Kirsten Reviews: Broken Soul by Faith Hunter

Broken Soul by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellorock #8

Jane Yellowrock is a vampire killer for hire—but other creatures of the night still need to watch their backs....

When the Master of the city of New Orleans asks Jane to improve security for a future visit from a delegation of European vampires, she names an exorbitant price—and Leo is willing to pay. That’s because the European vamps want Leo’s territory, and he knows that he needs Jane to prevent a total bloodbath. Leo, however, doesn’t mention how this new job will change Jane’s life or the danger it will bring her and her team.

Jane has more to worry about than some greedy vampires. There’s a vicious creature stalking the streets of New Orleans, and its agenda seems to be ripping Leo and her to pieces. Now Jane just has to figure out how to kill something she can’t even see….

Broken Soul by Faith Hunter is the eighth book featuring Jane Yellowrock, which means there’s quite a lot of history to keep in mind. This time, Jane has been asked by the Master of New Orleans to take charge of security improvements for an important visit from a delegation of European vampires. Despite Jane naming an exorbitant price, Leo agrees to it - because the European vampires are making a power grab for Leo’s territory, and Jane can help him prevent things from getting messy. But, Leo doesn’t go into any detail about how this job will put Jane and her entire team in a huge amount of danger. To anyone who’s followed the series for any length of time, Leo’s non disclosure of important information is nothing new, and it’s gotten a bit old.

In the meantime, Jane has other things to worry about besides vampire politics - something is stalking her, and she has to figure out what is going on in a hurry. This involves her delving into the history of vampires, while also working with her team, aka her chosen family, which nicely highlights the character growth Jane has undergone since the beginning of the series. The relationship with Beast isn’t neglected, and is strengthened by the events of the book, which bodes well for further books and plotlines.

In general, the Jane Yellowrock series has a great track record when it comes to the plot and overall worldbuilding. Of late, the romantic subplots have been scattered, if not a complete mess. Fortunately in this book, the romantic tangle seems to have turned a corner, in a dramatic way that helps to move things several huge jumps ahead.

Although there is definitely an antagonist causing problems, in some ways this book feels a bit like Jane and the rest of them are waiting for the European vampires to show up. That caveat aside, it moves relationships and plot forward competently, and sets up future conflicts in such a way that readers will want to pick up the next book in the series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Red Hot Books
     Gizmo's Reviews

Previous Books:

     1. Skinwalker
     2. Blood Cross
     3. Mercy Blade
     4. Raven Cursed
     5. Death's Rival
     6. Blood Trade
     7. Black Arts

Early Review: Hunter Reborn by Katie Reus

Hunter Reborn by Katie Reus

Moon Shifter #5

Losing her was the hardest thing he’d ever endured...

Warrior shifter Aiden’s investigation of the trafficking of vampire blood leads to a startling discovery: the beautiful vampire bondmate he thought was dead. Decades ago, they’d defied their powerful families to be together, but then Larissa disappeared without a trace. When their mating link broke, it nearly destroyed Aiden. Now she’s back with no memory of where she’s been. Even more shattering—Larissa claims she has no idea who Aiden is.

Now she’s back...

It’s a race against time to bring down an operation more evil than his pack ever suspected, and Aiden finds himself working side by side with a mate who no longer trusts him—and she wants out. But he lost her once, and he won’t let her go again. Unfortunately, Larissa’s blood is the key to a powerful monster’s dangerous plan—and he’ll stop at nothing to destroy her, sparking off a war between the supernaturals and humans that no one will win.

I'm a sucker for reunited lovers, and I was especially looking forward to seeing Aiden get his HEA. In the previous books you could really feel how much he was hurting by the way he lashed out at anyone who took their potential mate for granted and tried to fight it. The poor man had everything and lost it, so my heart really went out to him. Let me just tell you, the raw emotion and shock when he felt her again? Staggering. And then once they were past that shock, lordy, lordy was the tension between these two hot! With her not remembering him mentally, but still felt the inexplicable physical draw, let me just say it made things rather interesting, and I loved every second of it. I especially enjoyed the way things were drawn out rather than rushed into. Typically I'm always in a hurry for the couple to get together, but this time around it was handled so well that I enjoyed savoring it. Bravo!

Yet again one of the best things about these series is the focus not only on the main couple but the side couples as well. I really love how closely all of the books are tied together, and it makes it easy to jump right in after the long break between books. I read a large number of books a year, so it's always a huge bonus for me when things are set up like this series where I don't have to go back and try to recap so I'm not lost. So from an avid and voracious reader, I thank you Ms. Reus very much for this.

