Review: Knight’s Curse by Karen Duvall

Title: Knight's Curse
Author: Karen Duvall
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 08/23/11
Reviewed by: Sara
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Summary:

A skilled knife fighter since the age of nine, Chalice knows what it's like to live life on the edge -- precariously balanced between the dark and the light. But the time has come to choose. The evil sorcerer who kidnapped her over a decade ago requires her superhuman senses to steal a precious magical artifact... or she must suffer the consequences.

Desperate to break the curse that enslaves her, Chalice agrees. But it is only with the help of Aydin -- her noble warrior-protector -- that she will risk venturing beyond the veil to discover the origins of her power. Only for him will she dare to fully embrace her awesome talents. For a deadly duel is at hand, and Chalice alone will have to decide between freedom... and the love of her life.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
This novel was a very unique Urban Fantasy. The author's gargoyles were completely different from any gargoyle I've ever read and I really enjoyed them even if Chalice's gargoyle trapped her in her current situation and was definitely not a good guy. The idea of the Vyantara and the Hatchet Knights was very intriguing. The author gave little bits of knowledge here and there, but I feel like I still don't know that much about the Hatchet Knights. Although a little bit is revealed about the past, almost nothing is revealed about the present day Hatchet Knights. Hopefully the next installment will elaborate on these women, because I'm definitely intrigued. The Vyantara, on the other hand, are a group of sorcerers with evil intentions. It wasn't difficult at all to root against them.

Pace: 3 Stars
This novel took a bit for me to get into. The first chapter was from the past, when Chalice was originally kidnapped. Then the story jumps to the present while Chalice is on a job. I didn't really learn much about Chalice or the world she is in until after she returned to Gavin after the job. And it wasn't until she met Aydin a few chapters later that I was turly invested in the story. The introduction to everything was a bit drawn out before the action started. But once the action started, it didn't stop and the pace of the novel picked up.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Chalice was both a strong, kick-ass Urban Fantasy heroine, and a vulnerable young woman. Her world was thrown upside-down when she is kidnapped, and she tries to work around her restrictions as much as possible. Her super strong senses were very intriguing, but I felt like she didn't use them nearly enough. For something that could both help and hinder, they weren't mentioned very often. Aydin was a very interesting character. I really enjoyed how her introduced Chalice to many things that the Vyantara had kept quiet, and how he stretched the limits of his own gargoyle. Chalice's gargoyle can be a bit scary at times, and he's not very similar to Aydin's gargoyle. Gavin, the one holding Chalice, was not a good person. In fact, it was all too easy to hate him.

Cover: 4 Stars
The stained glass in the background is my favorite aspect of this cover. Not only does it add a riot of colors to an otherwise plain brown cover, it draws the eye. The angle of the sun coming through the stained glass puts a bit of a spotlight on the cover model, while leaving the rest of the cover in the shadows a bit. It's a very striking image. The cover model is a great depiction of Chalice. Her pose and her outfit scream kick-ass, and she doesn't let you down in that respect. The swirls around the title complement the text very well. Small embellishments that really work with a title are always great in my book.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

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

Review: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #12
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 07/26/11
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Summary:

At last, in the novel every Kelley Armstrong fan will need to own, all the major heroines and heroes of Otherworld are united.

It's been ten years since Bitten, the first novel in Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Otherworld series. In that time hundreds of thousands of fans have ravenously devoured the adventures of Armstrong's witches, demons, and werewolves. Now, in Spell Bound, she brings them all together for her most sweeping tale yet.

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

Plot: 4 Stars
Every other chapter had this twist or that turn. Every time I thought I had figured something out, WHAM! a new twist had smacked me in the face. I've never read a book that made me feel like I was on a roller coaster until Spell Bound. It was non-stop action and mystery and danger and suspense around every corner. It was a wild ride, and I had a lot of fun reading it. Besides all of the shocking twists and turns, I really enjoyed how all of the characters came together. The mystery of the plot had escalated to a much larger scale, so it was great to see that Savannah wouldn't be facing everything by herself.

Pace: 4 Stars
Armstrong is the master of the not-quite-cliffhanger. It drove me crazy when I read The Summoning (although that was right on the edge of cliffhanger), and it drove me crazy after finishing Waking the Witch. And guess what? She's driving me crazy again with the ending of Spell Bound. It's diabolical. She wraps up the conflict at the end of the novel in a satisfying way, and then at the last second, she drops a bomb on the reader. It's not quite a cliffhanger (in my opinion) because it doesn't leave you hanging in the middle of the action. But it leaves you wanting the next book ASAP because now there's this new crumb of information that could snowball into something epic.

