Review - Tempest's Legacy (Jane True, Book 3) by Nicole Peeler (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy 

Size: 368 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: January 3, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0316056601
Stand Alone or Series: Book 3 in Jane True series, 6 books planned
Source: ARC from Netgalley.com
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the third book in the Jane True series by Nicole Peeler; right now Peeler has six books contracted in this series.  I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.com.  This book was an absolutely fantastic addition to the series, I loved it a lot.  It is funny, broadens the story a lot, Jane really grows as a character and there is more Anyan.  I do have a warning for readers who are into this series coming from the paranormal romance angle; this book is definitely more of an urban fantasy.  In the previous books there were a lot (a lot, a lot) of hot scenes between Jane and Ryu, in this book the romance is mostly absent.  So if you are reading it for the hot scenes beware that is not really what this book is about.

This book starts off with Jane training with Nell about how to throw those mage balls she has so much trouble with.  Then Anyan arrives with some horrible news, Jane's mother has been killed.  Now Jane didn't really know her mom, but she was really hoping to know her someday so this pretty much destroys Jane.  Now Jane wants to be in on the lab investigations more than anything, mostly to revenge her mother's death.  Jane joins Anyan, Ryu and team in investigating these horrible labs where supernatural women are being experimented on and killed.  The investigation will take Jane into the Borderlands and back.  Jane will learn a lot about her past and be confronted with a lot of horrible things she has to deal with.

This was a really great book, but it was by far the darkest book in the series and was more of an investigative urban fantasy than anything else.  To be honest I enjoyed this book more than any of the previous books, but then I am a huge urban fantasy fan and the lack of romance didn't bother me.  Jane has to go through some horrible things and she is confronted with murder and torture at every turn; so there are definitely some heart wrenching parts to this book.  That being said it isn't all death and torture; Jane remains her realistic, goofy self and had me laughing out loud a number of times.  This is still a fun book to read, it just isn't as light and fluffy as previous books...it deals with some heavy, painful stuff.

I absolutely loved that Jane is getting her power under control and that she has to train to do it.  I hate it when heroines get supernatural powers and instantly just know what to do!  I love that Jane is having to work hard and practice in order to figure out how to get her powers to work the way she wants too.  I also loved that we spend more time with Anyan.  Ryu always bothered me a bit because he was just too smooth, Anyan feels so much more real to me.  Anyan and Jane have good chemistry, but their relationship remains....frustrating.

I also love that we got to go into the Borderlands in this book.  It introduces us to a wonderful new set of characters and a wonderful alternate lifestyle for the supernaturals.  We also are introduced to an ancient and powerful supernatural race that wasn't in the earlier books.

The book ends well wrapping up the main storyline in this book.  There are a number of surprising plot twists towards the end that will surprise the reader and these twists open up some major story-lines for the next book.  Even though it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, I was dying to know what happens next to Jane and crew.

Overall this was an absolutely wonderful addition to the series.  It really takes the series to a whole new level.  This book wasn't as fluffy and funny as the previous books, the fun was still there but it was tempered with desperate situations and dark happenings.  I loved this book, definitely check out this series if you are a fan of urban fantasy with humor laced throughout.  It features a normal girl with extraordinary magic, that you can't help but love.  Now I am on pins and needles waiting for the fourth book, Eye of the Tempest, to come out!

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:

- 100+ Reading Challenge

- E-book Reading Challenge

- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge

December 2010 - In Review

This month I read 28 books, another wonderful month for reading. You can see details on what I read, what series I caught up on, my favorites, and reading challenges status below.

