Review: BLACKOUT

Blackout by Rob Thurman
Book 6 of the Cal Leandros series

Genre: urban fantasy

About Blackout:

I was alone, and I was lost. I didn’t know where I was; I didn’t know who I was. It doesn’t get more lost than that. Knowing what I knew and not knowing anything else at all, why would I want to be in the darkness where monsters hide?

Because killers hide there, too…

Half-human Cal Leandros has always walked a bloody line between keeping his mortal soul free and clear (sort of) and unleashing the horror of his otherworldly heritage. The one thing that’s always saved him is the memory of his brother, Niko, his friends, and those he loves.

Until now.

Cal wakes up on a beach littered with the recently slaughtered remains of a variety of hideous creatures that were obviously looking for trouble. The fact that he was the one doing the slaughtering doesn’t bother him. The fact that he feels like a natural-born killer doesn’t either. What bothers him is that Cal doesn’t remember Cal anymore…

And he’s not sure he cares.

Source: Info in the About Blackout was taken from the author's website at http://robthurman.net/cal-leandros/blackout/ on 14/09/2010.

Review:
Book 5 all but screamed "Cal-is-going-Auphe-in-book6-and-it-is-so-not-good", so I was totally expecting something along those lines. That expectation kinda made me dread reading this book, at the same time look forward to it. Ambivalent much? Anyway, I was already about three quarters into the book (almost ending) and I was still waiting for this "Cal-is-going-Auphe-and-its-not-good" story line. So I thought to myself... "was that pointers in book 5 wrong??"... Well, it wasn't. Not really... until I got to the end. As you can see the plot is twisty enough that even a long time Cal Leandros reader like me cannot see where the story was going. I like that in a book. Because sometimes after reading a series for so long I can tell what is going to happen next. It takes a lot out of the book then. So much so that I tend to stop reading that series even if it was good the first few books, because it then becomes same old, same old. Like what I experienced with the Carpathian series. So the Cal Leandros series hasn't lost it's shine on me yet. And I like the fact that every book in the series gives a good resolution to the story. That is important to me because I hate being strung along hanging for another year. Authors that do that, I tend to avoid. And this book ended with a good resolution. Although it also gives out pointers to what is going to happen to the next book like book 5 did, enough to keep the reader interested in the series but the story did not end with a cliffhanger.

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

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books in the Cal Leandros series:

GoogleReader Fail

All the "A"s in my subscription list has been erased! Could it be me clicking the wrong button? A computer glitch? GoogleReader ran some updates? A hic up with Google's system? Anyway, if the blog name started with an "A" or other character like a dot or something, it's gone! That's like more than 100 blogs from my subscription list, gone! How am I gonna hunt them down now?? So if I used to follow you and now you noticed that I don't anymore, this might be it.

The thing is, this is not the first time Google has auto-erased my subscription list. And there is no one to talk to about it at Google. They will just redirect you to a forum where you can ask other Google users to answer your question, but not actually somebody from Google. This is it, this is what happens when you use the Google system, they rule the roost and users haven't got no say. *sigh*

Review: FIREWALKER

Firewalker by Allyson James
Book 2 of the Stormwalker series.

Genre: adult urban fantasy

About Firewalker:
Book 2 of the Stormwalker series

Janet Begay's Crossroads Hotel has attracted the supernatural ever since it opened. But a new, dark power is rising, this time inside Janet herself. Her boyfriend Mick, a sexy dragon shapeshifter the Navajo call a Firewalker, know what terrifying magic is threatening to overwhelm Janet and her Stormwalker powers. He watches over her, ready to fight for her, to do anything to keep her safe.

But then a mysterious corpse is found near the Crossroads Hotel-and Janet becomes the main suspect. Now Janet and Mick must uncover what really happened, and their investigation leads to the most perilous decision of their lives...

Source: Info in the About Firewalker was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7830969-firewalker on 13/02/2011.

My Thoughts:
Like book 1 this is also a slow starter, but knowing Allyson James I persevered. It picked up quicker than book 1 did and it was a great ride from there until the end. Allyson James' voice is very compelling even though she does have moments of dullness. The world building started in book 1 is enhanced in my opinion in this book. It's like wine, it gets better with age. Or it could be that this series has grown on me. Allyson James's books tends to do that to me. A quality which I attribute to her marvellous story telling abilities!

Final verdict: Book 1 was good, this one is even better!

My recommendation: Wait for book 3 to come out and read this series all in one go, one right after the other and you're in for one heck of a reading treat!!


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

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Other Books In This Series:

Stormwalker review by Cherry is HERE.

I SO WANT TO READ THIS: DARKNESS UNBOUND

Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur
Book 1 of the Dark Angels series

Publication Date: 27 Sept 2011

About Darkness Unbound:

Risa Jones is as extraordinary as her heritage. Born from a lab-enhanced clone mother and an Aedh father, she can not only talk to the souls of the dying and the dead, but she can see the reapers and walk the gray fields that divide this world from the next.

