Book Review: Dark Queen (Jane Yellowrock) by Faith Hunter

Dark Queen is the twelfth book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter. You do need to read this series in order to get a firm grasp on the characters and the relationships. I do not recommend jumping in here, or in the middle. However, it is a fabulous series so I do recommend reading it, it is worth it.

As Enforcer to the vampire Master of the City of New Orleans, Jane Yellowrock stakes her reputation and her life on keeping her territory safe. But Leo has been issued a blood challenge by the emperor of the European vampires, who seeks to usurp all of his power and possessions. If Leo loses the match to the death, the city will be forfeit, and the people of New Orleans will suffer the consequences. Jane can't let that happen. Preparing for the duel requires all of Jane's focus, but with so much supernatural power in play, nothing goes according to plan. She has to rely on herself and the very few people she knows she can trust to stand and fight. Only two things are guaranteed: nothing is sacred, and no one is safe.

Dark Queen is more than I expected. I will admit that I have listened to the majority of this series via audiobook (and the readers is fabulous!) and I missed the voices, inflections, and cadence of the reader. My inner voice cannot compare to the audiobooks. However, after a while I was able to get past my longing for that voice and truly get sucked into the story like I always do. Jane has so much going on- still coming to terms with caring about so many people and her inability to protect them all the way she wants. Emotions are not her forte, and I can relate to her on that level. The upcoming battle, issues tied to the timeshifting, the brother coming out of nowhere, and more are all coming at her too fast to process, and she is barely hanging on. There are surprises and resolutions tied into the duel and not a dull moment to skim. Readers that have loved and followed the series thus far will both love and hate this read. I admit to fearing that this might be the last we see of Jane more than once, and worry just what will happen in this world next. I almost expected a different twist at the end, and had mixed feelings with the reveal- even though I already had it in the back of my mind. The ending left me needing the next Yellowrock or Soulwood book badly, to see what is to come, but hopeful. 

Dark Queen is a powerful addition to the series, and held some twists that had me seriously worried, and struck oddly close to home because of current family complications. 

Book Review: Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye

Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye is a young adult novel. Fourteen-year-old Ozzy lives near Portland, Oregon, and is desperate for help. His scientist parents have been kidnapped and he has been on his own since he was seven. Ozzy is afraid to go to the police, but without help, he fears he'll never find his parents. Then he stumbles across a classified ad in the local newspaper that says "Wizard for Hire. Call 555-SPEL." Ozzy has read about wizards in books like Harry Potter, but wizards couldn't actually exist today, could they? After Ozzy meets the wizard Labyrinth--aka Rin--he's even more skeptical. With the help of a robotic-talking raven invented by Ozzy's father, a kind and curious girl at school who decides to help Ozzy, and, of course, a self-proclaimed wizard who may or may not have a magical wand, Ozzy begins an unforgettable quest that will lead him closer to the answers he desperately seeks about his missing parents.

Wizard for Hire is and great read for young adults, and some middle grade readers. The story opens with Ozzy at seven, just after his family has moved to the cloaked house in the woods from New York City. HIs adjustment and the kidnapping of his parents are the way readers to to know and understand Ozzy. For seven years Ozzy just survives- but reading fiction, the discovery of the mechanical bird, and starting to explore the world has lead Ozzy to want to understand more about the outside world, and start the hunt for his missing parents. Sigi, the only kid at school that seems willing to get to know him, and later the "wizard" Rin are the only people that seem more willing to get to know him and look beyond his oddities. I love the ambiguity about magic and Rin's abilities, or lack thereof. He does things that seem impossible, but could just be luck. Through the entire book readers are left wondering if the magic is real, or if Rin just had a breakdown and is just a little different now. I enjoyed the journey of Ozzy and friends as they seek more information on his parents, and how things often go a little sideways, but rarely completely wrong. I also like that the story is a great adventure with significant emotional growth and challenges for all of the characters. I enjoyed the journey with Ozzy as a slightly unreliable narrator, since he rarely looked deeper than the surface or payed attention to things that stuck out to me as important.  I greatly enjoyed the ride, and am hoping that this turns into aa new series, or that some of the characters pop up in another story from the author in the near future. It was also just a fun, enjoyable read that I did not want to end.

Wizard for Hire is a fun, quirky read that also has significant character growth and development. I would love to continue this story with more about Ozzy, Rin, and Sigi.

