Book Review: Pandemic: A Novel by Scott Sigler

Title: Pandemic: A Novel (Infected #3)
Author: Scott Sigler
Publisher: Crown Publishing
ISBN: 0307408973
Release Date: 1/21/2013






There's a reason that Siglerites are such die-hard fans. It's because our FDO (that's "Future Dark Overlord" for those new to Sigler's fandom) knows what we want and tries to deliver it to us as best as he possibly can. Sigler has worked on quite a few trilogies so far and as far as his "mainstream" stuff goes, this is the first official series ender we've received. (Not sure if MVP ended his GFL series of not- I've fallen behind with those books.) I had to admit that I was a little nervous about whether or not this book would really live up to all of the rather lofty expectations I had for it and whether or not I'd be able to get over the distinct lack of Perry Dawsey as a main character- after all, he did die in a gloriously violent death that would eliminate any chances of him returning as a character.

The good news is that while you'll definitely miss Dawsey as a main character, the book does grab your attention and hold it until the finish. So even though you'll still miss Scary Perry, there's enough here to where this won't bother you as much. (Although he is in this book in a fashion.)

This is a rather weighty book, as my ARC copy was 500+ pages long. I ended up skipping a few hours of studying for finals to get into this book, which proved to be pretty addicting. It's told from the viewpoints of several different people- Margaret, Clarence, Murray, and new characters such as Cooper and Steve. No spoilers on what roles the two new guys play in this novel, but they're fairly major and some of the things that Cooper has to do in order to survive are pretty grim.

What made this so much fun for me was that Sigler made so much of it seem believable. Don't get me wrong- this is solidly fiction, but mixing in real life elements such as human biology, medical experiments, and other such things makes this a little more eerie than if he hadn't used them. For example, Sigler uses the idea of human paranoia over any large government movement to great effect. When the US government tries to do something to stem the impending Infected tides, its met with widespread criticism from people who assume that the government is trying to control them- something that I can genuinely imagine people doing. It made for a nice touch that I really appreciated.

I can't wait for this to get the podcast treatment and it's making me really anticipate future followups to some of Sigler's other works such as Nocturnal or Ancestor. If you liked Sigler's other works in the Infected trilogy at all, buy it. I'd even go so far as to say that if you like a good science fiction-ish read, that you just plunk down the cash to get all three. If you're hesitant, Sigler does offer free podcast versions of the previous two books (Infected and Contagious), but don't be surprised if you end up purchasing this novel as a result of that.

5/5 stars

(ARC provided by Amazon Vine)

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen, Harlequin Teen UK
Release Date: 04/24/2012
ISBN: 0373210515





If you're wondering where you've heard the name "Julie Kagawa" before, it's from her bestselling Iron Fae series, which I absolutely recommend. It's because I absolutely loved that series that I picked up a copy of this book from Netgalley.

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

The whole post-apocalypse thing has become rather popular in the last few years, but Kagawa takes it up a notch by adding in vampires. This hasn't been as fully explored in YA fiction as it has been in general fiction, so this should be still somewhat newish to some readers. For those who are pretty used to the mixing of vamps and gritty post-apocalyptic survival, rest assured that Kagawa brings enough creativity to the table to where you won't be constantly comparing it to what has come before. (Some comparison is to be expected, of course.)


I liked the characters in the book, especially Allison. She's tough, snarky, and unwilling to give up her humanity despite being undead. Allison might be a little "typical YA heroine" at times, but there's a reason that characters like this are so popular and that's because they're easy to commiserate with. I do wish that some of the other characters had been a little more fleshed out. Since the story is told from Allison's viewpoint we only get to see what she does, so many of her initial "friends" (if you can call Stick and the others friends) and later comrades are given relatively fleeting glances in comparison to Kanin and Zeke. It's frustrating because some of them seem like they could have been some pretty great characters to bring into the mix a little more, especially Ruth. She's given short shrift as she's mostly only jealous of Allison without doing much, which is a shame. She could've been made into a great rival character.

Overall though, this was a book that I just blasted my way through. I absolutely love Kagawa's work and the first books are always her strongest. The Immortal Rules is no exception to this and I look forward to the next book in the series. This isn't a perfect book, but I'm hoping that we get a deeper look into this world and its characters in the next entry. This is out now, so if you haven't picked up a book to take with you on that summer trip, this should absolutely be added to your reading pile.

Four out of Five stars

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Unbidden Magic 1-4 by Marilee Brothers

Note: This review is about books 1 -4 of the Unbidden Magic series. I'll try to keep any spoilers to a minimum, but in order to explain some of the series' pros and cons I'll have to talk about plot elements that aren't necessarily a spoiler element for that specific book, but might be for previous books. If you want reviews specific to each book, I have each review available on Goodreads and I'll link to them at the end of the review.

If you're looking for a book that's as good or better than Marissa Marr's Wicked Lovely or Holly Black's Modern Fairy Tale series, then you'll probably want to look elsewhere. While I would say that this is an overall enjoyable read, it's not something that I'd consider on that level. It's what I'd typically call a "cupcake" or "potato chip" type of book. It's not the meatiest or most "filling" of books, but it's enjoyable and you just can't help but keep going regardless of this fact and you really can't overly dislike the book for being what it ultimately is. I'm sure that just about every reader can name a few books they've read that fall into this category.

