Review: Black Night by Christina Henry

Title: Black Night
Author: Christina Henry
Series: Madeline Black #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 07/26/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Madeline Black is an Agent of death, meaning she escorts the souls of people who have died to the afterlife. Of course, not everyone is happy to see her...

If obstinate dead people were all that Maddy had to worry about, life would be much easier. But the best-laid plans of Agents and fallen angels often go awry. Deaths are occurring contrary to the natural order, Maddy's being stalked by foes inside and outside of her family, and her two loves -- her bodyguard, Gabriel, and her doughnut-loving gargoyle, Beezle -- have disappeared. But because Maddy is Lucifer's granddaughter, things are expected of her, things like delicate diplomatic missions to other realms.

Plot: 4 Stars
In the first novel of this series, Black Wings, the reader is introduced to the world of the angels and demons, along with the Agents of Death, like Maddy. In this novel, the world is expanded on as Maddy learns about portals and takes a trip to the Faerie Realm. She learns more about the politics involved in being Lucifer's granddaughter as she is sent on a diplomatic mission that she may not live through. Added to that is the problem of a missing bodyguard and a missing gargoyle, and Maddy has a lot on her plate in this novel. There were a few points in which I had no idea if Maddy was going to figure things out, or keep herself alive for that matter. All in all, this was a great follow up to Black Wings that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
This novel had a great pace that didn't leave me with much of a desire to put it down. I didn't exactly speed through it, but there was never a point in which I got a bit bored or distracted. Maddy is running back and forth throughout this novel trying to find her friends and do the job Lucifer has given her, along with keeping herself alive. She is definitely overwhelmed as some points, but the novel never became muddled. I wasn't always sure what lay around the next corner (and neither did Maddy), and this novel definitely kept me guessing.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
Beezle continued to bring a bit of humor to the story exactly when it was needed with his witty banter and love of all things snack food. He is still my favorite character of this series, but Maddy and J.B. definitely grew on me during this novel. Not only do we learn more about J.B. and his heritage (including meeting his mother), but he is also less severe than in the previous novel. Maddy continues to have more and more hefted onto her plate, but she deals with all of the craziness as best as she can. A few dangerous characters from book one came back into play with some interesting and surprising circumstances, and I can't wait to see what will happen next.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
Maddy looks like a total badass on the cover. The look on her face screams "don't mess with me" and she's carrying a pretty awesome sword. The ornate fence detail in the background is a nice touch. It resonates with the stone gargoyles from the first cover without being too similar. My favorite detail of this cover is the light behind the cover model that is vaguely shaped like wings. It grabs the eye and makes you wonder if they are wings, and why Maddy would have them. Although I normally love the color blue, I think this cover could've benefitted a tiny bit by being a different cover since book one was also blue, but it still fits the feel of this novel. I'm glad the cover artist brought in a touch of yellow in the title to counterbalance the red in the first cover. A small part of me wishes Beezle could make an appearance on one of the covers because he's such a cool little gargoyle, but I'm not sure if it would actually work.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for review from the publisher.

Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Faefever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 09/16/08
Buy the Book:

Summary:

"He calls me his Queen of the Night.
I'd die for him. I'd kill for him, too."

When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister's journal, she is stunned by Alina's desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister's killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it.

Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds with devastating consequences.

Plot: 3 Stars
Where most series stall a bit in the second book, this series seems to hit a wall in book three. There just didn't seem to be as much progression in the storyline for the first two-thirds of the book. There was a lot of talking about events, planning how to deal with events, wondering how to deal with events, etc. but not much actually handling said events until the very end. The crazy events at the end make up for the lack of events throughout the novel though. Everything that has happened up until now was building towards the events of All Hallows Eve. It took me by complete surprise, and took the series in a direction I wasn't expecting. The events that unfolded as the novel was drawing to a close, have me reaching for the next novel in the series.