Book Review: Uniformly Dead (A Stitch in Time Mystery) by Greta Mckennan

Uniformly Dead is the first book in the A Stitch in Time Mystery series by Greta Mckennan. Daria has come up with a brilliant new plan to expand her seamstress business beyond stitching wedding gowns—historical sewing. And with Civil War re-enactors setting up camp in her hometown of Laurel Springs, Pennsylvania, she has plenty of opportunities, including one client playing a Confederate colonel who's a particular stickler for authenticity. But soon the small-town peace starts coming apart at the seams as an antique doll is stolen from a Civil War exhibit and the cranky colonel is found impaled by his own bayonet. When Daria's brother is suspected of the theft and a bridal client's fiance is accused of the murder, Daria is determined to untangle the clues to prove their innocence. She needs to get this case sewn up fast, though, before the murderer re-enacts the crime and makes her history.

Uniformly Dead is an engaging read with a nice combination of small town and niche style cozy mystery. Daria is a smart, independent character that is still reeling for a disastrous relationship but making it work as best she can. She has her quirks, but her tenant does as well, and so do her clients, and her brother. I like that all of the characters have good and bad, and they all have layers that while I feel like I know them, I would love to learn more and am eager to read more from the series to discover more. I like that the mystery have several layers of danger and suspects, and that Daria needs to take a hard look as the guys she is interested in, and her brother, not just people she does not know. I am more than over the use of love triangles, so that aspect of the story felt a little overplayed, but I have faith that in later books that will not happen again based on the big conclusion. I really liked that while I had my suspicions as to the culprit, it was not until the  very end that I knew who did what, and how it all came together. The action and climax of the story was impressive, and I was holding my breathe as the danger and revelations all made themselves known. There are more twists and turns than I expected, and was completely enthralled- and still find myself thinking about the characters after I finished the book.

Uniformly Dead is a fast, entertaining read. I read it in a day and fully enjoyed the ride. I will be keeping my eye out for more books in this series since I have already fallen behind.

Early Book Review: A Place For Pluto by Stef Wade, Melanie Demmer

A Place For Pluto was written by Stef Wade and illustrated by Melanie Demmer. This informational picturebook is currently scheduled for release on August 1 2018.Pluto got the shock of his life when he was kicked out of the famous nine. His planet status was stripped away, leaving him lost and confused. On his quest to find a place where he belongs, he talks to comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. He doesn't fit it anywhere! But when Pluto is about to give up, he runs into a dwarf planet and finally finds his place in the solar system. 

A Place For Pluto tells the story of Pluto's change of status to dwarf planet from Pluto's point of view. The poor guy was crushed! As he searches the universe for anyone like himself readers not only learn a bit about space and the things in it, but they also get a lesson in acceptance, friendship, and self discovery. The artwork is bright and cute, with small blurbs of explanatory text about who Pluto comes across in space. Pluto talks to other planets, Halley's Comet, asteroids, and more until he finds other dwarf planets and discovers what he his. I like that after his journey he returns home to find his old friends missed him and now has more friends than ever before. I only wish he could have been happy with himself before finding a label, because putting people in categories is not always the best path, but it worked for the story and can be used to start discussions. There are extra materials included at the end of the book to encourage more reading and research on the subject, which could be helpful and curiosity inducing. 

Book Review: No Earls Allowed (The Survivors) by Shana Galen

No Earls Allowed is the second book in The Survivors series by Shana Galen. While I have read other books by the author, I had not read the first book in this series. However, I feel like I was fully able to enjoy the read without having read the first, although there are mentions of the other men that are the heroes of the series, so those reading in order might get a little more out of the read than those of us coming in cold. 

Lady Juliana, daughter of the Earl of St. Maur, needs all the help she can get. She's running a ramshackle orphanage, London's worst slumlord has illicit designs on her, and her father has suddenly become determined to marry her off. Enter Major Neil Wraxall, bastard son of the Marquess of Kensington, sent to assist Lady Juliana in any way he can. Lucky for her, he's handy with repairs, knows how to keep her and the orphans safe, and is a natural leader of men. Unfortunately for both of them, the scandal that ensues from their mutual attraction is going to lead them a merry dance.

No Earls Allowed captured my attention immediately, with a charitable heroine dealing with her grief by throwing herself into the care of orphans. I liked Juliana, her stubbornness and pride sometime getting her into trouble but her heart and humor are what make her such a great character to read. Neil has survived the war, but not unscathed. As the bastard son of a nobleman he has limited acceptance in society, despite his status as war hero. I like that neither care much about convention, or what society has to say about them, at least for the most part. I loved watching Neil's soft side revealed, and his honor and need protect takes over as he gets to know Juliana and the boys. The twists and turns that are involved in protecting Juliana and the orphanage were very well done, and occasionally had me holding my breathe. I was entertained, engaged, and connected with both the story and the characters. The characterization of the boys Julie cares for was also extremely well done, capturing the variety of needs and personalities that would be most likely in the situation- but they still felt real rather than standard.  I will admit, there were moments when I was not happy with the choices or words of our couple, but those moments ramped up the tension and moved forward the story, so they were well used. This story was highly entertaining, now I just need to as the first book, and the next one, to my TBR pile. 