Overall this series is pretty good and the strongest part of the series is easily its main character of Allie. She's cute without being of the "I'm so ugly despite guys telling me I'm so gorgeous" persuasion and she is willing to kick a little butt while being understandably reluctant to do so. Even with some of the later flaws of the series, you'll continue to find yourself rooting for her and liking her, which is really the most important thing of any book. Likable characters keep you reading. There's definitely some characters that I felt could've been more and feel pretty underdeveloped, but there's also a lot of intriguing characters that I really liked as well. One of these characters is Sammie, who was introduced in book 4, Shadow Moon.

Where the series hits rough patches is in its pacing. Throughout the series the books feel as if they were written in the spur of the moment rather than plotted out beforehand. This might not have been as big of an issue except that in the third book the series seems to swerve to incorporate other plot elements that felt like they came out of nowhere and wasn't as developed as it should have been. By this I mean the introduction of faeries into the series. It's is later used as an explanation for certain people and groups in the series, but I really wish that it'd been more

properly developed in earlier novels because its introduction felt pretty unsatisfying. It's so suddenly introduced and such a predominant part of book three that it almost felt like it was something that Brothers thought up or (just as likely) that her publishers thought should be added at the last minute.

The other gripe I had with the series was that nobody stays with anyone in this series. This is a pretty big spoiler, but for the first three books there's a different love interest in each one. When I'd first read this in the book synopses, I was sort of looking forward to this. You sometimes see this with male characters that get a different girl every book ala James Bond, so why not have a female character who does the same? The only problem is that

none of the major characters in the series stays with a love interest and the way the breakups happen is for the most part all done off camera. This is somewhat changed in book four, but it's still a little frustrating because different guys in different books makes it harder to develop one specific love interest over time. (Although I feel the sorriest for poor Faye, especially in book three when she actually dates a decent guy for once.)

Despite my complaints about the series, I can't help but keep reading the series. I do wish that the plot elements were better paced and developed, but Brothers has an addicting style of writing that is undeniably fun to read. I'd still pick up the final book in the series and ultimately it's something that I'd recommend to anyone looking for something to read inbetween other series. I might not recommend this as a "go out and buy right now" type of book, but if you see it on your library bookshelves be sure to snatch it up.

Overall series rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Book 1: Moonstone (click here to read my Goodreads review)

Book 2: Moonrise (click here to read my Goodreads review)

Book 3: Moon Spun (click here to read my Goodreads review)

Book 4: Shadow Moon (click here to read my Goodreads review)

(Arcs provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: The Lost Goddess by Tom Knox

Title: The Lost Goddess

Author: Tom Knox

Publisher: Penguin USA

Release Date: 01/19/2012

ISBN: 0670023183

If you're looking at this book and expecting a read along the lines of Dan Brown or James Rollins, look elsewhere. While Knox does try to expand on the wildly popular idea of the anthropological thriller, he fails to deliver the compulsive read his fellow authors have managed to bring to the table.

In the silent caves beneath France, young archaeologist Julia Kerrigan unearths an ancient skull-with a hole bored through the forehead. After she reveals her discovery, her mentor is brutally murdered. Deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia, photographer Jake Thurby is offered a mysterious assignment by a beautiful Cambodian lawyer who is investigating finds at the two-thousand-year-old Plain of Jars-finds that shadowy forces want kept secret.

From the temples of Angkor Wat and the wild streets of Bangkok to the prehistoric caves in Western Europe, what links Jake's and Julia's discoveries is a strange, demonic woman whose unquenchable thirst for vengeance-and the horrors she seeks to avenge- are truly shocking.

Now I do have to give credit where it's due. Rather than attempt to bring out the same ideas that have already been well trod, Knox manages to find a historical mystery that nobody seems to have written about yet: the Hands of Gargas and the Plain of Jars, two fascinating anthropological and social finds that are woefully underused in the world of fiction. In this aspect, Knox did a good job since these are things that would make for a good anthropological/sociological thriller.

However, where Knox flounders is in his penchant for overstating to the point of tedium. We're given themes, histories, and info dumps, which I admit are unavoidable in any book, but we're browbeaten by these elements until we're rolling our eyes at the occasionally overly dramatic and unnecessary prose. A good example would be how Knox uses the horrific atrocities that the Khmer Rouge made against the people of Cambodia. These elements are stated time and time again, occasionally at the expense of character development. We're told how communism is bad and how horrible the Khmer Rouge was, meanwhile the main characters seem to be little more than a platform for these views. While these viewpoints are valid, they just kept me from getting as invested in the characters as I'd wanted to be. That the plot jumps between different groups of characters doesn't help out either.