Pace: 3 Stars
This installment of the Fever series involved a bit too much inner monologue from Mac. There seemed to be more time in between the important scenes in which she tried to put the always increasing amount of pieces in the puzzle together. Maybe it seemed this way because I listened to this book, instead of reading it in print (it was my first audiobook adventure). Listening to Mac walk herself through these events and try to figure out what to do next, instead of reading them, could have made some of these seem more drawn out. And the ending! I'm not sure if I would consider it a cliffhanger perse, but it definitely wasn't the ideal scene to end the novel. I'm definitely glad I waited to read this series until all of the books had been released, especially since I've heard the next book will have a cliffhanger that's even more frustrating.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
A number of characters that were mentioned, but not elaborated on too much, in the second novel came back to become major players in this novel. It was great to learn more about the other sidhe-seers and Christian MacAllister, especially since Barrons seemed a little distant for a good portion of the novel. Even when he was helping Mac learn to fight against Voice, he seems preoccupied. I hope the next novel will shed some light what has been going on with him. There has been a bit of foreshadowing about what he is and how he fits into this fight, and I'm ready to find out. Mac continued to grow in this novel, and continued to learn more about the situation surrounding her sister's death. She also became more confident and self-sufficient. She still needed her allies, but she wasn't as dependent on them and started making more decisions for herself, instead of Barrons or V'lane.

Cover: 4 Stars
I know I sound like a broken record, but these new covers are to die for. The purple of this cover was very bright and eye catching. I love how the purple fades into the title. The image on the cover is a great choice. Although I'm not sure which building it is portraying, Mac did venture out to a few new locations throughout this installment that could easily be the beautiful building captured on the cover. My favorite part is how the covers continue to keep the cover model very small. I like the lack of detail in the small image, so that I can imagine Mac looking how I interpret the descriptions, and also because it really fits the mood of the series. Mac is in over her head in Ireland, and the composition of the cover model makes that very clear.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I listened to this novel using an audiobook I borrowed from my local library, but also bought a copy of this novel for my own reading pleasure.

Review: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Title: Born at Midnight (ARC)
Author: C.C. Hunter
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 03/29/11
Buy the Book:

Summary:

Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams. Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen...

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls -- a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side -- learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear -- Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs...

Plot: 4 Stars
The idea of a summer camp for supernaturals sounded like a great idea, and I knew I'd have to read this book. I enjoy YA books where the characters are sent to boarding schools or academies for their supernatural abilities, but there are a large number of them. Summer camp, on the other hand, was an idea that I hadn't encountered yet. I also really enjoyed that it was a mix of supernatural creatures at the summer camp, instead of being just for vampires or just for shapeshifters. It allowed for interactions and the formation of cliques that wouldn't have happened had everyone been the same breed. The supernaturals could read each other with some weird psychic brain thing... I wish it had been explained better. Kylie can't do it, but it's never explained how to scan another person's brain or how to interpret what is read off of the brain. Hopefully that will be further discussed in the next novel as Kylie figures herself out.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
Once the plot twists at the end of the novel grabbed me, I couldn't put it down. But it was a bit slow getting to that point. Out of the approximately 400 pages of the novel, there didn't seem to be a lot going on besides camp life for about 300 of those pages. There were a couple moments where I almost put the book down, and a couple moments in which I wondered if the plot would actually show up. But then the twists arrived, grabbed me and didn't let go. Once the story was finished, I realized there were a number of earlier scenes leading up to the climax and resolution that were meant to foreshadow. I just didn't realize it until afterwards, so the foreshadowing may have been a bit subtle at those moments.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Kylie was a very interesting character because no one knows what kind of supernatural she is. She spends a large part of the novel hoping that it's all a mistake. She accepted the supernatural very quickly for someone who had never experienced it before the summer camp, but a fellow camp member shapeshifting in front of you will definitely change your mind. Kylie's two roommates at the camp were a great contrast. A dyslexic witch who sometimes gets her spells wrong and a vampire who is trying to keep her family in the dark made for some hilarious scenes. This was my first love-quadrangle, and it got a bit confusing. Kylie broke up with before camp, but thinks about him a lot at camp. Derek is interested in Kylie, and the feeling is mutual, but Kylie's afraid it's because he reminds her of her ex. Lucas is a guy from her past that scares and intrigues Kylie. There just isn't enough time in the day to worry about so many boys. Hopefully the next novel will bring it down to a love-triangle. I can deal with a triangle.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
The cover model was a great depiction of Kylie. I like the way the cover model is posed on the tree. It's a very striking image. I just wish another character or two could've been included on the cover because there were so many characters that played a medium to large role in the story. I also wish something in the background could have alluded to the fact that the story bases itself around a summer camp. Although I tend to like purple covers, this one came across a bit too monochromatic.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC thru Book It Forward Tours.