No Earls Allowed is a heart warming historical romance with plenty of danger in intrigue. I enjoyed the characters, the unique set up, and the book as a whole. I was reminded of how much I enjoy this authors work, and why I need to read more from them. 

Book Review: Mythical Beasts and Beings by Lisa Graves

Mythical Beasts and Beings by Lisa Graves takes on monsters, fairies, gods and dragons in this illustrated guide to mythological creatures. Featuring legends from around the world, this collection provides information for fans of mythology, magic and more in short but a lovely volume.

Mythical Beasts and Beings is a basic and brief introduction to a sampling of mythical creatures from around the world. Some I was very well acquainted with through my fantasy reading and mythology research over the years, and some I knew much less about. The included creatures are Mermaids, Hobgoblins, Tylwyth Teg, Ciguapa, Leshy, Gorgon, Imoogi, Nuberu, Morrigan, Kraken, Hulder, Muma Padurii, Valkyrie, Spriggan, Baobhan Sith, Makara, Banshee, Pixie, Sphinx, Kappa, Satyr, and Unicorn. I like that each creature profile included countries of origin, habitat, unusual features, similar creatures, and other important aspects of the myths and how they vary by region or time. THe images used are like lovely painting, with colors and soft lines. I will admit that some of my knowledge of myths and legends surrounding some of the creatures varied from what was presented here, but not in drastic or remarkable ways. I attribute thoth difference to the lenses in which I have view the creatures and characters through the collections and fiction I have previously been introduced to them.

Book Review: The Firebirds Tale by Anya Ow

The Firebirds Tale by Anya Ow begins with the end of a familiar story: a Prince who never smiled, and by Imperial decree, has to marry the one who managed to make him do so. Except that it was all an accident, and the Prince would say he didn’t actually smile at the thief who dared to rob a Tsar, and the thief was not even a woman—or, as it turns out, even human.

The Firebirds Tale is set in a world based upon European and Eurasian folklore. I liked seeing well know, and lesser known, folklore pulled together and woven through the book. I also like that it is clear the author did her research and got Russian names and titles correct, which is not always the case. I found the sexual ambiguity and openness to be well done. It fed into the slow relationship building between Aleksei and Nazar, which made the story so sweet and left me wondering what the resolution might be until the very end. Watching the bond being forged, and fought, was very well done, but it is far from all the book is about. There are fairy tale retellings woven together to form a bigger picture. There is a good deal of commentary on politics and human nature as well, the desire for more, and to rule. The nature of war, and the destruction and pain it causes along side the drive some have for making it happen. Every now and then I did get a little overwhelmed with the amount of things going on, and it felt a little wandering on occasion.

The Firebirds Tale had a slow start for me, but when I finally sat down and power through it I found thing I really loved about the story, and some things that did not work quite so well for me. 

Book Review: The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (Unbelievables) by K.C. Tansley

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is the first book in the Unbelievables series by K.C. Tansley is a young adult novel. Kat Preston doesn’t believe in ghosts. Not because she’s never seen one, but because she saw one too many. Refusing to believe is the only way to protect herself from the ghost that tried to steal her life. Kat’s disbelief keeps her safe until her junior year at McTernan Academy, when a research project for an eccentric teacher takes her to a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut. Accompanied by her research partner, her best friend, and another student, she investigates the disappearance of Cassie Mallory and Sebastian Radcliffe on their wedding night in 1886. Evan’s scientific approach to everything leaves Kat on her own to confront a host of unbelievables: ancestral curses, powerful spells, and her strange connection to the ghosts that haunt Castle Creighton. But that’s all before Kat’s yanked through a magic portal and Evan follows her. When the two of them awaken 129 years in the past with their souls trapped inside the bodies of two wedding guests, everything changes. Together, Kat and Evan race to stop the wedding-night murders and find a way back to their own time—and their own bodies—before their souls slip away forever. 

