But can Dunleavy Mallorough and Lord Shintaro Karish put aside their differences to defeat something even more unnatural than their reluctant affections for each other?

Luckily I quickly fell in love with the characters and the world.  It’s the perfect light romantic fantasy I was in the mood for as I’ve been traveling.  Reminded me of one of my fave series by Lisa Shearin, so if you picked that up and liked it, this will be for you.

This is a light fantasy romp that really hangs it hat on the characterizations of the two main characters, Lee and Taro. It has a lot of romance, but there’s enough in magic and the mystery of the plots to not define it WHOLLY as that kind of book.  It’s not a cookie cutter relationship between the two leads, often they’re quite maddening, which is what I found refreshing. It’s just so sweetly and cleverly done.

What really carries the series through is the POV of the main character, Lee. The books are written in first person from her point of view. When I first started the first book, I first thought it was a bit simply written, like a Young Adult novel. But as I progressed through the book and into series, I realize it’s because the author was being so faithful to the first person view. Lee is naive, not experienced, and very stubborn, so, even if I, the reader, knows something is up with a secondary character or plotline, Lee doesn’t necessarily do the sensible thing or add it up, which can be annoying, but makes it REAL.  The main character grows through the series, but is never going to be terribly insightful, by definition of her character and the world the author built, which is part of the fun. I just have to admire that.

Also the relationship between the two main characters is very interesting, they are both VERY flawed, so the story (and their relationship) goes through unpredictable and interesting, real twists. I really loved that there isn’t some fairy tale happiness between them, and that is even more endearing.  To have a character admit in a “romance” book that she enjoys not being around her amour all the time, that she likes to enjoy her own company sometimes, is just so much fun compared to the obsessive “we’re in love so we always can’t get enough of each other forever” sort of attitude in most romance novels.

Also, the books are quite funny at times, because Lee is snarky and amusing.  Some lines had me laughing out loud.  Anyway, I would highly recommend the books, they are very very enjoyable light reads and get better and better as the series goes on.  Will definitely stay on my “OMG THERES A NEW ONE OUT!” list.

I kind of went overboard last year with the whole Urban Fantasy book crazy.  I’ve now reached the point where I can’t take one more “emotionally wounded and hot, but kick-ass vampire/fairy/werewolf/zombie killer heroine” in love with a “dominating but inside-hurting immortal hunk”, ugh!  That’s why when I find a series that has all the good parts of the UF genre mixed up with things that break the cliches, I’m rabid to see what happens.  And this just released installment in the Raine Benares series continues to be one of my faves!

This isn’t “Urban” per say, but the stories take place in a fantasy-world urban environment.  I guess you could call it a Fantasy Adventure series with a bit of (not-graphic) Romance thrown in, which is way too long a pitch, but maybe that’s why I like it so much.  Reading this is like living in an old Bard’s Tale game, accompanied by snappy sidekicks. Yeah, that’s why I like it

Bewitched and Betrayed continues the story from where the last left off, and as always, the plot is a like a great D&D romp through a fantasy world, where Goblins aren’t tiny and ugly, but green-tinged and hot, with fangs and biceps, a clever twist on the hot vampire cliche.  The love triangle between Mychael and Raine and Tam reaches a conclusion in this one (no spoilers, but YUM!), and the ending opens the door for the next book to travel to some really cool places we haven’t seen before.  But the best thing about the series continues to be the characters.  I just love the rapport between Raine and…well, everyone.  She’s self-deprecating and always has as sense of humor no matter what mishap she stumbles into, even when it looks like she’s gonna, you know, die and stuff.

There’s great snappy dialogue throughout that makes you want to be a part of this strange, fantasy family, from the “muhahaha” bad guys, to the magic-powered teen characters Raine has to wrangle.  And there are many great fight scenes.  Lots of stabbings.

I actually corresponded with the author after I trashed the cover of her first book (awkward!), but would be remiss without a few candid comments because guys…things aren’t better:  I mean, what is WITH HER OUTFIT?!  I’d let the corset slide, but the pants look like they’re flammable plastic from Hot Topic.  No way do they look sturdy enough for romping through a medieval sewer pipe!  Also, the hair?  Raine, you’re in serious need of a hot oil treatment. There’s gotta be a spell for that, girl!  I WILL say that compared to the last book, she’s slimmed down in the hip area, I guess all the stress from being tied to an evil artifact makes a girl burn more calories, but, that’s as nice as I can get.

If you haven’t read the series, start from the beginning, and if you’ve been a fan all along you won’t be disappointed with this newest installment.  And if you have Urban Fantasy series you’re STILL rabid for this year, please post in the comments for everyone to discover more guilty pleasures

Thanks all for your very thoughtful suggestions from my Sci-Fi post!  There were SO many to choose from! A few authors were mentioned over and over, and one nostalgic pick tickled my fancy, so I’m starting with three.  Frustratingly a bunch of your suggestions were not available for my Kindle so I’m ordering several snail mail.  I guess that means I have my next group of books picked out for me when they arrive

The books I picked first to read in the next month:

Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

And The Lensman Series By E.E. Smith (and possibly the Skylark Series as well, depending on how long they are, can’t tell from the Kindle download, it has many books bundled for $ .99).

Love to hear what you guys think of these after I read them!  I’ll post about them next month.

First, let’s get this first piece of new over with:

I’VE MADE IT!