Review: River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 03/01/11
Buy the Book:

Summary:

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River -- one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

Plot: 3 Stars
I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but this installment of the Mercy Thompson series just didn't do it for me. I have disliked Adam from the very beginning, and this novel was just too much Mercy and Adam for my liking. It started to feel very romancey, but not in the usual Paranormal Romance way. It felt like the novel after the HEA (happily ever after). The novel started off with a wedding, which doesn't really fit into an Urban Fantasy unless something paranormal attacks during a wedding in my eyes. It was nice to learn more about Mercy's background, but it didn't make up for the lack of the majority of the cast being present. Sam was absent for the entire novel, although after Silver Borne, this may not be a bad thing. The majority of Adam's wolf pack is absent, save a few of the larger characters. And don't get me started on Stefan. At the end of Silver Borne, Stefan's world is thrown into choas. At the beginning of River Marked, lets just say it's still chaos. Mercy makes a big deal out of the state of things, but then she leaves and Stefan is barely mentioned again, even though things still aren't great. Maybe the next book will address this, but if it doesn't I'm going to have to divorce myself from the series because Stefan is my favorite character.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
The pacing of this novel was my biggest issue. It seemed like the first ten or eleven chapters were all talk and no action. And then the action in the last two chapters was finished so quickly, it definitely didn't make up for the lack of action throughout the rest of the novel. I feel like the talking and the researching and the planning could've been spaced out so that there was action inbetween all of the chat sessions. Instead, the book felt split up into two parts: the detail part and the action part. There were a few chapters that moved so slow, that I feared I would have to return this novel to the library without finishing (or risk late fees) because the due date was approaching and I wasn't making much progress.

Characters: 3 Stars
Even though a number of regulars are absent or present for only a short time, we are introduced to a number of new characters while Adam and Mercy are off camping. Although these new characters served multiple purposes (to help Mercy learn more about her heritage, and to help defeat the evil in the lake), some weren't as developed as others. Coyote had a different way of looking at things, and was probably my favorite new character. He was snarky and mysterious, and used very unconventional methods to figure things out. Gordon Seeker was also mysterious, but it was more of an annoyance. Although he did come through in the end, he definitely rubbed me the wrong way.

Cover: 3 Stars
This was the weakest cover in the series for me. Whether the cover model is laying on the ground, or leaning against the wall, the pose and the expression on her face reads a little streetwalker to me. The biggest thing missing is the details. All of the covers up until this one have had so much relevant detail included. But this one only includes the cover model and some sort of large symbol. It stands out from the other five due to so much of the background being the same. Some trees, a lake, and some Native American art would've made a much more interesting and detail-oriented cover. But I do love the cover model. She embodies Mercy's character so well. And I love her tattoos. I like how she has the pawprint tattoo that Mercy actually has, and how the rest of the tattoos change depending on the plot of each book. I'm always able to look at the tattoos on the cover and know if the book will focus on vampires, werewolves, fae, etc.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Bloodfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 08/26/08
Summary:

Mackayla Lane's ordinary life underwent a complete makeover when she landed on Ireland's shores and was plunged into a dark, deadly realm unlike any she ever imagined. In her fight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh -- a million-year old book of the blackest magic imaginable that holds the key to power over both the worlds of Fae and Man. Pursued by Fae assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she cannot trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and irresistible men: V'lane, the insatiable Fae, who can turn sensual arousal into an obsession for any woman; and the ever-inscrutable Jericho Barrons, a man as alluring as he is mysterious.

Plot: 4 Stars
Bloodfever was a fantastic second book for this series. Often, I find that second books tend to fall flat since the world and characters are no longer new. First books are almost always my favorite because I like being introduced to new worlds and characters. I can't really say which of the two I liked more, and I hope the next book is just as great. There were definitely some interesting twists in this novel that I did not see coming, and a character or two that I hadn't expected to see again. I was glad to see more OOPs (objects of power) thrown into the mix as well.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
This novel flowed even better than its predecessor Darkfever. There was never really a point in which the plot wavered or slowed down. It was constant action, and had less information crammed between scenes since book one already introduced us to the world and its players. There were a few points where Mac's inner dialogue got to be a touch wordy, but right when I'd start to feel this way something bad jumped out of a corner and threw her world upside-down.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
My one complaint about this novel is that there wasn't as much character development as I expected after the first book. Mac continued to grow and transform throughout the story, but there wasn't much growth or exploration for the other characters. Barrons continued to be quite frustrating as he consistantly did not answer any of Mac's questions. V'lane continued to play his games, although he did prove helpful at some moments. I wish Mac could've found out a little more about Alina's murder. I felt like she hadn't learned much more than what she knew at the end of book one. But there were a couple of characters introduced throughout the novel that I hope will become bigger characters in the future books because they intrigued me.