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is a book that captured my imagination. I liked Kat's intelligence and perseverance. She is not opposed to working hard, and is willing to pitch in even when it puts her personal safety at risk. Ignoring the ghosts has worked well thus far, but surrounding herself with the research about a murder and curse is not helping her keep the ghosts at bay.  Jumping in further with the research trip makes it impossible to keep her shields up. I liked the dynamic between Kat and her best friend Mallory, and the humor that fellow student Seth brings to the group. I will admit that I was initially creeped out a bit by the connection between Kat and Joshua- the next possible victim of the curse the group is investigating. I enjoyed the enemy to friend vibe between Kat and Evan, but I could enjoy a gothic style mystery without any kind of romance hinted at just fine- not all girls are looking to forge romantic relationships their entire lives. I would love to pick up a young adult or new adult novel that skips hints at love triangle and romance once and awhile, particularly when it is not vital to the mystery or larger story line. That being said, I found that the mystery and paranormal aspects of the story were the focus for the majority of the book. The magical time travel was well done, and I liked the explanation of ghosts, spirits, and the differences between them. The curse and mystery surrounding it were well constructed, and interesting to watch unravel. I liked the layers and complexity of the curse, mystery, and the paranormal aspects that connect them and the characters. I did get a little bored with some of the ritual and spell work, and the emotional games being played in the past. However, I did enjoy the read and might pick up the next book if I run across it. However, I am not going out looking for it at this point.

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is a good mystery with gothic and paranormal aspects. While I do not have patience with emotional games, I think there are many readers that will enjoy the read and get fully invested with the characters and mystery.

Book Review: Moonshadow by Thea Harrison

Moonshadow is the first book in an urban fantasy series by Thea Harrison. It is related to previous series by the author, but you can easily jump in here.

Recovering from a shooting, LAPD witch consultant Sophie Ross leaves her job and travels to the U.K. to search for answers about her childhood. When she encounters a Daoine Sidhe knight of the Dark Court, she becomes entangled in an ancient hatred between two arcane forces. He has given his body and soul to fight for his people. Barred from his homeland along with his surviving brother knights, Nikolas Sevigny is embroiled in a conflict that threatens everything he holds dear. Only by uniting his people’s resources can they hope to prevail against Isabeau, the deadly Queen of the Light Court. He will do anything and use anyone to return home to Lyonesse.

When Nikolas encounters Sophie, he sees a tool to be used. The insouciant witch might be the key to unlocking every passageway that has been barred to the knights of the Dark Court, even as a fascination for her takes root in what’s left of his soul.Sophie has no intention of becoming anyone’s pawn, yet the fierce Nikolas is so compelling, she can’t deny the temptation that endangers her guarded heart. As magic threatens Lyonesse, Queen Isabeau unleashes her merciless Hounds, and Nikolas and Sophie become embroiled in a race for survival. Meanwhile, the passion that ignites between them burns too hot to be denied and quickly turns into obsession. Thank goodness they both know better than to fall in love.

Moonshadow is a well built series starter that left me intrigued by what else might await our characters. I loved the world and character building. Sophie is a strong, smart woman with magical gifts and little to no knowledge of her heritage. She has worked had to master her gifts and learn new things over the years. Now, she is recovering form gunshot wounds and has the chance to earn an estate simply by getting inside it. Who could pass that up? I love her independence and intelligence, she talks no nonsense from anyone.  Nikolas has been fighting for his people for what seems like forever. Numbers, resources, and moral are all dwindling- but Sophie and her skills might just turn the tables. I found the interactions between Sophie and Nikolas to be fantastic. The snark, sarcasm, and independence made even the darkest moments of the story a little brighter. There were moments that made me laugh out loud, and made me wonder why I had not already read this book ages ago. Nope GIF's will forever make me smile, and proud characters finding the way to be together will always tug my heartstrings.

Moonshadow is a book that  wish I had read earlier. I enjoyed the story and character building and look forward to reading more books in this series as time allows.

Book Review: A Tiger Called Tomas by Charlotte Zolotow, Marta Alvarez Miguens

A Tiger Called Tomas is a picturebook written by Charlotte Zolotow and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens. The original version of this book, A Tiger Called Thomas was published in 1963, and it has been updated and changed three other times, changing the appearance and race of Thomas and his neighbors to make it more inclusive and relatable to a variety of readers. In this incarnation the shy Tomas is Latino with some Spanish woven through the story so yet another group of children can see someone like themselves on the page.

A Tiger Called Tomas is a lovely story about a young boy that is very shy. He is too anxious to go introduce himself to neighbors, and is worries that they will not like him. As someone that has always had that kind of underlying conversation in the back of my own mind, I could empathize and relate to young Tomas. It is only when he is safely hidden behind his Halloween mask that he feels brave enough to go and interact with the people his family has been encouraging him to talk to through the whole book. This is a sweet and relatable story, and I think that any shy readers will be able to see themselves on the page- and those that do no understand that reluctance to put themselves out there might gain a little understand of how a shy person feels. This would be a great conversation starter about personalities and how we are all different, and kindness toward others. I would love the chance to see all four incarnations of this book together to see how wording changes and each illustrator made the book a little different.