Books I read in the last month (or so)
Mostly to keep track of things, but if you need some inspiration about stuff to read...
Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead (third book in the "Georgina Kincaid" Series)
I already said everything I could say about this book...I love it, love it, love it.
Pure Blood by Caitlin Kittredge (second book in the "Nocturne City" series)
It was...ok. I enjoyed reading it, it had some original ideas and the writing wasn't bad, still, I didn't really like any of the main characters, I didn't feel for them and I couldn't identify with them. I'll read the sequel but I won't hold my breath until the next one.
Hands of Flame by C.E. Murphy (third and last in the "Negotiator Trilogy")
I liked it. The series was full of original ideas (Gargoyles!!) and the plot was entertaining. Still, this is another book/series that I couldn't fully enjoy, I don't know if it's the writing (too "cut and dried") or the fact that I didn't fall in love with the characters... still...it was a nice read, nothing more.
Untamed by PC Cast & Kristin Cast (fourth book in the "House of Night" series)
This series is one of my guilty pleasures. ;-) It's "Young Adult" (which is usually a "no-no" for me) and it's sometimes dark, sometimes silly...everything says I shouldn't like it but... well, I do. Actually, I'm a bit addicted to it. :-)
The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide by J.R. Ward
The only good thing about this book was Zadist & Bella's story, I couldn't care less about the rest. The interviews with the Brothers actually made me cringe, I hate it when authors mix reality and fiction. :|
Vulnerable, Wounded and Bound by Amy Lane
I LOVED this series and I can't wait for the next book! There's a lot of LKH in the series (and I mean kick ass LKH, not lame-over-the-top LKH) and you have to get over some bad editing and spelling (she's self-published so I'll forgive her some minor mistakes) and the first few chapters of the first book are a bit slow...still, once you start getting into the groove (more or less after the first half of Vulnerable) you'll find yourself absolutely enchanted by the story, you'll fall in love with the characters and you'll be helplessly addicted.
At least that's what happened to me. ;-)
Dead To Me by Anton Strout
Uhm. I don't really have much to say about this book. It was a nice read but I forgot all about it two seconds after putting it down. I'll probably read the sequel out of curiosity, but I could very well forget about it...and it would be ok.
Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, Kushiel's Avatar, Kushiel's Scion, Kushiel's Justice and Kushiel's Mercy by Jaqueline Carey
OMG I'd have so much to say about this series...I could write for hours and then more. First of all, I almost didn't start reading it because it's fantasy but not urban, and I usually I like my fantasy with a lot of urban in it. Still, I was curious about the books, and the reviews on Amazon were all stellar (I admit I'm an Amazon-review junkie).
At the beginning I almost put Kushiel's Dart down several times, but after the first, say...300 pages I was totally and utterly hooked. I can't even begin to describe what the series is about, all I can say is that there's love, politics, intrigue, sex (not nearly as much as you'd think from the premise), war, religion, action and did I mention intrigue? :-)
I'll just copy one of my favorite Amazon reviews of Kushiel's Dart (he said it much better than I ever could):
Fantasy readers who like magic-focused stories---there's not enough magic here, except in the symbolic and vaguely mystical sense, to interest you. This world's magic is all psychological. Anyone looking for standard fantasy or sci-fi---avoid this book. There's nothing standard about it. The story is set in an alternate version of Europe, but this is just a trick to allow the reader to more easily comprehend the cultural and political complexity that Carey has written into this novel. Once the reader figures out that the Skaldi, for example, are basically Scandinavian/Vikings with all the attendant cultural tropes, that saves the necessity for tedious culture-building and lets the author get to the real meat of the story---the characters. Speaking of which, people who like a world-focused story should also avoid this. This story is not about the decadent country of Terre D'Ange and its people and troubles. The story is about a very complex woman who lives in this world, loves it, suffers for it, and ultimately triumphs. A key theme of the novel is, "That which yields is not always weak."