Cover: 4 Stars
I said it in my Darkfever review, and I'll say it again... These re-released covers are fabulous. Since this novel has blood in the cover, I'm glad they picked a pinkish, reddish hue for this cover. The actual image on this cover is my least favorite of the four paperbacks because it has a bit less detail than the others, but it's still very interesting. The image has a very bleak feeling to it, with the cover model standing all alone under the moon. This reflects Mac's emotions in this novel very well, without being too straight-forward.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

Title: Grave Witch
Author: Kalayna Price
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 10/05/10
Summary:

Not even death can save her now.

As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead -- she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why...

Plot: 5 Stars
I absolutely love a novel based around magic in which the use of magic extracts a physical price from the person performing it. In the case of this novel, the use of Alex's grave magic affects her vision afterwards, to the point where she needs light up stones to get to her apartment door after a normal ritual, and is basically blind after a stronger than normal ritual. Another aspect to this novel I really enjoyed was the different kinds of magic, and how the fae were weaved into the supernatural world. It's not very often a novel has only witches and faw; it was a very interesting combination. The twists and turns in this novel kept me guessing until the very last second. And the ending didn't disappoint. It's not very often (knowing there's at least another book in a series) that I seriously don't know how a main character is going to make it out alive.

Pace: 5 Stars
This was one of those awesome novels that I just could not put down. I read at least two-thirds of the book in just one afternoon. And I could barely put it down to watch some of my favorite tv shows. I would pick it up again at every commercial, just for those couple pages I'd be able to read in the break. Every scene in this novel flowed together very well, and all of the crazy events that took place wrapped up very nicely in the end. Time also passed in a very realistic, but still hectic, amount of time. Alex didn't have a lot of time between each crazy twist and turn, but it didn't feel like forty hours worth of mayhem was crammed into a day either.

Characters: 5 Stars
Alex was a very likeable and interesting heroine. Her family was all kinds of crazy, but that didn't keep her down. Plus, she really loved her little dog. Her grave magic was interesting and unique, and the author really did a great job weaving all of the little details of her magic together. Although I wish we could've seen a bit more of John and her roommates, they seemed like great characters and I hope to see more of them in future novels. Detective was fun to hate in the beginning, although I think he grew on me as much as he grew on Alex.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
Normally, I find black and white covers to be a bit boring. But this cover had just enough color splashed onto the cover model's face, hair, and shirt to stand out. Although the scene depicted on the cover takes place during the night, it wasn't too dark. The contrast between all the black, gray, and white layers was enough to keep the details crisp. I also liked the scene depicted on the cover. It doesn't depict an actual scene from the novel, but it still gives a good idea as to what Alex does for a living. The graveyard is a great setting for a Grave Witch, although Alex does a lot of her jobs in morgues and funeral homes. And although Alex doesn't make her ritual circles out of candles, like on the cover, she uses a wide variety of means to make circles throughout the book, so one could assume that a circle of candles would also work. Lastly, I want to point out that I think the cover model looks a bit likea slightly younger Chelsea Handler, but that could just be because I watch Chelsea Lately every night before bed.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 08/28/07
Summary:

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first century woman.

Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death -- a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone -- Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane -- an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women -- closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book -- because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...

Plot: 4 Stars
I love a good story where the paranormal creature(s) are terrifying. Too often they're sexy or cute or just like humans. But not the fae in Darkfever. They were gross and ugly and evil. And I loved it. I also enjoyed that the plot wasn't so straightforward. Mac crosses the Atlantic to solve her sister's murder, and then gets swept up into the search for a dark, magical book. She spends most of the novel balancing between trying to figure out what happened to her sister, learning about her powers as a sidhe seer and the fae she can see, and searching for the Sinsar Dubh. There's never a dull moment because there's so much on Mac's plate, but it never seems too overwhelming.

Pace: 4 Stars
The pace of this novel was smooth and steady. There weren't any bumps in which things slowed down and became boring, nor were there moments that seemed rushed and confusing. Everything unfolded in a realistic timeframe. There was never a time where I was left wondering if days in Ireland were longer than 24 hours to accomodate all of the action. Instead, the author spread things out over the course of a couple weeks. This also helped show the progression in which Mac starts to see and really believe in the fae around her. My only gripe is the ending. It's not quite a cliffhanger, but it comes out of nowhere and totally leaves you hanging for book two. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing since I went out and bought Bloodfever the day after I finished it.

