Category: Urban Fantasy

Books, fantasy, great reads, Reviews, scifi, Urban Fantasy

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

Karen

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I read this book twice back to back it was so interesting, and I never do that. I have been following the Mercy Thompson series for awhile but the last two books have changed, with the plots having more twists in them, but not in a bad way, breathing new life in this series for me. First the blurb.

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe…

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise…

I want to be straight up honest with you guys, even though I loved book nine I still went into this book with a lot of doubts. I really didn’t like a lot about this preview into the story: (1) I don’t like Adam and Mercy being split up. Look I get that this series is about Mercy, but at this point they are accepted in my mind as a team and honestly I’m getting fatigued with them having trouble in their relationship no matter if it is physical or mental. I just want them to be together and happy already! (2) New characters. The one complaint I’ve had with the last few books is that characters have been bleeding over from Patty’s other series (Alpha and Omega) or just new people are constantly be introduced. I like the core characters and when we are always meeting others they don’t get enough, or any, page time. (3) Personally I didn’t like the idea of this series going to Europe. Just didn’t. I don’t have a good reason except maybe too much change to fast? I don’t know I just was not excited for this idea either.

So when I got an ARC from netgalley of this book I actually went into with more of a critical eye than I’ve ever gone into any of Patricia Briggs books. I had decided if this book fell flat that this might be the end for me and the Mercy Thompson series which would be sad since this is the longest standing Urban Fantasy series that I still read. I’m happy to say this book was fantastic, it made me a believer again. Chapter by chapter all my doubts went away, I became so engrossed in the story that I just didn’t care that Adam and Mercy were separated, or that all new people were in it..and this is the brilliant part. I noticed that Patty has started to evolve as a writer, she is still an amazing Urban Fantasy author but she has taken what she does so well and built on that making her stories richer and more complex. It has forced someone like me, who was comfortable with our relationship as reader/writer to pay attention again, even to the point with this book, reading it twice to make sure I got everything out of it. That is a great story.

If you are new to this world I suggest starting with Moon Called but if you know these books you need to preorder this now, it releases on March 7,2017

Here is the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/Silence-Fallen-Mercy-Thompson-Novel-ebook/dp/B01H17UAF4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Books, fantasy, great reads, Reviews, scifi, Urban Fantasy

Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

Karen

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Wow, wow, wow! I was able to get an ARC from netgalley of this book and I want to assure everyone out there that it is as amazing as you imagine it is going to be. But first what’s the book about? Here is the blurb:

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness…

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave.

I’m going to be honest with you guys, this series is in my top five must read/buy right now so when I got to get a copy of this I was literally ready for an all nighter. I love the world Anne has built, I love the characters, and most of all I love the style of Anne’s writing in this series. I’m a big Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews fan so this type of series is of course on my radar but I feel Anne does something that they don’t, she forces you to follow stories at a slow burn pace while keeping them so intriguing that you can’t put the book down. Allow me to explain, at times you feel as if you are just going through day to day things with the characters and yet at the same time you know life changing, possibly world changing events are happening. No author makes me desire that less happened and more happened all at the same time, but not in a bad way! In book four (this was book five) she almost broke me she did this so skillfully and fortunately this was a bit easier on my feeble heart but still, one of my favorite books of the year. I will still be buying it and can’t wait to write a more in depth, spoiler type review, once it has been published.

Fans of this series, preorder this right now! If you haven’t started this series yet, get the first book Written in Red..you’ll be hooked before you know it!

Here is a link for the book on Amazon and goodreads. I hope you check out this series, it is worth it!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22062213-etched-in-bone

Books, fantasy, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance, Urban Fantasy

The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter

debra

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Hey everyone,

This is the first book I have read by this author and I plan to continue in the series because it is fun. I have had this series recommended to me for quite a while on the website I buy books at, but was always put off by the covers (and I never judge a book by its cover!!).

The Blurb:  Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists t hink it’s all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.

After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. She finds her groom-to-be living in a town that celebrates Halloween every day. Weird. But not as weird as what she doesn’t know. Her groom-to-be is a 400-year-old vampire.

Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the arranged set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. In thirty days, whatever bridezilla shows up at his door will be escorted right back out. His past means love is no longer an option. Not if the woman’s going to have a future. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real.

Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets..

I give this a solid 3.75 stars. Don’t let the covers fool you–the characters are well-written and not cartoonish at all. I would classify this series as a romantic comedy for me. It is set in the town of Nocture Falls–a town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. Delaney has witnessed a murder by her boss of the restaurant she works in another state up north. In fear, she takes the identity of a woman who has agreed to an arranged marriage to a man in Nocturne Falls. She heads to Nocturne Falls not knowing that her intended is a vampire. As a matter of fact, the entire town is a town of supernatural characters (vampires, werewolves, witches, etc.). It is an enjoyable fun, quick read about an unusual little town of quirky, unusual characters.

Happy Reading,

Debra

Books, fantasy, great reads, indie author, Out of the Box Blogs, paranormal romance, Romance, scifi, steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Questions on Multiple Series

debra

How many series can an author successfully write at one time before the series start to suffer?  When do you know it is time to let a series go?

These are questions I have been pondering for some time and I am interested in opinions that you guys may offer, especially anyone who may be an author. Please understand I am not an author so I approach this only from a reader’s viewpoint.

Can an author successfully give multiple series the attention each deserves without any of them suffering?  I have been reading an author for many years, but this author is now writing five series—the fifth series just started with book one a week ago.  I really enjoyed this book and will write my review very soon.  The series I started with is now nearing release of book number 30.  Personally, I feel this series needed to be ended some time ago, but we now have new characters whom will undoubtedly have books written for them and the overall story arc is still not finished.  It is the series that will never end!!  I also have to wonder, in the author’s defense—how much of this is the author and their muse and how much of it is the publisher continually trying to capitalize on an author’s popularity.

I read several authors who have multiple series, and it is normal for those authors in my experience to release one book a year in the series.  When we are talking about  3 or more series, how can that possibly happen?  Therefore, we are probably looking at over a year between books.   One of my favorite authors generally writes one series at a time and we get a book usually every 6 months and then they start another series.  Granted, these series usually contain 4 to 5 books.  However, the series is completed and then we get to start another one.  With the author who is on book 30, I could literally be in my mid 60s before it finishes and I am already 53!! Some of the recent books have disappointed me with much repetition—hence question 2—when do you know it is time to let go?  I have many years invested in this series and I want to see the end, but I’m tired and don’t receive the level of enjoyment that I used to.

Have any of you faced a similar dilemma and how did you decide?  Looking forward to your thoughts.