Then there's the ending. I won't elaborate, but I'll just say that the message in the end will be controversial to some readers. If it wasn't as subtle as Gallagher smashing a watermelon, Knox could have gotten away with it to where I don't believe anyone would have complained. Sometimes less is more and a briefer revelation with less exclamation would have driven the point in more than pages of exposition. It just diluted everything and made it more overzealous and annoying than thought provoking, making the ending (and the book in general) more of a chore to read than a joy.

Now, it isn't all bad. There are some good scenes in here and the general idea of the book is pretty darn intriguing. If Knox could have gone back and eased up on the overstating of ideas and focused more on the character development, this would have been an amazing read. It could have had at least 40-60 pages shaved off to make a tighter narrative. It's just that the book failed to deliver on its promise and while it might make for an OK library read, Knox still has a long way to go before he gets to Douglass and Preston levels.

1.7 out of 5 stars

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Unthinkable by Shirley Duke

Title: Unthinkable (Night Fall)
Author: Shirley Duke
Publisher: Lerner Publishing
ISBN: 076136157X
Release Date: 08/01/2010








The Night Fall series seems to be channeling a multitude of sources in Unthinkable. On one hand it's similar to Goosebumps (as one goodreads reviewer put it) but it also bears many similarities to series such as Fear Street as well as the slew of similarly themed books that abounded during the late 80s & early 90s. And I'm comparing them in a good way.

Unthinkable follows Omar, an aspiring young writer who spends much of his time writing short stories to post on his facebook account. He's already garnered over 1,000 fans & it's a good way to pass the time without Omar having to think about how his father deserted him & the rest of the family. When one of his latest stories- one featuring a girl being strangled in the woods- comes true, Omar's little stories start getting some big attention in a negative way. Then more stories start coming true & the talk shifts even further from public adoration to horror. Is Omar really causing these stories? And if so, how can he make them stop when his writing seems to control his every action?

This story started with a bang, which is a very good thing considering that it's such a short story. The pacing of this is incredibly fast paced & the author does an incredibly good job of keeping the reader interested in the story. Unfortunately that's where the book hits a bit of a snag. While the story is fleshed out enough to make it as a short story, the tale begs for at least another 50-100 pages so it can be complete. Some of the events in the book just happen a little too quickly. Many readers will wish for just a little more time & description inbetween events, just so when the big stuff hits there will be enough time for them to have settled down from the last surprise & so the next big development will have the punch it deserves. (Although I think this was something required by the publisher rather than a decision by the author herself.)

Now don't take that to mean that the book is bad. No, far from it. This story was awesome & as a series in the vein of Goosebumps & other series aimed for a younger audience, this is perfect. Not only is the book short enough for those in that "inbetween" stage (where you want more than a 40 page book but aren't ready for longer stories), but it's also age appropriate for the younger readers. There's death, but no gore or sex. The book's projected age range is 11-18, an ambitious range but one that it does accomplish for the most part. There was enough here to keep someone well out of that age range spellbound so if I liked it then you can be sure that the teens will as well.

This was an enjoyable book to read & something that I know will thrill a pretty wide variety of readers. This is only one book in what is currently a 6 book series with more to come, so to get the wider picture you'll have to get the other books. (Which I am now putting in my "to find & read" list.)

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Title: Pale Demon (The Hollows #9)
Author: Kim Harrison
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 02/22/2011
ISBN: 0061138065







If you’ve been on the fence about the Hollows series, this book will bring you back to the series. I can’t say anything without spoiling the book for you, but rest assured- this book was awesome. This has to be one of the best books in the series so far. It doesn’t beat out the first book as my favorite Hollows read, but it’s up there.

This book finds Rachel trying to find a way to the witch convention in San Francisco, but when no flight will carry her, she has to make her way West with the last person she thought she’d travel with: Trent Kalamack. He too has a reason for heading to the West Coast, but he’s not spilling the details. Since the only other option is to not travel & be put to death or go to the ever after with Al (which is almost as bad), Rachel’s left with no other options. Stuck on what has the potential to be the worst road trip ever, Rachel & crew (oh yes, Ivy & Jenks are there too) discover that anything that can go wrong, will. Especially when you have to deal with assassins, secrets, & a soul eating demon that can not only walk during the day, but also can come & go as he pleases.

Where to begin? For starters, you’ll love that even though not everything is resolved in this book, Harrison does her best to address many of the concerns & questions that fans have been having over the series. I won’t state which ones get the most attention, but I opine (as Pierce would put it) that the many people will be satisfied in one way or another.

Also wonderful is the maturing of Rachel. She’s still the type of person who is capable of insane feats of magic, but this Rachel is one who no longer sees things (as she puts it) in the “black and white” views as she did at the beginning of the series. This shows in many of her actions in this book & the decisions she makes during the course of her adventures in this book.
This is an awesome book & one that anyone following along with the Hollows series NEEDS to read. Not breeze through in the store or library, but read. This was just sheer awesomeness & I really feel like I can’t say enough good things about it. I loved this book.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Stone Kissed by Keri Stevens

Title: Stone Kissed

Author: Keri Stevens

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: 12/27/2010

eISBN: 9781426891014

The great thing about Carina Press is that it allows for newer authors to be published in e-format. Sometimes however, I wonder how some authors aren't published in paper format. Keri Stevens' Stone Kissed is one of those books that I really do believe deserves to be published in paperback format as well as e-book format.