I caught up on the following series:
Bone: Book 2, The Great Cow Race  and Book 3, Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith
Mistborn: Book 2, The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Thursday Next: Book 4, Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde
Amulet: Book 2, The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi
Theodosia Thockmorten: Book 4, Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh by R.L. LaFevers
Spellbent: Book 2, Shotgun Sorceress by Lucy A. Snyder

I started the following series:
The Last Survivors: Book 1, Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Cheshire Red Reports: Book 1, Bloodshot by Cherie Priest
Black Dagger Brotherhood: Book 1, Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
Jane True: Book 1, Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

I finished the following series:
Evernight: Book 4, Afterlife by Claudia Gray
Malice: Book 2, Havoc by Chris Wooding 
Vampire Academy: Book 6, Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

My Favorite Books of the Month Were:
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn Trilogy, Book 2) by Brandon Sanderson (4.5/5 stars)
Bloodshot (Cheshire Red Reports, Book 1) by Cherie Priest (5/5 stars)
Eyes of the Storm (Bone, Book 3) by Jeff Smith (5/5 stars)
Something Rotten (Thursday Next, Book 4) by Jasper Fforde (5/5 stars)
The Stonekeeper's Curse (Amulet, Book 2) by Kazu Kibuishi (5/5 stars)
Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6) by Richelle Mead (5/5 stars)
In the Forest of Forgetting by Theodora Goss (4.5/5 stars)
Shotgun Sorceress (Spellbent, Book 2) by Lucy A. Snyder (5/5 stars)

Books that disappointed me this month were:
Deadtown by Nancy Holzner (3/5 stars)
Venom and Song  by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper (3/5 stars)
The Celler by A.J. Whitten (3/5 stars)
The Memory Bank by Carolyn Coman and Rob Shepperson (3/5 stars)

Here are the stats on the reading challenges I am participating in:
- Summer Romance Challenge: Complete!
- Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge: Complete!
- Debut Author Reading Challenge: Complete!
- Young Adult Reading Challenge: Complete!
- Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge: Complete!
- GLBT Reading Challenge: Complete!
- 100+ Book Reading Challenge: 261 read
- 1st in a Series Challenge: Complete!
- Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge Book List: Complete!

The full list of books that I read this month are shown below. 
1.   Celia and the Fairies by Karen McQuestion (4/5 stars)
2.   The Well of Ascension (Mistborn Trilogy, Book 2) by Brandon Sanderson (4.5/5 stars)
3.   The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1) by Kazu Kibuishi (4/5 stars)
4.   Deadtown by Nancy Holzner (3/5 stars)
5.   Venom and Song (Berinfell Prophecies, Book 2) by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper (3/5 stars)
6.   Side Jobs (Dresden Files Short Story Collection) by Jim Butcher (4/5 stars)
7.   Life as We Knew It (The Last Survivors, Book 1) by Susan Beth Pfeffer (4/5 stars)
8.   Bloodshot (Cheshire Red Reports, Book 1) by Cherie Priest (5/5 stars)
9.   The Great Cow Race (Bone, Book 2) by Jeff Smith (4.5/5 stars)
10. Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey (3.5/5 stars)
11. The Celler by A.J. Whitten (3/5 stars)
12. Afterlife (Evernight, Book 4) by Claudia Gray (4/5 stars)
13. Eyes of the Storm (Bone, Book 3) by Jeff Smith (5/5 stars)
14. Animal Farm by George Orwell (4/5 stars)
15. Something Rotten (Thursday Next, Book 4) by Jasper Fforde (5/5 stars)
16. Havoc (Malice, Book 2) by Chris Wooding (4/5 stars)
17. The Stonekeeper's Curse (Amulet, Book 2) by Kazu Kibuishi (5/5 stars)
18. Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6) by Richelle Mead (5/5 stars)
19. Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 1) by J.R. Ward (4/5 stars)
20. Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh (Theodosia Thockmorten, Book 4) by R.L. LaFevers (4/5 stars)
21. In the Forest of Forgetting by Theodora Goss (4.5/5 stars)
22. The Memory Bank by Carolyn Coman and Rob Shepperson (3/5 stars)
23. Shotgun Sorceress (Spellbent, Book 2) by Lucy A. Snyder (5/5 stars)
24. Tempest Rising (Jane True, Book 1) by Nicole Peeler (4/5 stars)
25. Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey (4/5 stars)
26. The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester by Barbara O'Connor (3/5 stars)
27. Tracking the Tempest (Jane True, Book 2) by Nicole Peeler (4.5/5 stars)
28. Huntress by Malindo Lo (5/5 stars)

In My Mailbox and Mailbox Monday - 1/3

IMM is a meme started at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.


Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.