Characters: 4 Stars
Mac was a very real character. Often, when reading paranormal stories, characters who are first introduced into the supernatural accept it a bit too quickly and easily. But Mac fought the strange things happening in Ireland tooth and nail. She was stubborn and refused to accept the supernatural until it was shoved right under her nose, and even then, she still seemed skeptical. Jericho Barrons was a nice mix of hot and cold, sugar and spice. Every time you thought he started to care, he's turn around and be mean again. I can't wait to see more of the dynamic between Mac and Barrons. I also hope that future books will have Mac uncover more of what happened to her sister. The bits and pieces throughout this novel were not enough.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
I absolutely love the new re-designed novels. I will admit that I was a little hesitant about reading these books in the past due to the lackluster covers, even though I had heard really good things. So when I saw these new covers, I figured I'd give it a shot. My favorite part is the color. The blue they chose is beautiful, and also fits the emotions of the novel. I also really liked that the cover model was so small. It made her seem lost or confused, which describes Mac for most of the novel. All in all, kudos to whoever decided to switch things up.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Title: Glimmerglass
Author: Jenna Black
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 05/25/10
Summary:

It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp...

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl -- she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.


Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with... until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again...

Plot: 5 Stars
The idea of the mortal world and the faerie world intersecting in a specific point, Avalon, was a very interesting take on faerie lore. Up until now, I've only read about the two worlds existing completely together or completely apart. I really enjoyed how the two races could co-exist in Avalon, but humans couldn't venture into the faerie realm, and vice versa. The magic that the fae possess was also unique. It involved more energy manipulation than the more common glamour.

Pace: 5 Stars
Dana just couldn't catch a break once she reached Avalon. She barely got a chance to stop and take a breath. As much as I felt for her, I also really enjoyed reading the crazy chain of events that took place. The pace was go-go-go without being completely rushed. In fact, all of the events flowed together to make a wonderful story that was never boring.

Characters: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed Dana. I really felt for her as I was reading. She dealt with the hand life dealt her in a very mature manner. Ethan and his sister were very interesting characters. They played off of each other quite well, and gave the reader a very intimate glance into life in Avalon and life as a fae teenager. I would've liked Dana's parents to have played a slightly bigger roll in the book. I don't feel like I got to know them quite as well as other characters.

Cover: 5 Stars
I fell in love with this cover the first time I saw it online, but seeing it in person was a hundred times better. What looked like gray spots, turned out to be a shiny silver. And they even repeated onto the spine. The text and spine were an unusual pink that really complimented the navy blue. But my favorite part is the image of the cover model. The image and it's opposite image are striking in their unique angle.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Teaser Tuesday (33)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Glimmerglass
Author: Jenna Black
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 05/25/10

My hope had been that blocking its vision would slow the creature down at least a little, but my plan worked better than expected. The creature tried to pull the afghan off its head, but the yarn kept getting caught on all the little sticks and twigs that jutted out of its body. Shrieking in outrage, the creature began shredding the afghan with its claws. -- pg. 56

Review: Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Title: Silver Borne
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 03/30/10
Summary:

When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge -- and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side -- leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Plot: 4 Stars
There were so many twists and turns, and subplots. And they all worked so well for me. Very often, I like the first novel in a series the most because it introduces me to an awesome new world filled with fantastic characters; and very often I find that I get bored as a series goes on. But this series is on book five, and I think it was my favorite so far. We got to see into the working of the pack, Mercy and Adam's relationship progressed to another level, and, of course, Mercy got herself tangled in the middle of fae problems again. All in all, it was a fantastic addition to a one of my favorite series.

Pace: 4 Stars
This novel flew by. A number of times, I would pause in my reading and wonder how so much of the book had flown by without feeling rushed. The story's separate storylines melded together perfectly to make Mercy's life a whirlwind of supernatural drama, like always.

Characters: 5 Stars
I liked the way the author handled Mercy dealing with her personal issues, stemming from earlier novels. It was also nice to see Sam and Adam interacting without so much testosterone. I love how much we get to learn about the pack in this novel. Up until this point, we've met a number of the pack members, but we didn't know that much about them. We get to see a couple pack members' true colors, which was quite unexpected (in a good way). I wish we could've seen a bit more of Zee because I always find him amusing, but at least he wasn't completely absent.

Cover: 5 Stars
I always love Mercy's covers. I know that she only has the one pawprint tattoo. But I love how the cover artist always incorporates more tattoos that change with the subject matter. I also like how Mercy being a mechanic is always highlighted in the covers. It shows you a lot about the character without even having to read the jacket blurb.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library for my own enjoyment.