When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back. She is, after all, the last of the Steward witches.

After an arsonist torches her ancestral home with her estranged father still inside, Delia is forced to sell the estate to pay his medical bills. Her childhood crush, Grant Wolverton, makes a handsome offer for Steward House, vowing to return it to its former glory. Delia agrees, as long as he'll allow her to oversee the restoration.

Working so closely with Grant, Delia finds it difficult to hide her unique talent—especially when their growing passion fuels her abilities.

But someone else lusts after both her man and the raw power contained in the Steward land. Soon Delia finds herself fighting not just for Grant's love, but for both their lives...

While the synopsis makes this book sound like it's some thriller focused around someone hunting Grant & Delia, it's really not that type of book. The main thrust of the book focuses around their desire for each other & Grant's pursuit of the gun shy Delia. (Not that you can entirely blame her, though.) The passion between these two characters is very tangible & Stevens is to be congratulated for that- it's pretty hard to create that type of chemistry on paper & have it translate well to the reader. She should also be congratulated for coming up with what is quite possibly one of the most original magics that I've seen given to a lead heroine. Kudos for not giving Delia one of the typical heroine magics. It makes it that much easier to see Delia as something unique rather than yet another cookie cutter romance heroine.

The only part of the book that seemed to lose a little focus for me personally was when it came to the ultra tragic Cecily. There was a lot going on with this character & I couldn't help but feel like at times it was just a little too much & that a little simplicity would have been better. (slight spoiler here) Cecily was still a great character, but I never really saw her as much of a threat to either of the main characters & I just wanted to see her be a little badder.

This was still an awesome read & I managed to finish it within the span of a day, which really says something considering that I put off finishing school work to read the rest of the novel. I honestly recommend this to fans of Kenyon or some of the other paranormal romance books out on the market. This one's a keeper.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: The Cypress House by Michael Kortya

Title: The Cypress House
Author: Michael Koryta
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: 01/24/2011
ISBN: 0316053724







After my first foray into Koryta's work via So Cold the River, I was somewhat curious to see what his next book would be like. My experience with SCTR was mostly a good one, although I felt the end was a little anti-climatic. Would this book be better? Would the ending have more zing? Yes it is and yes, it did.

Arlen Wagner has seen it in men before--a trace of smoke in their eyes that promises imminent death. He is never wrong.

When Arlen awakens on a train one hot Florida night and sees death's telltale sign in the eyes of his fellow passengers, he tries to warn them. Only 19-year-old Paul Brickhill believes him, and the two abandon the train, hoping to escape certain death. They continue south, but soon are stranded at the Cypress House--an isolated Gulf Coast boarding house run by the beautiful Rebecca Cady--directly in the path of an approaching hurricane.

The storm isn't the only approaching danger, though. A much deadlier force controls the county and everyone living in it, and Arlen wants out--fast. But Paul refuses to abandon Rebecca to face the threats alone, even though Arlen's eerie gift warns that if they stay too long they may never leave.

If you loved the first book, you're going to really enjoy Kortya's next offering. The spookiness and supernatural is dialed back a few notches in order to showcase humanity's ability for cruelty & evil, but it'll still keep you thumbing through the pages way past midnight. These characters aren't perfect, but you'll find yourself wondering what exactly will happen to them.

The only problem with this book is that for broad stretches, nothing happens. We see Arlen & Paul working on the house or talking to Rebecca about ominous things that might happen. At times this works wonderfully to heighten the tension, but at times I couldn't help but wish that the plot would have moved just a teensy bit faster.

This is still well worth reading, but if you aren't into the books that build suspense up slowly you'll probably be disappointed with this read. To the rest I heartily endorse this read- at times Koryta reminds me a little of Shirley Jackson's Haunting of Hill House.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: No One Lives Twice by Julie Moffett

Title: No One Lives Twice (Lexi Carmichael #1)
Author: Julie Moffett
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: 08/16/2010
eISBN: 9781426890499







Longing for a bit of the old James Bond type thrillers? Want something with a little chase to it? Would you like to see a geeky girl on the run to stop the bad guys? If you answered yes to any of those three questions then you'll probably like this book.

I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.

Until today, that is, when two gun-toting thugs popped up in my life and my best friend disappeared. So, I've enlisted the help of the Zimmerman twins—the reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks—to help me navigate a bewildering maze of leads to find her.

Along the way, my path collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for me. Hacking, espionage, sexy spy-men—it's a geek girl's dream come true. If it weren't for those gun-toting thugs...

Readers of romance & fans of books similar to The Givenchy Code will enjoy this book. (It's not identical to TGC, but similar enough to where it reminded me a little of it.) Lexie Carmichael isn't the brightest computer geek out there, but she does have a lot of heart & determination to her that will endear her to most readers. You'll also love the variety of men in the series. It's pretty easy to determine who the main players are for Lexie's heart, though. Even so, the book is easy to read & the story's twist (which I'll admit I didn't entirely see coming) makes this a pretty fun read overall.