Characters: 4 Stars
Although I had only read Bitten and Waking the Witch before starting Spell Bound, I was not overwhelmed by all of the characters that came into play throughout the novel. I had not met all of the Women of the Otherworld, so there were bits and pieces of backstory I was missing, but I still felt like I learned a lot about each new-to-me character. It was also nice to see Elena again, because Bitten is one of the novels that originally drew me out of reading just Young Adult and got me venturing into Urban Fantasy. It was very interesting to follow Savannah as she dealt with things in a more mundane way. She's very stubborn and strong-willed, and definitely tough, which is how I like my Urban Fantasy heroines.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
I've seen many different styles of covers for this series, including multiples covers for some of the earlier titles. This latest trend of covers for the series has only hit the first two and latest two titles, but they are my favorite. They really capture the essence of the character, especially compared to the older covers that included faceless cover models or random objects. This cover focuses on Savannah, and the cover model chosen fits the character perfectly. I really enjoyed the reds and oranges used in this cover, because it fits some of the events that take place very well. I'm also glad they kept the cover model small. I like seeing more than just a huge face on the cover, makes the cover seem more real and less like a photoshoot to me.

Overall: 4 Stars

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

Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Title: Magic Under Glass
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 12/22/09 (paperback: 05/24/11)
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Summary:

Nimira is a music-hall girl used to dancing for pennies. So when wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing accompaniment to a mysterious piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it will be the start of a better life.

In Parry's world, long-buried secrets are about to stir. Unsettling rumors begin to swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry’s involvement in a group of corrupt sorcerers for whom the rules of the living and dead are meant to be broken for greater power.

When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing fairy gentleman is trapped within the automaton, she is determined to break the curse. But even as the two fall into a love that seems hopeless, breaking the curse becomes a perilous race against time. Because it's not just the future of these star-crossed lovers that's at stake, but the fate of the entire magical world.

Plot: 4 Stars
The storyline behind this novel was very unique. It was a great mix of magical and paranormal elements with a touch of steampunk-esque elements. There was a lot of history between the sorcerers and the faeries, and while we did get a good amount of information, I hope it is expanded on in future novels. I really enjoyed the way the author tied singing and dancing into the novel. Nimira was a "trouser girl" who performed before she met Parry, who hired her to accompany his automation that played the piano. There were times when it seemed like Parry may have had ulterior motives, but only time (and future novels) will tell if my instincts about him are correct. When strange things start happening within the mansion, Nim keeps her head and investigates, and even figures out a way to communicate with the automaton. This novel kept me guessing throughout with it's twists and turns, and left me wanting the next novel ASAP. The world-building gave me a good feel for how the world worked, but I was a bit confused about the actual setting. It left me wondering if it was a country the author made up, or if I should be able to find it on a map. But as the story hooked me in, I stopped trying to figure it out and enjoyed the ride.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
Although this novel was a bit on the short side, it was the perfect length for this story. I could not put it down, and I finished reading in less than twenty-four hours. The events of the novel unfolded in a winding, twisty way that left me unable to put the novel down. Just when I thought I had figured an element of the plot out, everything was thrown upside-down. It was refreshing to not guess any of the plot lines, whether major or minor, beforehand.

Characters: 4 Stars
Nimira was a brave young woman. She was on her own in a new city, making a living to the best of her abilities. I was slightly worried for her when she left with Parry to live at his mansion and perform with his automaton. I grew up knowing you don't get into a vehicle with strangers. It amazed me that I was so invested in her character after only a few short chapters, that I was worried for her safety. As the story unfolded with the automaton, Nim's compassion really started to come out. All in all, she was a wonderful character. I wish we could've learned a bit more detail about her past and her family, but the details that were included painted an interesting picture. Although he played a very big role in the novel, I felt as though Parry stayed cloaked in mystery and we did not get to know him as well as we could have.

Cover: 4 Stars
This novel has had two covers in the US. For those of you who aren't aware, there was a white-washing scandal when the book first released (see cover below), and the publisher made a second cover (see beginning of review) after the story broke around the blogosphere last year. I personally have a copy of the book that has the first cover. Jaclyn is a local writer and had signed the stock at my local Borders, so I had to grab a copy. I'm not going to use this review as a place to rant about the white-washing over this cover (or any cover). If you take the cover model's skin tone out of the first cover, I think it does a good job of portraying the feel of the novel with her outfit. But the second cover is fantastic. The cover model is exactly how I had envisioned Nimira. And I loved that she was holding a key, since it is such an important part of the novel. The font choice and placement of the title work much better as well. The clockwork detail in the corner is very subtle, but a nice detail to include.

Overall: 4 Stars

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