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: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Title: First Grave on the Right
Author: Darynda Jones
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 02/01/11
Buy the Book:

Summary:

Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: a smoking hot ass; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross. Thus, when three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, they come to her to find their killer. In the meantime, she's dealing with a being more powerful, and definitely sexier, than any specter she's ever come across. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent gangbanger named Angel, and a lifetime supply of sarcasm, Charley sets out to solve the highest profile case of the year and discovers that dodging bullets isn't nearly as dangerous as falling in love.

Plot: 5 Stars
Although this wasn't my first grim reaper novel, it's definitely the funniest grim reaper novel I've ever read. Besides a great sense of humor, the novel also had a very upbeat attitude. Most novels revolving around any sort of reaper tend to be very dark, but this novel was pleasantly peppy. There were moments, especially when learning about Charley's past, that could've led to a much darker novel, but she didn't dwell on the past. The way Charley balanced between people who knew about and understood her powers, and those who didn't believe or just didn't know was very interesting. There was a revelation or two near the end that caught me by surprise, and it'll be fun to read how this factors into future novels.

Pace: 4 Stars
For the most part, this novel had a really good pace. Charley's time was was spread across a number of different tasks, that spanned a realistic amount of time. Between all of the investigating and getting into trouble, there was still time for the characters to recouperate and sleep. There were a couple chapters in the middle where the pace lagged for just a bit. It seemed like Charley got into one too many sticky situations, or argued about a part of the case one too many times. But just as it started to slow down, it picked right back up again. Although the novel didn't end in a cliffhanger, it definitely opened up a whole realm of possibility that will leave readers glad that the next book in the series is out in August.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
This novel was filled with great characters. Charley was my favorite character, due to her sense of humor being very similar to mine. She had a number of one-liners that had me laughing out loud, and she balanced the sarcasm very well. Plus, she named her breasts Danger and Will Robinson! What's not to love? The details of how being a reaper works were also very interesting and unique. Cookie, her friend and co-worker, was also hilarious and I hope she has a bigger role in future books. Charley's family dynamic made for a bit on tension. A few of the ghosts or spirits that Charley deals with daily really make the story at times. Between Mr. Wong, the "hellspawn" and Aunt Lily, there's never a dull moment. Garrett was a wild card; I don't know whether to like or dislike him at the moment. Reyes was the epitome of dark and mysterious, and I hope he doesn't stay quite so mysterious moving forward.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
At first, this cover didn't really do it for me. White covers just don't say paranormal to me. Plus, I'm afraid to get them dirty! But after reading the novel, the cover fits Charley and her story very well. The humor mixed with Charley's positive outlook work well with the color. A darker color choice wouldn't have matched the story quite so well. The pinks scattered across the cover also fit very well. The hot pink really seemed to convey the right tone to go along with Charley's attitude and sense of humor. Had the pinks been pastel or fuscia, it just wouldn't be the same. The choice to show the cover model's feet instead of her face was a very interesting choice; it allowed me to picture Charley how I wanted, while still hinting at the main character. And the scythe was a great addition. Without it, there was nothing about the cover to allude to the paranormal.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure.

Review: Black Wings by Christina Henry

Title: Black Wings
Author: Christina Henry
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Release Date: 11/30/10
Summary:

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.

Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

Plot: 4 Stars
I absolutely loved the idea of death being run as a beauracracy, especially since it seemed to have a large amount of paperwork involved. Maddy's job as an agent of death was very interesting, even if we only got to witness a few pickups (some working out better than others). I hope we get to see a little more of the job in future novels. Between the demons and nephilim, there was plenty of action for Maddy and Gabriel to deal with throughout the novel. The events of the novel opened up a whole new aspect to Maddy's life. I don't want to give away anything, but I can't wait for the next novel because I really want to see how Maddy deals with a certain attachment.

Pace: 4 Stars
This novel took an extra chapter or two to really get me into it, but once it grabbed me it didn't let go. Between her job and her boss, the numerous creatures knocking at her door to knock her out, and the revelation about her heritage, Maddy had a lot on her plate that led to many twists and turns throughout the novel. Although there were points in which a little too much action seemed to happen within the span of a day, Gabriel always made sure Maddy got some rest (mostly to heal her wounds). Mix in a little humor here and there from Beezle, and this novel flowed perfectly.

Characters: 4 Stars
I loved Beezle! The little gargoyle had spunk and attitude, but still cared for Maddy. He brought humor into the story at just the right time, especially with his love for popcorn. At times he could be a bit vague and mysterious with his warnings sometimes, but overall was a great character. I hope his part in the next novel is bigger. Maddy was a great heroine. I liked her attitude because she came across as very real. Some of the things that were happening frightened her, and some of the creatures kicked her ass. I didn't like Gabriel at first, but he grew on my as the novel progessed. I hope he is in the next novel also.

Cover: 3 Stars
For such a great story, this cover was underwhelming for me. While I think the cover model was a great choice for Maddy, there are other elements to this cover that don't work out so well. The halo of white around the cover model is kinda weird, and because it's around the body it make it seem like the wings aren't attached to her body. The monochromatic blues work very well, except the wings are black (most likely because of the title) and they don't match or blend in that well. But the choice of blue was a good choice, especially since the color still give it attitude. The red title was also a nice touch.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via the author.