HUNTER REBORN is yet another installment in the fabulous Moon Shifter series that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's sure to please fans of the series, and there's enough backstory for new readers to jump in, but I guarantee they'll want to go back and start from the beginning after reading this one. A must read for any paranormal romance fan.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     East Coast Book Chicks
     Twin Sisters Rockin' Book Reviews
     Book Sniffers Anonymous

Previous Books:
     1. Alpha Instinct
     2. Primal Posession
     3. Mating Instinct
     4. Avenger's Heat

Kirsten Reviews: Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older

Bone Street Rumba #1

“Because I’m an inbetweener—and the only one anyone knows of at that—the dead turn to me when something is askew between them and the living. Usually, it’s something mundane like a suicide gone wrong or someone revived that shouldn’ta been.”

Carlos Delacruz is one of the New York Council of the Dead’s most unusual agents—an inbetweener, partially resurrected from a death he barely recalls suffering, after a life that’s missing from his memory. He thinks he is one of a kind—until he encounters other entities walking the fine line between life and death.

One inbetweener is a sorcerer. He’s summoned a horde of implike ngks capable of eliminating spirits, and they’re spreading through the city like a plague. They’ve already taken out some of NYCOD’s finest, leaving Carlos desperate to stop their master before he opens up the entrada to the Underworld—which would destroy the balance between the living and the dead.

But in uncovering this man’s identity, Carlos confronts the truth of his own life—and death…

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older is the first book in the Bone Street Rumba series, and gives readers the first full length novel featuring the character of Carlos Delacruz, previously introduced in a story collection from the author.

For those who haven’t heard of Carlos before, he’s what is known as an ‘inbetweener.’ This means he’s both alive and dead, quite possibly the only one of his kind, has virtually no memory of who he was before he crossed over to the other side, however briefly, and consequently has a few issues.

In the course of working for the the New York Council of the Dead, Carlos is usually called in when the dead need help dealing with issues like unwarranted revivals, or a suicide gone wrong. This time, he’s tasked with taking out a man by the name of Trevor, who is somehow threatening the stability of an ‘entrada,’ aka an entrance into the underworld. What Carlos doesn’t know is that this assignment will result in him finding out more about his past, and also crossing the path of Sarco, a sorcerer who is looking to obliterate the barrier separating the living and the dead. To do so, he’s summoned a horde of implike ngks who have the ability to eradicate spirits, and as is their nature, these imps are spreading quickly throughout the city.

Carlos has to figure out both Sarco’s identity, and figure out a way to stop him, but he will also have to confront his life, and death, which is something of a tall order.

The author has a lyrical writing style that lends itself well to this version of New York City, often taking the twisted path in his storytelling, which makes for a highly readable first installment in a promising series.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     My Bookish Ways

Early Review: Panther Prowling by Yasmine Galenorn

Priestess Dreaming by Yasmine Galenorn

Otherworld #17

We’re the D’Artigo sisters: savvy half-human, half-Fae operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch with three gorgeous husbands. Menolly is a vampire married to a werepuma. And me? I’m Delilah, a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. While the war in Otherworld is expanding, so is my newly renamed PI business. And my next case is about to make life very interesting…

While waiting for Shadow Wing’s next move, I decide to revamp my ragtag PI agency into the Cat’s Eye Investigations firm. My first client turns out to be our cousin Daniel. During the grand reopening for the Wayfarer, he shows up while being chased by a rampaging ghost. Daniel has procured a rare and valuable sword, and a ring of ghostly warriors comes attached to it. Protectors of the soul trapped within it, the spirits are out to stop anybody who threatens the weapon. As my sisters and I unravel the history of the sword, we quickly realize that the entity locked within the blade is a dangerous king from times gone by—and he’s about to break free and try to recover his crown…

I've noticed a pattern with this series. I enjoy Camille's installments by far the most, and Menolly's are pretty enjoyable as well. However, Delilah's seem to be very hit or miss for me. I just don't identify with her at all, and despite how long this series has been running, she seems to have made very little progress in character growth. No matter what happens, she just wants to turn tail and hide, and while she doesn't actually do so, the constant inner debate about it has become tiresome and tedious. It seems that any mention of responsibility or "growing" is met with an inner (or outer) debate on how she wishes they could just all escape this. The other two seem to have better accepted their lots in life, so it just rubs me the wrong way that Delilah still has not.

As I said, Delilah's books are largely hit or miss for me, with the "hits" being dependant on a great plot. Unfortunately this time around, the plot just didn't suck me in enough. A rouge sword spirit? It just didn't work as a real threat. Frankly, that's a shame as the result of this showdown may have cost one of the main characters more than any other threat has before. I won't spoil it, but the danger/consequence had the worst lasting impact of anything they had faced, and yet despite all that it barely affected me. Considering what happened, I should have been devastated alongside the characters, but it felt two-dimensional rather than three, and frankly I felt cheated by this. Perhaps it's because they were wishy washy and vague about what actually happened and how permanent it would be. So, I'm left wondering if it's a real consequence or not, overall lessening the impact.