Mailbox Monday can be found at: The Printed Page


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists. 

I did another Vlog this week which you can watch below.  I got a little confused when I was describing Double Cross, so you get to watch me sit and think for a few seconds there :-)  Anyway hope you all enjoy!

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Double Cross by Carolyn Crane

The Cloud Searchers (Amulet, Book 3) by Kazu Kibuishi

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Graphic Novel Review - The Cloud Searchers (Amulet, Book 3) by Kazu Kibuishi (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 208 pages
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Release Date: September 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0545208857
Stand Alone or Series: Book 3 in the Amulet series
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 5/5 star


This was the third book in the Amulet series by Kibuishi.  It was an excellent installment in the series; the beautiful artwork and fantastic storyline make it a pleasure to read and very engaging.

Emily, Nevin, and crew set out to find the forgotten city of Cielis in hopes of finding the other Stonekeepers and saving the land from the evil Elf King's rule.  Trellis, the Elf King's son, joins the team after being declared a traitor by his father.

This was a wonderful read.  The story deepens even more in this installment.  A lot is learned about the history of the world and about how the Elf King came to power.  Like the previous books there is a lot of adventure.  When the characters set off in an airship to find the lost city of Cielis they are attacked by Wyvern's and have to battle a furious storm. 

This installment is paced wonderfully, introduces the readers to new wonders, and progresses the story quickly leaving it at a good point.  The artwork is just..well..it is absolutely spectacular.  There is so much beauty and magic in the artwork that goes with the story; together they are just absolutely magical and wondrous.

Overall an excellent installment.  Fans of the first two books will love this one.  The artwork is spectacular, the story deepens as we learn more history, and I just can't wait to see what happens next.

 

2011 - Zombies! Reading Challenge

I was just thinking "Geez, there should be a zombies reading challenge"...when I ran across the Zombies! Satisfy Your Undying Hunger! Reading Challenge hosted by Book Soulmates.  I so totally want to be in on this!  So I am signing up :-)

See contest info by clicking on the picture below or reading the guidelines below.



Challenge Rules & Info:
- Challenge STARTS January 1, 2011 and ENDS December 31, 2011
- Sign up by filling your info in the Mr. Linky below {If you don't have a blog, you can use your FB, Goodreads, etc}
- Read at least 10 Zombie books this year. They don't have to be ALL about Zombies, just have Zombies in them. Remember, the more the merrier! Here's a LIST of zombie books that may help :)
- The books can be print, ebooks, and audio books.
- Reread books ARE allowed, BUT, the review must be rewritten. You cannot use old reviews.
I- 'll have a post up each month with the Mr. Linky to have the reviews posted.
- Challenges are open to non-bloggers. A review must be written and posted on a literary site, such as GoodReads, Amazon, etc.
- Grab a button to show your Challenge spirit!
- Lastly, have fun reading! 


I am excited about this one I want to start Mira Grant's Newsfeed series and give Rot and Ruin a read through too.  I am sure I will find others..
I will list my books as I read them.
1.   Horror, Humor, and Heroes Volume II: New Faces of Fantasy edited by Jim Bernheimer
2.   Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy, Book 1) by Mira Grant
3.   Monster Hunters International (MHI, Book 1) by Larry Correia
4.   The Zombie of Lake Woebegotten by Harrison Geillor
5.   The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver
6.   Hard Day's Knight (Black Knight Chronicles, Book 1) by John G. Hartness
7.   Vicious Circle (Felix Castor, Book 2) by Mike Carey
8.   Deadline (Newsflesh, Book 2) by Mira Grant
9.   Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
10. Creepy Presents: Berni Wrightson by Bruce Jones, Nicola Cuti, Bernie Wrightson, Howard Chaykin (5/5 stars)
11. Married with Zombies (Living with the Dead, Book 1) by Jesse Petersen
12. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
13. At Grave's End (Night Huntress, Book 3) by Jeaniene Frost
14. Flip this Zombie (Living with the Dead, Book 2) by Jesse Petersen
15. Mind Over Monsters by Jennifer Harlow
16. Z: Zombie Stories edited by Kelly Link
17. Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
18. Monster Hunter Vendetta (MHI, Book 2) by Larry Correia
19. My Life As a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland
20. Eat, Slay, Love (Living with the Dead, Book 3) by Jesse Petersen
21. Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
22. Ganymede (Clockwork Century, Book 4) by Cherie Priest

2010 Wrap Up Post

This year I ended up reading 277 books, that is more than 2009 where I read 227 books.  So it was a great year for reading.  You can go to the full list of books read here.  I have also broken them down into category below by genre and age group.

