WW28: SPARKS

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!

• First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
• Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
• Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

WW28 book offering : Sparks by Laura Bickle

Page 28, 1st Sentence:

"Like what?" Anya leaned forward. Ciro was DAGR's demonologist. He'd forgotten more names of demons than Anya has ever known. For someone to be into weirder shit than Ciro was saying a lot.

That line gives us a glimpse of the fantastical urban fantasy world that Laura Bickle has weaved...

About Sparks:
Anya Kalinczyk book 2

Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department—while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits haunting a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell—but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.

After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains—or, more precisely, a lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims—and she is sure this was no naturally occurring blaze. Soon she’s unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit’s poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more—she’s collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky’s freshly hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

Source: Info in the About Sparks was taken from the author's website at http://www.laurabickle.com/index_files/novels.htm on 28/11/2010.

WW28: EMBERS

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!

• First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
• Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
• Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

WW28 book offering : Embers by Laura Bickle

Page 28, 1st Sentence:

Sparky yawned, plodded up her arm, and dangled around her neck like a sloth before he shrank and melted into her collar.

Gotta love Sparky!

About Embers:
Anya Kalinczyk book 1

Unemployment, despair, anger--visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit's unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya--who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern--suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil's Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya--with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team --can stop it.

Anya's accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she's risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she's ever faced.

Source: Info in the About Embers was taken from the author's website at http://www.laurabickle.com/index_files/novels.htm on 10/11/2010.

Review: SPARKS

Sparks by Laura Bickle
Anya Kalinczyk book 2

Genre: urban fantasy

About Sparks:

Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department—while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits haunting a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell—but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.

After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains—or, more precisely, a lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims—and she is sure this was no naturally occurring blaze. Soon she’s unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit’s poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more—she’s collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky’s freshly hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

Source: Info in the About Sparks was taken from the author's website at http://www.laurabickle.com/index_files/novels.htm on 28/11/2010.

My Thoughts:
I think this book is better than the first one. For one, this book is pacier than Embers. Also, the female protagonist seems less stupid this time around therefore less irritating to read. And that to me is a huge plus :) The book still retains the fabulous story telling quality. And I like it that I get to read more about Sparky. Sparky being my favouritest in Embers. But having said that, I now have a new character favourite... Guess who?! Oh, yeah, Death!! Man! Can this author spin a nice touch on Death! Can you believe it?! Well, you just gotta read the book then ;) ... If this trend of every succeeding book becoming better than the last one continues, then I think this is going to be a fantastic series indeed!!

But I did wonder though, does Death only hang around in Detroit, USA? So how about the souls from the rest of the world? Nobody looks after them? Or is there more than one Death? This hasn't been well explained in the book... So I chose to believe that Death doesn't really hang around in Detroit only. And that Death only made it seem to Anya like he can be found at the morgue to make the thought of him more "digestible" to Anya's mind. Anya's brain is having difficulty processing all the supernatural trouble going on already as it is without making it even more complicated.

Another element which I think made this book/series so good is it's authenticity factor. The story has such an authentic feel to it that as a reader I can easily connect with the characters and the world of Anya Kalinczyk. And I can also very easily suspend disbelief. Let me quote a line a character had said:

"After a few centuries, they tend to develop a personality of their own."

That to me is a logical thing to happen. Something which I can honestly believe could happen. As opposed to just saying something like, it happened just because it's magic, and leave it at that ...and besides, the idea of a "Princess Kerberus" tickles me pink! ;)

Story Telling Quality = 4
Character Development = 4.5
Story = 4
Ending = 4.5
World Building = 5
Cover Art = 4.5
Pace = 4.5
Authrnticity Factor = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Buy Link:


Other Book(s) In The Series:

My review of Embers is HERE.

I would like to thank Juno Books for the free eARC of this book received! And thank you also to disney for hosting a contest which made it possible for me to get my hands on a copy of this book from the winnings!

Review: EMBERS

Embers by Laura Bickle

Genre: urban fantasy

About Embers:
Anya Kalinczyk book 1

Unemployment, despair, anger--visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit's unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya--who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern--suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil's Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya--with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team --can stop it.

Anya's accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she's risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she's ever faced.

Source: Info in the About Embers was taken from the author's website at http://www.laurabickle.com/index_files/novels.htm on 10/11/2010.