And---it must be said---people who have even the slightest unease about reinterpretations of the Christian faith, or people who are even slightly squidged by alternative sexuality of any kind---this is not the book for you. You'll find yourself wondering why the author is spending so much time on the sex, or why she's chosen to reinterpret Christianity in this fashion, and frankly---if you have to ask, you shouldn't be reading this book. Might as well ask why Frank Herbert chose to reinterpret Islam, Catholicism, and gender politics in "Dune". Speculative fiction doesn't always speculate only about science or history or the macabre; sometimes it speculates about human society, and I've personally found this to be the best speculative fiction of all.
As for who *should* read this book... Well, the opposite of the above, for starters: fans of religion in fantasy/sci-fi (particularly alternative religions), fans of alternative sexualities, fans of mysticism, fans of avant-garde fantasy. To add to that, fans of star-crossed traditional romance will find something juicy here, too, in the danger-filled relationship of the seductive Phedre and the celibate warrior-monk Joscelin. Fans of excellent writing should definitely read this, just to be treated to some of the most artful and elegant prose I've read in a long time. Fans of strong female characters--- the strength of this character is far more subtle than what you'll see in most books, but undeniable nevertheless. Fans of mystery and intrigue, a definite recommend, although I found this to be the one weakness of the book. The intrigue is sometimes *too* dense (for this reader to comprehend, at least), and its revelations were sometimes too subtle for me to interpret. I think sometimes Carey forgets that not all readers are trained to this, like Phedre!
Not everyone will or can love this book, and if you don't love it you'll probably hate it, with no middle ground. The styles are too unusual and the themes too strong for the least common denominator of fandom. But for those who can appreciate it... this is a real gem.
Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld, Book 9)
I like Kelley Armstrong's writing and I really like her WotO series. This one was a bit different from the usual, mostly because of the multiple point of views and the new characters involved. I still liked it and I'm definitely going to read the next one, but I have to admit that it wasn't as compelling and entertaining as some of the previous ones.
Gabriel's Ghost and Shades of Dark (Chaz and Sully series) by Linnea Sinclair
Fist of all, these aren't Urban Fantasy books, but Sci-fi books. I read them after the Kushiel series because I felt I needed a break from fantasy stuff. I liked both books very much and I was pleasantly surprised about them because they aren't your "typical" romance-in-space novels (although there *is* romance in them) but there's action, adventure, very good characterization and pretty interesting plot. I can't wait for the next one in the series!
Night Watch (Book one of the Watch series) by Sergei Lukyanenko
It was a good book. Well written, interesting (yay for the struggle to find a balance between good and evil!) even philosophical here and there...I should have liked it, but...well, I didn't. I can't even explain why I didn't like it, maybe I just wasn't in the right "state of mind". *ponders* Anyway, I haven't read the sequels and I probably won't do it in the near future.
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
I loved it. It's actually one of the best Urban Fantasy books I read lately. Devon Monk's world is very original, her characters are complex, flawed and definitely interesting, the writing is good and the plot is compelling (even if sometimes a bit predictable)... all in all, a very good read. :-)
Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K Hamilton (Merry Gentry book 7)
What can I say? It was a typical "late" LKH book, there was basically no plot, the characterization was all over the place, the dialogue, uhm, well...and there wasn't even the usual amount of scarily amusing sex.
I don't even know why I'm still reading LKH's books, probably I'm hoping that sooner or later she'll get her groove back...one can always hope, right?
Salvation in Death by JD Robb
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts) never disappoint. I'm still madly in love with Eve, Roarke, Peabody, McNab, Mavis and all the wonderful characters she created. The mystery was very good, the dialogue, especially Eve/Peabody, but also Eve/Roarke was often incredibly fun to read, the characterization was - as always - perfect. I am in awe of JD Robb's talent, it mustn't be easy to keep the series alive and kicking after all this time, to keep Eve and Roarke's relationship interesting, hot and sexy as it was in the first few books, to keep the "secondary" characters interesting, compelling and fun...she is truly the best. ♥
Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead (third book in the "Georgina Kincaid" Series)
I already said everything I could say about this book...I love it, love it, love it.