The only drawback? Well... for a girl that's supposedly smart enough to get into the NSA for her hacking skills, Lexie doesn't really show them off that much in this book. That might change in the next few books, but for right now we the only "hacking" we see Lexie doing is her talking to a supposed hacker in the beginning of the book. She's also not exactly savvy when it comes to avoiding stupid actions, but at least Moffett has Lexie calling herself out on this at various points in the book.

Overall though, this is a pretty enjoyable read. It's a nice fluffy story that will be sure to please romance fans looking for something with a little thrill to it. I have to admit that it was better than I was initially expecting it to be & I'm curious enough to read the next book in the series.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Night of the Vampires by Heather Graham

Title: Night of the Vampires
Author: Heather Graham
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 11/23/2010
ISBN: 0373774869

As a soldier, Cole Granger fights to restore peace to a world divided by war and evil. His extraordinary talents are enlisted to prevent the president's horrific premonition from becoming reality. Nothing—and no one—will stop him from fulfilling his duty. Especially the mysterious young woman who claims to be his comrade's sister. Enemy or ally, he can't yet determine. But one thing he knows for certain is that he must keep her close. Very close.

Megan Fox's quest to uncover a family secret leads her to the center of vampire riots in West Virginia. To find the answers she needs—and clear herself of suspicion—she must join forces with Cole. They work undercover to bring justice, but they can't disguise the potent attraction and need that draw them together. Yet trust doesn't come easily for Cole…and when Megan unearths the grim, dark truth, can she trust him to believe her?

There’s just something about a heroine with the name “Megan Fox” that makes me take that character a little less seriously. I know it isn’t fair, but I can’t help but imagine the actress each time I read the book & wonder if Heather Graham had been watching trailers for Jonah Hex when she was inspired to write this book. Mercifully this book isn’t as horrible as Jonah Hex was. To Graham’s defense though, this is more of a re-imagining of history ala Pride, Prejudice, & Zombies, though. (But with vampires.)

Graham has managed to weave the supernatural & history together incredibly well, to the point where it is honestly believable. Readers will love the little history references as well as the interaction between Megan & Cole. Also interesting is the mini-rivalry between Megan & one of the other female characters in the book (not mentioning who due to spoiler issues later in the book)- unfortunately it is woefully underserved for the vast majority of the book.

Unfortunately this isn’t really amazing fare for Graham. She’s had better in the past & this is sort of mediocre for her. It’s good, but apart from the mixture of history & horror there isn’t much here that’s new for her. This just wasn’t Graham at her best.

Still, this is a worthwhile book & it was quite a bit of fun to read. True, it isn’t her best but I would still recommend it to fans of Graham or for those who like seeing things re-imagined.

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish

Title: Savannah Grey
Author: Cliff McNish
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group (under the Carolrhoda Lab Imprint)
Release Date: 04/01/2011
ISBN: 9780761370253






This book has been my second foray into Carolrhoda Lab's library & I have to admit that I'm pretty impressed. These guys really do have a great eye for titles that are not only readable, but don't fall into the normal cliches of YA fiction. (As a heavy reader of YA, I can say that there's a lot of titles that tend to follow the same formulas.)

A monster's out there... Only one girl can stop it. But will love get in the way?

It's a difficult time for fifteen-year-old Savannah Grey - she's settled into her latest foster placement, but her body is acting oddly. Then other strange things begin to happen. Birds behave erratically; gusts of wind blow leaves so fiercely they seem to lure people away. And Savannah discovers she has supernatural powers.

Only new boy Reece Gandolfo thinks Savannah's powers are a special gift. No wonder she's attracted to him. But there's another force that wants to lure Savannah from safety into danger...

Readers who are looking for a little something above & beyond the usual "girl with powers" fare will rejoice in this book. Not only does McNish try to build a deliciously slow build up to a huge showdown, but he also gives us great character interactions & a twist that you'll enjoy. Also something to praise is the mixture of science & fantasy/horror- there's definite horror to this, but all of it can be seen through a scientific point of view. It's well mixed in to the point where many readers might not even notice it, which is the sign that it is also done well.

While I loved the slow buildup to the finale, people who are looking for nonstop action & huge fight scenes to be interspersed throughout the entire book might be a little disappointed. This isn't that type of book.

Overall, this is a great book & I'm pretty impressed by McNish's writing style. Want a sneak peek? You can read an excerpt of Savannah Grey at McNish's website!

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Zombie Cupcakes by Zilly Rosen

Title: Zombie Cupcakes
Author: Zilly Rosen
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: 02/15/2011
ISBN: 9781449401122







Lovingly illustrated & highly playful, Zombie Cupcakes showcases many different ways to decorate your cupcakes for that oh so special occasion! These aren’t your typical “worms & dirt” cupcakes that you’ll find at every Halloween party & bake sale. No, these cupcakes go the extra mile. With designs inspired by several different movies, stories, & genres, (my favorite was the Resident Evil T-Virus one), this is one book that is not for the faint of heart.