My Thoughts:
I looked forward to this book because I liked the premise. But somehow it fell just short of my expectations. It is still a very good book. It was just that maybe I was expecting a bit more than what I got. My expectations was just a bit too much and I got a little disappointed. This was the main reason why this book did not get a 5 out of 5...
What I liked about the book: I liked the way the story was told. The author has a very nice "voice" indeed, to keep my interest engaged. She has a very good way of making the characters come to life like Sparky. I like that Sparky is sentient enough to have free will and that he gets naughty sometimes ;)

What I don't like about this book: The main protagonist is portrayed as a kick-ass chick. But for a kick-ass chick she does get stupid sometimes. I get exasperated when she does not acknowledge her limitations which could most likely get her and everyone else in trouble. But this I could easily forgive for the wonderful reading experience I get out of this book. The story ended with a bang and a happy-ever-after but was just a shade this side of predictable.

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


I would like to thank Juno Books for the free eARC of this book received! I would also like to thank Simon & Schuster for the paperback review copy recieved! And thank you also to disney for hosting a contest which made it possible for me to get my hands on a copy of this book from the winnings!

IN THE MAIL: EMBERS, GRAVE WITCH, THE DRAGON WITH THE GIRL TATTOO, DEAD LIKE YOU

My loot:
I would like to thank Simon & Schuster for the review copy of Embers by Laura Bickle.

Embers by Laura Bickle

About Embers:
Anya Kalinczyk book 1

Unemployment, despair, anger--visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit's unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya--who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern--suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil's Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya--with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team --can stop it.

Anya's accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she's risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she's ever faced.

Source: Info in the About Embers was taken from the author's website at http://www.laurabickle.com/index_files/novels.htm on 10/11/2010.

Also received this week is a copy of Grave Witch by Kalayna Price from Book Depository. For the life of me I cannot remember where I won this book from, so if that is you, thank you!!

Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

About Grave Witch:
Alex Craft series Book 1

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say . . .

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around . . .

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life . . . and her soul.

Source: Info in the About Grave Witch was taken from the author's website at http://www.kalayna.com/alexcraft.html on 08/12/10.

I would also like to thank Gollancz for the free copy of The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo by Adam Roberts.

The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo by Adam Roberts

About The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo :

Lizbreath Salamander is young and beautiful. Her scales have an iridescent sheen, her wings arch proudly, her breath has a tang of sulfur. And on her back a tattoo of a mythical creature: a girl. But when Lizbreath is drawn into a dark conspiracy she will have to rely on more than her beauty and her vicious claws the size of sabres . . . A dragon has disappeared, one of a secretive clan. As Lizbreath delves deeper into their history she realises that these dragons will do anything to defend their secrets. Welcome to the world of The Dragon With The Girl Tattoo. A world of gloomy Nordic dragons leading lives uncannily like our own (despite their size, despite the need for extensive fireproofing of home furnishings), a world of money hoarded, a world of darkness and corruption. A world where people are the fantasy.

Source: Info in the About The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo was taken from the author's blog at http://dragonwiththegirltattoo.blogspot.com/2010/10/dragon-with-girl-tattoo-by-adam-roberts.html on 08/12/2010.

I would also like to thank Minotaur Books for the ARC of Dead Like You by Peter James received.

Dead Like You by Peter James

About Dead Like You:

The sixth novel in the award winning Detective Superintendent Roy Grace crime series.

Don’t imagine for one moment that I’m not watching you. . .

The Metropole Hotel, Brighton. After a heady New Year’s Eve ball, a woman is brutally raped as she returns to her room. A week later, another woman is attacked. Both victims’ shoes are taken by the offender . . .

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises that these new cases bear remarkable similarities to an unsolved series of crimes in the city back in 1997. The perpetrator had been dubbed ‘Shoe Man’ and was believed to have raped five women before murdering his sixth victim and vanishing. Could this be a copycat, or has Shoe Man resurfaced?

When more women are assaulted, Grace becomes increasingly certain that they are dealing with the same man. And that by delving back into the past - a time in which we see Grace and his missing wife Sandy still apparently happy together - he may find the key to unlocking the current mystery. Soon Grace and his team will find themselves in a desperate race against the clock to identify and save the life of the new sixth victim . . .

Source: Info in the About Dead Like You was taken from the author's website at http://www.peterjames.com/books-dead-like-you.htm on 08/12/2010.