They are skill she rarely uses, however, preferring to concentrate on the business she shares with her two best friends. But when her mother asks her to help the parents of a little girl locked in a coma, she reluctantly agrees. What she discovers scares the hell out of her. Because the little girl’s soul no longer resides in her body, and it wasn’t death and the reapers that took her.

Someone had ripped her soul from her flesh.

As it turns out, a creature consuming the souls of the innocent–and not so innocent–is the least of her problems.

Because someone wants to rip open the gates that divided hell from earth, and Risa is a key component in their plans.

And the only person standing between her and disaster is a reaper who isn’t exactly on her side.

Source: Info in the About Darkness Unbound was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9380186-darkness-unbound on 17/03/2011.

Guest Post: History As An Inspiration & Device In Writing by Killian McRae

History As An Inspiration & Device In Writing

Those who fail at history are doomed to repeat it, but those obsessed with history are doomed to write about it, and usually at great length.

Professional historians have a horrible truth they rarely share with novel enthusiast and mainstream movie goers. Their deep, dark secret? History has ruined fiction for them. When one begins to delve into the annals of time, they are introduced to the tales of heros and the evil deeds of villains past that are compounded in their dramatic effect by the very fact that their sagas are true. How could one appreciate the lattice of teenage romantic connections or the diplomatic shuttles of a Eurasian peace keeping mission to Asia, for example, when he or she is familiar with the true life events surrounding the birth, life and extended posthumous history of Alexander the Great? (Did you know that following his death, he was deposited into a container of honey to preserve his body and his generals took turns stealing his corpse from one another?)

Luckily for me, I'm not a professional historian. No, I can still skate the thin ice between fact and fiction without cracking through and plunging in, never to be seen again. Instead, I can treat historical fact like my buffet, picking and choosing and arranging what I want from it, perhaps tossing in a few untraditional ingredients, and preparing a brand new menu to suit my desire du jour. More than that, I feel it a great privilege and honor as a history-loving fiction writer to be able to fold real world events into my works, and share my love of our specie's noble and not-so-noble history with a larger audience.

I think in many ways, our educational system (at least in my experience) lets us down in respect to history. To often are dates, bullet points, and maps stressed, that we forget the very human experience these items hold. How many of you read in school about Hannibal crossing the Alps with elephants in order to invade Italy? Even the pachyderm placement doesn't make this tale leap off the page with excitement, does it? And yet, this is one of the great stories of all time not because of the Alps, but because of the human experiences that entailed. Even to this day, no one knows the exact route Hannibal took. What we do know is that Hannibal's forces almost abandoned the campaign. Food supplies were scarce, and there's even some suspicion that his men turned to eating elephants who perished in the journey, or even other soldiers. Some mountain passes were so slim that it's believed elephants fell over bluffs to their deaths. Then, once they got to Italy, that's where the real drama begins. I want you to picture being a Roman soldier, your best weapon a spear an arm's length taller than you, and having to defend yourself against a fully-armored elephant.

If there's one thing I want people to get from 12.21.12, it's how exciting history is. True, my book does fictionalize history, and certainly the more sci-fi elements of plot are purely fantasy, but some of that thar' stuff is true. If you take anything away from 12.21.12, I hope that it encourages readers to add to their library. I want to highly encourage all lovers of novels to occasionally reexamine their buffet choices, and perhaps in addition to that Tri-tip, garlic potatoes, and buttermilk roll with butter, take a spoonful of peas in the form of Stacy Shiff's "Cleopatra: A Life" or a hearty bran muffin in the words of Marion Meade's "Eleanor of Aquitaine." See why math can be heresy by reading Petr Beckmann's "A History of Pi." See what a true hero's struggles are, and why tragedy can make you humble and appreciative, by looking at Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken."

And if you find yourself tempted to make a transition and try something historical, but you think you need a crutch, then check out 12.21.12. It's history- sorta. :)

Visit the other blog tour stops, click here for the blog tour schedule and links.

12-21-12 by Killian McRae

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Archaeologist Sheppard Smyth has staked his career and the honorable memory of his deceased wife and partner on proving his widely-panned theory: Cleopatra VII, last ruler of Ancient Egypt, was murdered. When a statue of the doomed Queen is discovered in an Olmec excavation site in Mexico, Shep rushes to investigate and, hopefully, find the proof that has evaded him for so long. Soon, he finds himself in the middle of the rivalry between the sexy, enigmatic international thief, Victoria Kent, and infamous rumored Russian mobster, Dmitri Kronastia. Both hold pieces to the puzzle that will finally shed light on Cleopatras death, as they vie for Shep's trust and assistance. As he is drawn further into their world of ancient gods, supernatural powers, and alternative history, little does Shep know that the fate of all humanity may hinge on his ability to discover the truth in between Victoria and Dmitris' fragmented claims and hidden identities. Working to decode the ancient past while attempting to save the future, Shep becomes a common pawn played by forces working to see out a quest older than the pyramids themselves and cloaked by the mayan prophecy of 12.21.12.

