Northern Lights - Book Review

Northern Lights (aka The Golden Compass) (His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman

What is it about:
In a landmark epic of fantasy and storytelling, Philip Pullman invites readers into a world as convincing and thoroughly realized as Narnia, Earthsea, or Redwall. Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the compass of the title. All around her children are disappearing, victims of so-called "Gobblers", and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.

What did I think of it:
A really great read! This book is the first in a trilogy, but can easily be read as a stand alone if you don't mind an open ending. Lyra is a fun and strong heroine who I loved right from the start of the story. The worldbuilding in this book is excellent and Pullman manages to create a cast of unforgettable characters to fill this world. My favourite character is Iorek Byrnison the armoured bear. Yes: this book has talking animals! The story is thought provoking, suspenseful, filled with action and emotion and totally cool. It is made into a movie, but the movie doesn't even come close in capturing the heart of this book.

Why should you read it:
It's got armoured bears!

The Iron Witch - Book Review

The Iron Witch (The Iron Witch #1) by Karen Mahoney

What is it about:
Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.
When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

What did I think of it:
One of the better YA books I've come across lately. Well written, interesting setting and characters and teen angst kept to a minimum. The mix of alchemy and faeries isn't something I'd expected to go together, but Mahoney makes it work perfectly. The story is clearly a set up for the rest of the series and reads more like an introduction than a stand alone novel, but it's suspenseful and intriguing enough that I don't mind. Instead it makes me curious and eager for the next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a very original, well written YA read.

River Marked - Early Book Review *

River Marked (Mercedes Thompson #6) by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River—one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…

What did I think of it:
I have been hoping for a story like this since reading the first Mercy Thompson book and learning she's a shapeshifter of Native American origin. And it's a great story! Thrilling, suspenseful and filled with emotion. Mercy's background and the story of her people is even more intriguing than I'd imagined and blends in perfectly with the already existing setting. Add a scary and disturbing action storyline to all this and Briggs delivers yet another fabulous book. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Why should you read it:
It's the best werewolf/shapeshifter series there is!

*River Marked will officially be released on March 1st 2011

The Iron Hunt - Book Review

The Iron Hunt (Hunter Kiss #1) by Marjorie M. Liu

What is it about:
By day, her tattoos are her armor. By night, they unwind from her body to take on forms of their own. Demons of the flesh, turned into flesh. This is the only family demon hunter Maxine Kiss has ever known. The only way to live-and the very way she'll die. For one day, her demons will abandon her for her daughter to assure their own survival-leaving Maxine helpless against her enemies.

But such is the way of Earth's last protector-the only one standing between humanity and the demons breaking out from behind the prison veils. It is a life lacking in love, reveling in death, until one moment-and one man-changes everything . . .

What did I think of it:
I absolutely love this book.
The writing is excellent, the world building even more so and the characters are cooler than cool. Maxine is a great heroine (a perfect mix of strong, independant and vulnerable) and her demon pals are creepy, cute, weird and cool all in one. The story is fast paced, but with enough room to get to know Maxine and see her grow throughout the book. Although it's the first book in this series I can advice everyone to read the short story 'Hunter Kiss' which can be found in the anthology Wild Thing as that story is set before the start of this book (and because it's an awesome story). Which leaves me to add that I look forward to reading book two in this series as Maxine totally kicks ass.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool, kick ass Urban Fantasy read.

Teaser Tuesdays - River Marked

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Kyle grimaced.
"Don't start the conversation if you don't want an honest answer," I told him, hopping out of the chair and perusing one of the bookcases stuffed with Blu-rays, DVDs, and VHS tapes.
(page 24, River Marked by Patricia Briggs)

Blood of the Rose - A Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Blood of the Rose (Tudor Vampire Chronicles #2) by Kate Pearce

What is it about:
When vampire slayer Rosalind Llewellyn had to join forces with her enemy Christopher Ellis to defeat a rogue vampire threatening Henry VIII, their alliance led to a surprising passion. Reunited after a year's separation, they now face a new threat that could destroy their last chance at happiness.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
My main concern about the first book in this series was that the romance was very angsty and that the heroine and hero both acted very stubborn. Nothing much has changed when it comes to that in book two I'm afraid. Rosalind and Christopher kept me frustrated about their romance throughout Blood of the Rose as well. There were some less angsty romantic scenes, but far too few in my opinion.

The story and setting on the other hand are really cool and had me totally engrossed until the storyline I was anticipating to be continued in future books was suddenly killed off! I can understand why Pearce made this choice, but I was not happy!

Chances of me continuing this series:
The setting, writing and the characters are all very good and apart from the things I mentioned here I did enjoy the book, so I might give the next book (which starts a new story with different lead characters) a chance to see if this time I will enjoy both the action and the romance.

Why should you read it:
Tudors and Vampires!

Rogue Oracle - Book Review

Rogue Oracle (Oracle #2) by Alayna Williams

What is it about:
Tara Sheridan is the best criminal profiler around—and the most unconventional. Trained as a forensic psychologist, Tara also specializes in Tarot card reading. But she doesn’t need her divination skills to realize that the new assignment from her friend and sometime lover, Agent Harry Li, is a dangerous proposition in every way.

Former Cold War operatives, all linked to a top-secret operation tracking the disposal of nuclear weapons in Russia, are disappearing. There are no bodies, and no clues to their whereabouts. Harry suspects a conspiracy to sell arms to the highest bidder. The cards—and Tara’s increasingly ominous dreams—suggest something darker. Even as Tara sorts through her feelings for Harry and her fractured relationship with the mysterious order known as Delphi’s Daughters, a killer is growing more ruthless by the day. And a nightmare that began decades ago in Chernobyl will reach a terrifying endgame that not even Tara could have foreseen. . . .

What did I think of it:
I absolutely love Dark Oracle, the first book in this series, so I was more than eager to read Rogue Oracle. And let me say:

WOW!!

Rogue Oracle is dark, gritty, disturbing, intense and utterly awesome!

Tara and Harry both have some serious fights on their hands in this book and I must confess they had me worried about their safety and happiness more than once. Even though the overall tone of the story is grim it never crosses the line that makes a story too angsty and desperate for me, instead it drew me in just as tightly as the first book did, cheering on Tara and Harry and cursing those who make their lives difficult. Rogue Oracle is a more than worthy sequel to Dark Oracle and I can only hope there will be more books in this series as I am now officially in love with Tara.

Why should you read it:
It's a totally awesome, intense Urban Fantasy read.