I have to wonder if this series just has been running too long. Granted most times I'm the first to be upset when favorite series end, but this time around I think it might be past due. I just feel like the books have departed so far from the original series ARC, and no longer focus on the spirit seals and the real war that each new installment feels more and more like filler material. Maybe I'm wrong, and once things get back to Camille and Menolly, and hopefully the spirit seals quest I'll enjoy the reads more, but for PANTHER PROWLING, it just didn't work enough for me.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
 

Previous Books:

     1. Witchling

     2. Changeling

     3. Darkling

     4. Dragon Wytch

     5. Night Huntress

     6. Demon Mistress

     7. Bone Magic

     8. Harvest Hunting

     9. Blood Wyne

     10. Courting Darkness

     11. Shaded Vision

     12. Shadow Rising

     13. Haunted Moon

     14. Autumn Whispers

     15. Crimson Veil

     15.5. Flight from Hell

     16. Priestess Dreaming

Review: Forsaken by Kelley Armstrong

Forsaken by Kelley Armstrong

Otherworld Stories #13.3

Being Alpha of the North American Pack is like being a small-town sheriff — nobody wants the job, but someone’s gotta do it.

For the most part, Elena Michaels likes it just fine, even if it means dealing with arrogant misogynists in the werewolf world who are convinced that a woman isn’t up to the job.

That she could handle. What she never expected was a deadly threat to her eight-year-old twins. That her little girl could go missing in the night.

The enemy thought he was dealing with a hysterical mother.

Mother, yes. Hysterical, no.

Elena was Alpha for a reason. And nothing would stop her from getting her child back.

I absolutely love getting my hands on a Clay and Elena book. Their stories are like coming home, and FORSAKEN was no exception. These novellas have been a truly great addition to the series allowing it to grow past the ending back in Thirteen. This time around shows Elena dealing with the repercussions of taking over as Alpha in a misogynistic werewolf world. It's made her and her family a target, but her enemies quickly learn that it's the females you need to watch out for when their family is threatened. Suffice it to say Elena sees the trap and machinations well in advance and proves the "boys" need taught a lesson. I really enjoyed seeing her kicking butt and taking names.

Simply an enjoyable and full read despite being a novella. My only complaint would have to be the open ended nature of the ending. Granted that probably means more novellas to come, but it just caught me off guard as I had thought these stories to be bonus ones rather than a continuing storyline, but it appears I was wrong. So I'll be looking to see where that twist of an ending leads next.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
 

Previous Books:
     1. Bitten
     2. Stolen
     3. Dime Store Magic
     4. Industrial Magic
     5. Haunted 
     6. Broken
     7. No Humans Involved
     8. Personal Demon
     9. Living With the Dead
     10. Frostbitten
     11. Waking the Witch
     12. Spell Bound
     13. Thirteen
     13.1. Brazen
     13.2. Bounty Hunt
     

Kirsten Reviews: The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire

The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire

October Daye #8

Toby thought she understood her own past; she thought she knew the score.

She was wrong.

It's time to learn the truth.

The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire is the eighth book in her October Daye series, which means it is not definitely not the best place for a new reader to pick up the story. There’s a whole lot of history between the characters now, and the conflicts and world building have built up to this book, in which a number of truths are revealed. Going into specifics would spoil several important twists, so without delving too deeply, it’s suffice to say that this book shakes up Toby and many other characters.

To sum up: Toby thought that she understood her own past, but it turns out that she had no clue, and it’s time for the truth to be told.

As readers catch up, Toby and Tybalt are having some much-needed rest and relaxation. Sadly, these two should accept that making any plans to relax basically guarantees trouble will come knocking and drag them kicking and screaming back into the thick of things. In this case, Toby gets a visit from Simon Torquill, twin brother of Sylvester, and the fellow who turned Toby into a fish, to name but one of the deeds which has made him somewhat unpopular. Although he tries to tell Toby something important, he’s under a geas, and so can’t spill the beans. Toby and her friends decide that going to The Luidaeg is the best way to get answers, but she is only able to get a little bit of information before things get more complicated. All the elements which have made these books engaging reading are present, and the author tosses in a surprise or three to keep the plot moving at a brisk pace, and it all comes together impressively, considering this is bringing together so large a story.

The truth is out there in this book, and it is shaking up Toby’s life in a big way, as her past comes up more than once, and ties up a few plotlines, while weaving many more for further books in the series. This isn’t the end of Toby’s journey, but it is a great point to take a breath, look back, and then prepare for what’s coming next.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     My Bookish Ways
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Bea's Book Nook

Previous Books:
     1. Rosemary and Rue
     2. A Local Habitation
     3. An Artificial Night
     4. Late Eclipses
     5. One Salt Sea
     6. Ashes of Honor
     7. Chimes at Midnight

Review: Blood Assassin by Alexandra Ivy

Blood Assassin by Alexandra Ivy

The Sentinels #2

They are the outcasts of humanity. Blessed with power. Cursed by fate. Driven by passion. The Sentinels have returned. . .