I also had some great author interviews and giveaways this year!  I hope to do more guest posting next year and hold more giveaways.   I do plan on keeping this blog review focused though and hope to continue giving you all 4-5 book reviews a week.


By Genre:
Fantasy: 77
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal: 114
Science Fiction: 18
Horror/Thriller: 10
Graphic Novel: 13
Historical Fiction: 12
General Fiction: 22
Non-fiction: 12 

By Age Group:
Adult: 130
Young Adult: 97
Middle Grade: 44
Children's: 5

Reading Challenges:
I completed all of my reading challenges this year so that was wonderful.  I am looking forward to repeating some of the reading challenges next year and also doing some new ones!

- Summer Romance Challenge: Complete!
- Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge: Complete!
- Debut Author Reading Challenge: Complete!
- Young Adult Reading Challenge: Complete!
- Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge: Complete!
- GLBT Reading Challenge: Complete!
- 100+ Book Reading Challenge: 242 read (stopped keeping track in Dec)
- 1st in a Series Challenge: Complete!
- Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge Book List: Complete!

Early Review - Huntress by Malindo Lo (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 384 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 5, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0316040075
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone (Prequel to Ash)
Source: ARC through Book It Forward ARC Tours
Rating: 5/5 star

I loved Malinda Lo's first book Ash and was excited to about Huntress.  I got this book through Book it Forward ARC tours.  It was a wonderful book.  The story was more complicated and expansive than Ash.  It again features a romance between two women, there is also a lot of adventuring and some magic.

Kaede and Taisin are two girls in their late teens.  Kaede is the daughter of a the King's Advisor and more knowledgeable in fighting and handcrafts than the magic at that the academy she attends.  Taisin is a prodigy at the academy and has a vision involving her and Kaede and a castle of ice.  The land the two girls live in has fallen on hard times and the situation is dire if winter is not brought to an end.  The two girls end up being sent along with the King's son on a journey to visit the Fairy Queen in hopes that the Fairy Queen will be able to help them end the long winter that is gripping the land.

This book is written much in the style of Ash; so if you liked that book I think you will enjoy this one.  Lo writes at a deliberate pace with beautiful descriptions that create lush images in your mind.  The romance in the book is keep somewhat innocent and sweet, as it was in Ash.  The two characters that fall in love are both women, but it isn't the same sex issue that makes their love star-crossed, it is more an issue of class and occupation.  Lo gives us a wonderfully sweet and adventurous story that features these two women, each strong in their own way, and doesn't really make a big deal about their sexuality...which is how it should be.

There is a lot more action in this book than there was in Ash and a lot more adventure.  Rather than being blunt about magic this book has more a tone of magical realism about it.  This book is supposed to be the prequel to Ash; but, although the world is the same, the customs of the characters are distinctly Asian and the cultures have a very different feel to them.  You definitely don't need to read Ash to enjoy this book.

Both Kaede and Taisin are admirable characters, they are strong and yet have a lot of moments where they doubt themselves.  I enjoyed reading about them and found them likable.  I love Lo's writing and while the pacing is slow at some points, especially when the characters journey through the Woods, I think that the pace is appropriate in that it helps the reader get a sense of their grueling journey.

The book ends well, although I think some readers will be a bit bothered by it.  I personally enjoyed the ending, is wasn't fairy tale happy but it was realistic and kept with the tone of the rest of the story.

Overall a wonderful new book from Lo.  I will continue to read Lo's works.  Lo gives us deliberately paced novel, with beautiful description, heart-pounding adventure, and a sweet romance.  If you loved Ash you will love this book.  Fans of classic fantasy adventure with a thread of romance through it will find lots to love in this book.