How exactly is that you ask? The Guild getting popular? An awesome role in the 13th episode of Dollhouse? Something bigger? Oh yes. Take a gander at this recent piece in the NEW-frikkin-YORKER:

“The success of the ebook is being fueled by the romance and erotic romance market,” Peter Smith, of ITworld, reports. Smith cites the actress and Kindle enthusiast Felicia Day, of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” who has been bingeing on paranormals like “Dark Needs at Night’s Edge.” “I’ve read like, 6 books this week and ordered about 10 more,” Day blogged. “It’s stuff I never would have checked out at the Barnes and Noble, because the gleaming and oily man chests would have made me blush too much.”

Oh yes, I’m the “oily chest” chick.  My Dad is proud all right. Er….whatever. Onto the book reviews I’ve accumulate for the past month or so:

Thorn Queen (Dark Swan, #2) – Richelle Mead
My appetite for the “tough paranormal chick” literature has waned in the recent months, namely because I think I’ve read them all. Like, hundreds this year it feels like. But this series really caught my interest with the first book, Storm Born. The second book, Thorn Queen, after a slow first couple of chapters lived up to expectations. Eugenie is a cool character, a real-life working Shaman but who is connected to the Faery world as well.  What I like about this series is that some takes place in “real life” and some in the Faery land.  It’s what the Merry Gentry series from Laurell Hamilton COULD have been (other than porn with lots of guys, bleck).  I really liked how the characters developed in this second book and a few twists in the romance were very satisfying.  I can’t spoil anything, except to say I really really hope that the ending isn’t a feign, and that a key character who’s yummy doesn’t turn bad in the third one!  If you like Laurell Hamilton, or Jeannie Frost or Lillith Saintcrow or Rachel Caine you’ll like this series.  Also, for a time the Kindle edition was free download on Amazon, not sure if it’s still free but check it out!

Naamah’s Kiss (Kushiel’s Legacy, #7): Jacqueline Carey

I loves me some Jacqueline Carey.  I mean, I even turned into a blithering idiot getting a video with her at last year’s Comicon.  Whatever.  She’s had two books come out lately, Sainta Olivia last month (which I liked a lot as well) and just recently Naamah’s Kiss, which I went out and bought in hardback because I need her on my “keep you long time” bookshelf.  So, if you’ve read the first 6 you’ll know the world, and this book is the start of a new series in the same world.  This time the heroine is Moirim, who turns out to be er… *slight spoiler*

a hot bisexual druid.  You read that right.

*end spoilers*

The world is lush and awesome, I love love it as always, and after we visit familiar territory we take a jaunt outside of the worlds that have been established towards the end of the book.  I enjoyed it a lot.  It’s hard to live up to Phedre and Jocelyn from the first trilogy, but this had enough intrigue and definitely set up for some tussles down the line.  There are a BUNCH of (awesome) racy scenes in this, so if you’re not into that…who’s not into that again?  I just think this author is the bomb and would read her grocery list if I could.  The book has a lot of romance in it, but the world building is so rich and thorough it’s really epic fantasy at its best.  I would compare her to Guy Gavriel Kay with way more naughty bits.

Desperate Duchesses: Eloisa James

Ok, boys look away.  This is pure romance crap coming towards you.  Eloisa James’ Duchess series, starting with Desperate Duchesses is crack, pure and simple.  Think “Pride and Prejudice” meets “Sex and the City” or the “OC”.  It’s amazingly addictive.  I’ve tried a lot of other authors in this historical romance genre lately, and none of them capture the flirtation and wit that this author does.  It’s just really enjoyable to be frivilous with these aristocrats.  I’ve read pretty much all her Duchess books and am working my way through her other series as well.  They’re all very similar, but enjoyable as the characters weave in and out and pair up book after book.  Fun reading.  I enjoy them with no shame…because I have the Kindle to hide behind.

Best Served Cold: Joe Abercrombie

Boys, you can come back now. If you follow my reviews you already know my love for the First Law trilogy by Abercrombie.  Well, his latest installment, Best Served Cold, just is….as awesome.  Whew!  Cool thing is, a few of the secondary characters from his trilogy come back in this book and are much more fleshed out.  It’s a very cool way to expand the universe. If you like grit and blood and nastiness and double crossings, this is the author for you.  The realism of his descriptions and his world is really intoxicating.  After I read this book I wanted to log onto a FPS game and shoot me some zombies.  There’s no “romance” in this book, Abercrombie busts any of that into bits, and it’s so fun to watch!  I really loved it and hope to make a drooling YouTube video where I look like an idiot with him one day as well.  If you like George RR Martin, or Stephen Erikson or Brent Weeks or Richard Morgan’s SF books, try Abercrombie, you will not regret it.

Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, Book 1): Lian Hearn

So, do you like Kung Fu or Samurai films?  Did you like Memoirs of a Geisha?  Would you like those things combined and then some magic thrown in?  Then try this series starting with Across the Nightingale Floor.  I have a weakness for any movies involving Asian Martial arts, so I was sucked in big time!  The books are set in a nebulous country, but it’s so similar to Japan you might as well say it’s Japan.  There are feudal lords and women held hostage, orphans and assassins…it’s got it all.  Boys and girls will like this.  I will be continuing this series!

Whew, that’s a lot of reviews (and only a fraction of what I’ve read this summer)!  Books I read that I hate, I simply let the experience go off into the ether.  I know how hard it is to create things, so who am I to dissuade people from trying an author, or trash someone’s creation?  Everything is subjective.  I do add a lot more books than I blog about to my GoodReads account, occasionally those are a little more critical, but I only list ones I would want other people to try.  Here on the blog I try to feature my very favorites.  Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think!