Source: Info in the synopsis was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9431764-12-21-12 on 07/01/2011.

MR. MAILMAN: SIMON CANDEROUS

A huge THANK YOU to The Qwillery for hosting a contest which made it possible for me to win books 1, 2 & 3 of the Simon Canderous series books!

Couldn't wait to find these in my mail!! *big smile* This wait is worth another Mr. Mailman feature! A kind of "blog meme" started by Juju over at Tales Of Whimsy.

About Mr. Mailman:

Mr. Mailman is a feature Juju decided to try. Periodically when there is a book in route which she is anxiously hoping to find when she gets home to her mailbox - Juju would feature Mr. Mailman.

Mr. Mailman is a hybrid of Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and In My Mailbox by the Story Siren. Please feel free to grab the logo and feature your Mr. Mailman request on your site. Please leave a link to your Mr. Mailman request in the comments at Tales Of Whimsy.

Source: Info in the About Mr. Mailman was pinched from Juju's blog, the Tales Of Whimsy, on 04/12/09.

Dead To Me by Anton Strout
Book 1 of the Simon Canderous series

About Dead To Me:

A new urban fantasy featuring a man working on the right side of law-with talents that come from left field. Psychometry-the power to touch an object and divine information about its history-has meant a life of petty crime for Simon Canderous, but now he's gone over to the good side. At New York's underfunded and (mostly) secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, he's learning about red tape, office politics, and the basics of paranormal investigation. But it's not the paperwork that has him breathless. After Simon spills his coffee on (okay, through) the ghost of a beautiful woman- who doesn't know she's dead-he and his mentor plan to find her killers. But Simon's not prepared for the nefarious plot that unfolds before him, involving politically correct cultists, a large wooden fish, a homicidal bookcase, and the forces of Darkness, which kind of have a crush on him.

Source: Info in the About Dead To Me was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1823237.Dead_To_Me on 13/03/2011.

Deader Still by Anton Strout

Book 2 of the Simon Canderous series

About Deader Still

It's hard to catch a break when you're the woefully underfunded Department of Extraordinary Affairs's lone psychometrist. In the aftermath of a nefarious plot by some lowdown, dirty cultists, Simon's hoping New York City's paranormal scene will stay quiet for awhile...but the uncanny has an uncanny knack for ruining Simon's day. When a Hudson River booze cruise sails into port full of bodies--drained of blood, no less--Simon thinks he may soon be hearing a lot of the dreaded V word (vampires), as well as the dreaded P word (paperwork). And if things weren't hectic enough at the DEA, his girlfriend is studying technomancy a little too closely with her boss, his mentor seems to be hiding something from him, and a dangerous flame from his criminal past has blown into town and threatens to make his life a living hell unless he helps her out with one last art heist. Oubliettes, living statues, Illinois gypsies, more zombies that you can shake a retractable steel bat at...it's all just another day at the office for Simon Canderous.

Source: Info in the About Deader Still was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3671826.Deader_Still on 13/03/2011.

Dead Matter by Anton Strout
Book 3 of the Simon Canderous series

About Dead Matter:

The spirit populace of Manhattan doesn't appreciate its well-deserved RIP being disturbed, and Department of Extraordinary Affairs Agent Simon Canderous is sent in to do damage control. Meanwhile, his vacationing partner, Connor Christos, is in a sorry state, and he tells Simon that each night he's being haunted by visions of his long-lost brother at his window. Simon is worried that his partner may be going crazy-or worse, maybe he's not...

Source: Info in the About Dead Matter was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6648578-dead-matter on 13/03/2011.

Book 4 of the Simon Canderous series:

Dead Waters by Anton Strout
Dead Waters is not part of the prize but if this series is as good as it looks, then I would be buying this one :)

Review: KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

Kitty And The Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
Book 1 of the Kitty Norville series

Genre: adult urban fantasy

About Kitty And The Midnight Hour:

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station?and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it?s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew.

Source: Info in the About Kitty And The Midnight Hour was taken from http://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9780446616416 on 30/04/2010.

My Thoughts:
I picked this book up because there was so many people who recommended the series to me. Secondly, because it is an urban fantasy book. The thing I liked most about the book is the story telling quality. The author has a very compelling "voice". The story though did not have a clear structure. So much so that the entire book felt like it was just an introduction to the world of Kitty Norville. A history lesson. A history lesson told in a compelling way, but history lesson, none the less. The ending therefore didn't so much close the story as start the next book. I didn't get my satisfying ending. And that is one of the reasons that this book got a less than 4 rating even if the author seems to be a talented story teller. Maybe that is why I like Jim Butcher so much because he always delivers a satisfying ending to every book in his series. And another thing about this book is that it broke my heart. I'm not giving out spoilers so will not tell you why... so might not pick this series again until my broken heart has healed...

Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Ending = 3
World building = 3.5
Cover art = 3
Pace = 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries


I would like to thank disney.co.uk for hosting a contest and making it possible for me to win prize(s) received, including this book.