I’ll admit, when you first look at the directions for some of these cupcakes you’ll feel overwhelmed. Some of them are pretty detailed & somewhat time consuming for the clumsy or inexperienced pasty cook. (Yay me, I’m both.) Luckily for these people (and myself), the book not only gives a great set of instructions as well as a pictorial guide to decorating the cupcakes. Also in the book are various trivia questions so you can see how up to date you are on your scary knowledge. The book also gives a complete list of the things you'll need as well as a list of handy tips, which makes it a lot easier to approach some of the designs.

Each cupcake design uses a skeleton rating scale to show how difficult the cupcake is to make While this is helpful, beginners might find that some of the one skeleton designs are a bit hard for them. No worries though, many of them are easier to make than they appear & you will improve over time. (The three star designs are easily the coolest, but I have to admit it'll be a while before I attempt making the zombie hands or the killer bridal couple.)

Experienced & professional chefs will love this book, although some readers will probably feel a little overwhelmed by some of the recipes. (Still fun to look at, though.) For those chefs I recommend that they try checking it out via the library first or perhaps glance through it at the bookstore just in case.

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Vampire Vacation by C.J. Ellisson

Title: Vampire Vacation (The V.V. Inn #1)
Author: C.J. Ellisson
Publisher: R.H. Publishing
Release Date: 10/10/2010
ISBN: 9780982661000







While there have been a lot of vampire books flooding the market, I can safely say that I haven’t seen a novel combine vampires, sex, mystery, AND innkeeping. Shoot, I’ve never seen a vampire hotel themed book before, so that element alone intrigued me.

Ancient vampire Vivian runs an Alaskan inn that caters to an ultra exclusive crowd, specializing in erotic pleasures. Money can’t buy your way in, nor will wearing the right clothing. No, to gain a room in this hotel you have to be an owner of a pair of fangs or at least be traveling with someone who does. Vivian’s pretty happy to spend her days quietly in the cold North, hiding her true powers from those would have her dead. When a dead body is found in one of the hotel rooms & old threats from the past threaten to re-emerge, it is going to take Vivian’s entire arsenal to figure out what is going on & to keep her precious peace from being disturbed.

Liberally sprinkling generous portions of red hot sex scenes in with a mystery that is slow to reveal its secrets, Ellisson gives the audience the usual vampire powers with just enough new additions to make the book interesting. Having a vampire run a hotel just for her fanged counterparts to freely romp in is something that isn’t usually seen, which works surprisingly well.

The only downfall of the book is that there’s a LOT of back story going on here, so much that some readers will wonder if they’ve picked up the second book in a series or if there are previous books out there further detailing Vivian’s exploits. Ellisson does her best to elaborate on Vivian’s past in brief glimpses, but it will still leave some readers feeling like they’re being left a little in the dark & looking for prequel novels.

Overall, this is a decent first novel by Ellisson. There are a few rough spots to work out here & there (mostly dealing with Vivian’s past as noted above), the spicy & lovingly written sex does make up for it.

I will let you guys know that while there is going to be a sequel dealing with things mentioned at the end of the book, the author has told me that there will be a prequel to the novels dealing with Vivian's past. So fear not- we'll eventually get a novel dealing with all of the past mentioned in the book!

(Reader copy provided by author)

Book Review: Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello

Title: Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho
Author: Stephen Rebello
Publisher: Open Road
Release Date: 06/16/2010
ISBN: 9781453201213







Ever since I first saw the movie, I’ve always been particularly taken with Hitchcock’s Psycho. When I was younger I’d pour over the movie details, especially when I managed to get my hands on a book that gave a scene by scene guide of the movie. (It was all done picture by picture. I wish I could find a copy of that now!) The first time I watched it I still managed to be surprised by everything even when I knew the outcome. It was just that much of a testament to the genius & talent of Hitchcock & those he worked with.

This book gives the reader the history of the movie, from Bloch’s planning of the book & the crimes that preceded them to Hitchcock filming it & releasing it in theaters. Very little is left out in this book & everything is examined thoroughly. It’s incredibly informative & just as incredibly entertaining.

Fans of Hitchcock will love getting a better glimpse of the master at work while people who just love a good story will also be interested to see how hard it was to get this film made. Would you believe that Hitchcock initially viewed this as “just another film” & wasn’t initially as into this film as he would eventually become? There’s a lot in this book that might make people surprised, especially when you consider the standards at the time. What some might view as tame by today’s standards was considered to be wildly inappropriate at the time, causing Hitchcock to have to fight to get his feature in theaters.

While the writing might be a little dry for some, I can’t say enough great things about this book. I loved revisiting an old favorite of mine in a whole new light & it really made me appreciate this movie that much more.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: In Darkness Bound by Christine Price

Title: In Darkness Bound
Author: Christine Price
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: 09/13/2010
eISBN: 9781426890574








As always, I’m going to warn readers that the pairings in this book are M/M & M/M/M. If you don’t care for pairings of this nature then this will probably not be the book for you. That said, on with the show!