Out Of The Shadows

At six-foot-three and two-hundred-fifty pounds, Fane is a natural born guardian. A flawless mix of muscled perfection and steely precision, he has devoted years of his life to protecting a beautiful necromancer. But after she found love in the arms of another, Fane has been a warrior adrift. He swears allegiance only to the Sentinels. And no woman will ever rule his heart again. . .

Into The Fire

Not only a powerful psychic, Serra is that rare telepath who can connect to minds through objects. When the daughter of a high-blood businessman is kidnapped, Serra agrees to help. But when she stumbles onto a conspiracy involving secrets sects and ancient relics, her life is in mortal danger--and Fane is her only hope. Is the warrior willing to risk his body, his soul, and his heart, for Serra? Or will one last betrayal destroy them both?

After seeing the build up of tension between Serra and Fane in the previous book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. There's just something to be said about strong sexual tension that leaves the characters in opposition. While I wouldn't say these two were quite enemies to lovers (my favorite trope), the way they interacted had the same feel, so I loved it. I especially enjoyed the flip flop in roles once Serra gives up on chasing Fane, and he in turn realizes that he has to have her after all. She sure gives him a run for his money and I couldn't help rooting for her.

In addition to the steamy and addictive romance aspects, BLOOD ASSASSIN has one heck of a plot. So many times the romance in a PNR will overshadow the plot, and while I still enjoy those books, there's just something to be said about a really strong plot as well. It kept me completely hooked to the story right from the start, making for an addictive read. Speaking of addictive, it really says something when you enjoy the villain as much as the hero. In fact, as the next book looks to feature him, I'm sure it's going to be every bit as good.

This series is shaping up to be a really impressive addition to the genre. From strong romance with a great main couple, strong characters, and one heck of a plot, BLOOD ASSASSIN is sure to please fans of Paranormal Romance, especially those who like just as much action as romance. Seriously a great read!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Vampire Book Club
     Delighted Reader
     Tome Tender

Previous Books:
     1. Born in Blood

Kirsten Reviews: Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire

Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire

October Daye #7

Things are starting to look up for October "Toby" Daye. She's training her squire, doing her job, and has finally allowed herself to grow closer to the local King of Cats. It seems like her life may finally be settling down...at least until dead changelings start appearing in the alleys of San Francisco, killed by an overdose of goblin fruit.

Toby's efforts to take the problem to the Queen of the Mists are met with harsh reprisals, leaving her under sentence of exile from her home and everyone she loves. Now Toby must find a way to reverse the Queens decree, get the goblin fruit off the streets--and, oh, yes, save her own life, since more than a few of her problems have once again followed her home. And then there's the question of the Queen herself, who seems increasingly unlikely to have a valid claim to the throne....

To find the answers, October and her friends will have to travel from the legendary Library of Stars into the hidden depths of the Kingdom of the Mists--and they'll have to do it fast, because time is running out. In faerie, some fates are worse than death.

October Daye is about to find out what they are.

Chimes at Midnight is the seventh book in Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series is perhaps not as wild a ride as some of the previous installments in the series, but it does give the titular character the opportunity to wrap up some plotlines and set others into motion.

There is a callback to the first book, and Toby must confront the dangerous and addictive fae fruit - goblin fruit. Toby must discover who is spreading goblin fruit and stop them, both of which would be difficult on their own, but combined, bring her into the path of a lot of trouble. She finds that the path of the fruit leads back to the Queen of the Mists, who has no love for Toby, and seeks to punish Toby for accusing her and interfering in her business. It is up to Toby to prove that this is not the true queen and replace her with the rightful fae heir, and she only has a few days to do so, or suffer the consequences.

This book sees Toby enjoying some happiness with her friends and loved ones, including Tybalt, May, and Quentin, but that peace does guarantee her an easy time of it. As someone who is more fae than human, she enjoys the benefits of her nonhuman skills, and when she loses her advantage, she has to rely on her intelligence, sneakiness, and allies to win her fights. This character thrives when she has to think on her feet, and the new obstacle prevents fae abilities from being the easy answer they might be in another series.

Several new characters are introduced, and a number of favorites return, making for a good mix of interactions and conflicts. With that, and the evolution that Toby has undergone still in progress, this book reveals a few things, and tosses a few more questions out there for future books, which will doubtless complicate Toby’s life, and keep things vibrant and interesting for readers.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Ranting Dragon
     Badass Book Reviews
     Paperback Wonderland

Previous Books:
     1. Rosemary and Rue
     2. A Local Habitation
     3. An Artificial Night
     4. Late Eclipses
     5. One Salt Sea
     6. Ashes of Honor