Pure Blood by Caitlin Kittredge (second book in the "Nocturne City" series)
It was...ok. I enjoyed reading it, it had some original ideas and the writing wasn't bad, still, I didn't really like any of the main characters, I didn't feel for them and I couldn't identify with them. I'll read the sequel but I won't hold my breath until the next one.
Hands of Flame by C.E. Murphy (third and last in the "Negotiator Trilogy")
I liked it. The series was full of original ideas (Gargoyles!!) and the plot was entertaining. Still, this is another book/series that I couldn't fully enjoy, I don't know if it's the writing (too "cut and dried") or the fact that I didn't fall in love with the characters... still...it was a nice read, nothing more.
Untamed by PC Cast & Kristin Cast (fourth book in the "House of Night" series)
This series is one of my guilty pleasures. ;-) It's "Young Adult" (which is usually a "no-no" for me) and it's sometimes dark, sometimes silly...everything says I shouldn't like it but... well, I do. Actually, I'm a bit addicted to it. :-)
The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide by J.R. Ward
The only good thing about this book was Zadist & Bella's story, I couldn't care less about the rest. The interviews with the Brothers actually made me cringe, I hate it when authors mix reality and fiction. :|
Vulnerable, Wounded and Bound by Amy Lane
I LOVED this series and I can't wait for the next book! There's a lot of LKH in the series (and I mean kick ass LKH, not lame-over-the-top LKH) and you have to get over some bad editing and spelling (she's self-published so I'll forgive her some minor mistakes) and the first few chapters of the first book are a bit slow...still, once you start getting into the groove (more or less after the first half of Vulnerable) you'll find yourself absolutely enchanted by the story, you'll fall in love with the characters and you'll be helplessly addicted.
At least that's what happened to me. ;-)
Dead To Me by Anton Strout
Uhm. I don't really have much to say about this book. It was a nice read but I forgot all about it two seconds after putting it down. I'll probably read the sequel out of curiosity, but I could very well forget about it...and it would be ok.
Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, Kushiel's Avatar, Kushiel's Scion, Kushiel's Justice and Kushiel's Mercy by Jaqueline Carey
OMG I'd have so much to say about this series...I could write for hours and then more. First of all, I almost didn't start reading it because it's fantasy but not urban, and I usually I like my fantasy with a lot of urban in it. Still, I was curious about the books, and the reviews on Amazon were all stellar (I admit I'm an Amazon-review junkie).
At the beginning I almost put Kushiel's Dart down several times, but after the first, say...300 pages I was totally and utterly hooked. I can't even begin to describe what the series is about, all I can say is that there's love, politics, intrigue, sex (not nearly as much as you'd think from the premise), war, religion, action and did I mention intrigue? :-)
I'll just copy one of my favorite Amazon reviews of Kushiel's Dart (he said it much better than I ever could):
Fantasy readers who like magic-focused stories---there's not enough magic here, except in the symbolic and vaguely mystical sense, to interest you. This world's magic is all psychological. Anyone looking for standard fantasy or sci-fi---avoid this book. There's nothing standard about it. The story is set in an alternate version of Europe, but this is just a trick to allow the reader to more easily comprehend the cultural and political complexity that Carey has written into this novel. Once the reader figures out that the Skaldi, for example, are basically Scandinavian/Vikings with all the attendant cultural tropes, that saves the necessity for tedious culture-building and lets the author get to the real meat of the story---the characters. Speaking of which, people who like a world-focused story should also avoid this. This story is not about the decadent country of Terre D'Ange and its people and troubles. The story is about a very complex woman who lives in this world, loves it, suffers for it, and ultimately triumphs. A key theme of the novel is, "That which yields is not always weak."