Chris has always been different. He’s been all too aware of that ever since his brother died when they were very young- a death that Chris feels that his strange abilities were responsible for. When Chris is suddenly abducted & forced to take part in sadistic tests given by a doctor gone mad, his only saving grace will be found in two men. One is a patient with a strange craving. The other is a patient turned orderly, the only worker there with any portion of sanity & mercy. As the confines of the cramped prison as well as the influence of the doctor & a strange, evil patient begin to hammer away at Chris’s sanity, it becomes all too apparent that the only way to survive will be to escape.

Believe me; I’m not giving the story premise justice. This book really does seem to have just about everything: mystery, suspense, sex, love, evil… it’s all in here. There’s a lot in this book that’s enjoyable. Price does a fine job of making the reader guess as to what is going on & what will happen next. I have to admit that there were several parts to the story that I really couldn’t predict, which I love. I love being surprised. Readers will also love that the interactions between the men flows so naturally between the two & the erotic scenes (which are short but explicit) do seem to fit with the surrounding story.

The only downfall with the story is that towards the end it just seemed to unravel a bit & as a result, lacked the punch I was expecting from it. I can’t go into a huge amount of detail without spoiling it, but I was kind of expecting a little more of a confrontation between some of the characters & I was slightly disappointed that it never came. (I say slightly because the ending hints that there could easily be a sequel- lots of unfinished business at the end of this book!)

Overall though, this was an incredibly fun read that I gobbled down in a day & if Price does decide to return to this universe (oh please oh please oh please!), I’m definitely planning on tracking it down. I’m just curious to know more about this universe, the characters, & how the unfinished plot elements will be resolved in the future.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Coming Clean by Inez Kelley

Title: Coming Clean
Author: Inez Kelley
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: 08/30/2010
ASIN: B003U89S8O







WARNING: This book contains lots & lots of sex & adult situations, so it's not appropriate for all audiences!

I'm just giving you guys a head's up- this story is firmly in the erotica genre, so there's a lot of sex involved in the story. The pairings in this book are M/F, M/M, & M/M/F, so if you don't like same sex pairings then this might not be the story for you. With that warning in mind, on with the review!

Grant & Vivi have a seemingly perfect marriage. They keep no secrets, they play together well... and they both seem to have a not so hidden desire for Grant's childhood friend Cade. When Vivi asks Grant to help fulfill her secret fantasy to have both men in her bed at once, Grant is initially a little shy but warms to the idea quickly. After all, he & Cade have a bit of a history, an encounter in their youth that he's remembered all too vividly- something that Vivi is aware of & is driving her reasons for requesting the threesome. But can friendships & marriage survive the encounter?

This is a wonderfully sizzling read. The sex scenes are so wonderfully written that it'll bring more than a little blush to your cheeks & quicken your pulse! Readers will love that Kelley has not only managed to bring these wonderful sex scenes to the book, but that she also manages to convey a bit of story to it as well. Part of what made the short story work so well for me is that Kelley made sure to focus on the non-sexual parts of a threesome- the fear that this might drive a wedge into a relationship as well as focusing on the trust & love necessary to make such an arrangement work.

The only thing that sort of threw me was that once in a while the story jumped to other points in time quite suddenly, making me have to flip back a few pages to see if a day had passed or if this was just a flashback. This might be because the story is quite short (only about 90 pages long), but rest assured- this doesn't hurt the story any.

I can't help but hope that Kelley gives us a story about this group again in the future. There's plenty of story potential for these three. This was a wonderfully written story that fans of hot fiction will be sure to love!

(Reader's copy provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (And Other Useful Guides) by The Oatmeal

Title: 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (And Other Useful Guides)
Author: The Oatmeal
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: 03/01/2011
ISBN: 1449401163








Let me just say that while I've never visited The Oatmeal before, I absolutely will be doing so after reading this via NetGalley. This book was hilarious. This book collects several comics from the site, ranging from informational stuff such as grammar & punctuation to random funny comics such as "4 Reasons to Carry a Shovel at All Times". I'm posting part of the comic below because it's just that dang funny.



A twisted sense of humor is definitely needed for this book. I laughed through a good portion of this book, startling several coworkers & pretty much ensuring that I needed to purchase a copy of this when it came out. Now several will probably ask "why should I buy this when these are available already on the internet?" Because this is funny & sometimes the internet isn't around all the time.

I'll admit that not all of the comics in here are gutbustingly funny, but there's enough in here that are & if you don't laugh at least once during the book then you must need a new funnybone.

I'd most certainly recommend this to fans of stuff like Regretsy, CakeFails, or the like. This is pure comedy gold here.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Title: Rage
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publisher: Graphia
Release Date: 04/18/2011
ISBN: 0547445288





If you've read Kessler's first book Hunger, you know how well she is at packing quite a bit of story in such a small amount of pages. If you haven't then you really should give her a try- her books really are incredible.

When Missy isn't feeling good about herself, there's one thing she can count on to make it all go away. It lives in a little white box in her closet & it is always there & never lets her down, unlike some of the people around her. Her sister treats her like an embarassment. Her parents barely seem to acknowledge her. Her friends have all but abandoned her. And the guy she thought she knew? He's hurt her in ways she never thought possible. Missy swears that she'll never cut again but when a cruel prank causes her to run to her little white box, she finds that she's been tapped to become the entity of War, a being that knows all about pain & suffering.

I've been lucky enough to have been able to read Hunger, so I was thrilled when I also got the chance to review Rage as well & ended up reading it all in one sitting. Kessler really does have a strong storytelling ability to her & readers will really be able to feel Missy's pain & anguish. While Hunger's weakness was that there wasn't a lot of information about the background of the characters contained within it, Kessler has managed to work out most of that problem in this book. There's more depth & background to the characters, more explanation of what makes their personal issues hit them so hard.

However where some readers will get frustrated is in what exactly the Horsemen are responsible for. You know that they're the embodiment of their station & that they can influence how things unfold, but not much information is really given about how it all happens. It all comes out in a rather confusing jumble, which may or may not be on purpose.

This is still an awesome book & Kessler remains someone I'll be reading in the future. I'm pretty curious to see how the rest of the series plays out, as there's two more Horsemen for the books to focus on. Haven't read Hunger? No worries, you can pretty much read Rage without having read the previous book, but you'd be missing out on a good tale.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Cypress Lake by Joe Basara

Title: Cypress Lake
Author: Joe Basara
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 1453636528
Available through: Amazon.com







When Owen Cloud sees Tina, he's immediately smitten with her. Imagining her as his Venus de Milo, he spends much of his time daydreaming about her. Owen's fantasies don't stop there. He often finds his mind drifting off into flights of fancy not only during his orderly shifts at a local hospital but also during the off hours. As Owen moves from fascination to fascination to personal loss, he discovers that sometimes the person he really needs in his life is the one right under his nose.

Cypress Lake is just a little too slow to start off for my tastes & I'm just afraid that some readers might not be willing to put forth the effort to read through to the resolution. Also, while Basara does do a decent job of establishing that Owen is a Mittyesque character, at times Owen's visions are just a little too abstract to come across as clearly as some readers might desire. The imagery does become a little easier to read as the book progresses, however. Readers might also be thrown by the often usage of names such as Dr. T. Ali Hassee & Rosetta Stone, not knowing if those are the characters' true names or names Owen assigned them in a flight of fancy. In this aspect the book might just be too surreal for some.

That's not to say that there aren't some strong points to the book. Basara does a fine job of painting his portrait of the late 1970s, an era where the idea of free love was beginning to wane & what the mentalities of the 1980s would become start to creep in. He also does a good job of portraying the lack of depth to Owen's crushes on Tina & Nikki, foretelling what will ultimately become of his affections for either girl.

It's just that in the end this book just didn't appeal to me overall. Perhaps it might be just my personal preference, but I do think that this book will only really be appreciated by a niche readership of people into the surreal & abstract or perhaps by people more familiar with the era. For those readers I recommend this book. For everyone else, this might not be the right fit.

(Reader copy provided by author)

Book Review: Moonstone by Marilee Brothers

Title: Moonstone (Book 1 in the Unbidden Magic series)
Author: Marilee Brothers
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Release Date: 08/01/2008
ISBN: 0980245346





As a long time fan of YA fiction, I'm always ready to discover something new regardless of genre. I'll admit though that at heart I'll always be a fantasy & urban fantasy type of girl- there's just something about having a "Sweep" type series that just captures the audience's wish fulfillment needs.

Allie's never really known "the good life". The only life she's known has been one where she's lived in a trailer behind her uncle Sid's house with her mother, a woman trying to gain disability for an ailment she may or may not have. When a fall onto an electric fence jump starts her psychic abilities, Allie discovers that not only is she the proud owner of a slew of powers but also the inheritor of a moonstone necklace capable of great- or terrible- feats. Unfortunately there's more than one person interested in this necklace & their intentions aren't very good...

Brothers manages to create a very readable & enjoyable first entry into her "Unbidden Magic" series. Readers will love the spunky Allie & thrill as they see her stumble into her magic powers & use them for the first time. She's a great character & one that you just can't help but root for- especially when she starts noticing certain handsome young men that are close to her. Many will find this a nice short book that'll be great for a quick read inbetween other series.

The book isn't without its flaws, though. There's a lack of detail to the relationship between Allie & her mother Faye. It just takes a while to really see why Allie would put up with her mother's antics because there's not a lot of emotion (negative or positive) shown between the pair of them. Allie states her mother's actions with a sense of ennui that did show her well on the way to becoming world weary but without enough "oomph" behind it. This isn't the only relationship or element that could've been fleshed out a little more. Parts of the story stream by at an incredibly fast pace & while it did make for a nice fast read, many will wish that Brothers had taken just a little while longer to describe everything- especially Allie's strange otherworldly guide Trilby.

Overall though this is a great read & one that I'd recommend to a great many readers. It's just that I wish that there was a little more to it at times. I'm already planning to get the other two books in the series (both of which are already out), so hopefully the pacing & character info will improve as the series progresses.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)