And---it must be said---people who have even the slightest unease about reinterpretations of the Christian faith, or people who are even slightly squidged by alternative sexuality of any kind---this is not the book for you. You'll find yourself wondering why the author is spending so much time on the sex, or why she's chosen to reinterpret Christianity in this fashion, and frankly---if you have to ask, you shouldn't be reading this book. Might as well ask why Frank Herbert chose to reinterpret Islam, Catholicism, and gender politics in "Dune". Speculative fiction doesn't always speculate only about science or history or the macabre; sometimes it speculates about human society, and I've personally found this to be the best speculative fiction of all.
As for who *should* read this book... Well, the opposite of the above, for starters: fans of religion in fantasy/sci-fi (particularly alternative religions), fans of alternative sexualities, fans of mysticism, fans of avant-garde fantasy. To add to that, fans of star-crossed traditional romance will find something juicy here, too, in the danger-filled relationship of the seductive Phedre and the celibate warrior-monk Joscelin. Fans of excellent writing should definitely read this, just to be treated to some of the most artful and elegant prose I've read in a long time. Fans of strong female characters--- the strength of this character is far more subtle than what you'll see in most books, but undeniable nevertheless. Fans of mystery and intrigue, a definite recommend, although I found this to be the one weakness of the book. The intrigue is sometimes *too* dense (for this reader to comprehend, at least), and its revelations were sometimes too subtle for me to interpret. I think sometimes Carey forgets that not all readers are trained to this, like Phedre!
Not everyone will or can love this book, and if you don't love it you'll probably hate it, with no middle ground. The styles are too unusual and the themes too strong for the least common denominator of fandom. But for those who can appreciate it... this is a real gem.
Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld, Book 9)
I like Kelley Armstrong's writing and I really like her WotO series. This one was a bit different from the usual, mostly because of the multiple point of views and the new characters involved. I still liked it and I'm definitely going to read the next one, but I have to admit that it wasn't as compelling and entertaining as some of the previous ones.
Gabriel's Ghost and Shades of Dark (Chaz and Sully series) by Linnea Sinclair
Fist of all, these aren't Urban Fantasy books, but Sci-fi books. I read them after the Kushiel series because I felt I needed a break from fantasy stuff. I liked both books very much and I was pleasantly surprised about them because they aren't your "typical" romance-in-space novels (although there *is* romance in them) but there's action, adventure, very good characterization and pretty interesting plot. I can't wait for the next one in the series!
Night Watch (Book one of the Watch series) by Sergei Lukyanenko
It was a good book. Well written, interesting (yay for the struggle to find a balance between good and evil!) even philosophical here and there...I should have liked it, but...well, I didn't. I can't even explain why I didn't like it, maybe I just wasn't in the right "state of mind". *ponders* Anyway, I haven't read the sequels and I probably won't do it in the near future.
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
I loved it. It's actually one of the best Urban Fantasy books I read lately. Devon Monk's world is very original, her characters are complex, flawed and definitely interesting, the writing is good and the plot is compelling (even if sometimes a bit predictable)... all in all, a very good read. :-)
Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K Hamilton (Merry Gentry book 7)
What can I say? It was a typical "late" LKH book, there was basically no plot, the characterization was all over the place, the dialogue, uhm, well...and there wasn't even the usual amount of scarily amusing sex.
I don't even know why I'm still reading LKH's books, probably I'm hoping that sooner or later she'll get her groove back...one can always hope, right?
Salvation in Death by JD Robb
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts) never disappoint. I'm still madly in love with Eve, Roarke, Peabody, McNab, Mavis and all the wonderful characters she created. The mystery was very good, the dialogue, especially Eve/Peabody, but also Eve/Roarke was often incredibly fun to read, the characterization was - as always - perfect. I am in awe of JD Robb's talent, it mustn't be easy to keep the series alive and kicking after all this time, to keep Eve and Roarke's relationship interesting, hot and sexy as it was in the first few books, to keep the "secondary" characters interesting, compelling and fun...she is truly the best. ♥