Monthly Archives: October 2012

Oct 31 2012

Coming Soon: books to get excited about!

Title: Crimson Frost

Series: Mythos Academy #4

Author: Jennifer Estep

Release Date: December 24, 2012

As this has quickly become one of my new favorite teen series, I am very much looking forward to the release of Crimson Frost – and it’ll be just in time for Christmas. If you haven’t read them, check out my review of book #1 – they are a fantastic mix of the House of Night novels by P.C. and Kristen Cast and the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. It sounds odd, but it made for an excellent story!

Oct 30 2012

Book Review: Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts

Title: Daughter of the Empire

Author: Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts

Series: Kelewan Empire #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars! :-)

The Overview: Magic and murder engulf the realm of Kelewan.  Fierce warlords ignite a bitter blood feud to enslave the empire of Tsuranuanni.  While in the opulent Imperial courts, assassins and spy-master plot cunning and devious intrigues against the rightful heir.  Now Mara, a young, untested Ruling lady, is called upon to lead her people in a heroic struggle for survival.  But first she must rally an army of rebel warriors, form a pact with the alien cho-ja, and marry the son of a hated enemy.  Only then can Mara face her most dangerous foe of all–in his own impregnable stronghold.  An epic tale of adventure and intrigue.  Daughter of the Empire is fantasy of the highest order by two of the most talented writers in the field today.

The Review:

This is a strong contender as my favorite book of all-time. It has all the elements that make a book great: strong characters, excellent world-building, masterful writing, and a page-turning story. If any of you aren’t familiar with Feist’s Riftwar saga, the arc of the series involves one world (Midkemia) being invaded by another world (Kelewan) from across a magical rift. The invading soldiers are known as the Tsurani, and Feist talks a lot about them in his second book, Magician: Master. What the Kelewan Empire trilogy does is take you deep into the Tsurani’s world, following the life of a young woman within it. I LOVED this trilogy. It was such a gripping story that I literally could not put it down!

The main character is both dynamic and endearing, and I found her completely fascinating as she develops throughout each book. The world-building was outright fantastic, and arguably the best element of this series. It’s been ten years since I read them, and I can still remember Kelewan in vivid detail. New flora and fauna, new architecture, new politial/religious systems – Feist and Wurts obviously  spent a lot of time developing, and really made the world come to life! Because of this trilogy, they are without a doubt my favorite writing duo.

Overall, it was an amazing trilogy that I will forever hold on a pedestal. It definitely tops my Best Fantasy Book Bulletin!

Recommendations: If you’re new to Feist’s works, I recommend you read Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master first before switching over to this trilogy, then continue on with “Silverthorn.” Even though these were my all-time favs, the Riftwar saga also makes the top ten list and are definitely worth reading!!

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

  • “The Wayfarer Redemption” by Sara Douglass
  • “Medalon” by Jennifer Fallon
  • “The Aware” by Glenda Larke
  • “Thief’s Gamble” by Juliet E. Mckenna
  • “Heart of Myrial” by Maggie Furey
Oct 29 2012

Coming Soon: Alien vs. Alien by Gini Koch

Title: Alien vs. Alien

Author: Gini Koch

Series: Katherine Katt #6

Release Date: December 4, 2012

This series is bizarre… in a good way. Loosely, it’s a science fiction / superhero / romance / urban fantasy flick. Sounds appealing, right? If you’ve read them, you might be interested to know that book #7 (Alien in the House) also has a release date of May 7, 2013. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?

By Niki Hawkes

Oct 28 2012

Book Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight

Author: Sophie Jordan

Series: Firelight #1

Genre: Teen Paranormal Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will’s dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away;if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She’ll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

The Review:

“Firelight” really was your typical paranormal teen love story – I’ve read at least a dozen other books with the exact same relationship setup in the last year alone. What made this novel stand out was the originality of all the other aspects of the plot. Jacinda and her sister are from a secret society of dragon-shifters. To avoid certain political arrangements within this society, their mother takes them to live in the human world. Stuck in the deserts of the southwest, Jacinda meets a cute boy who just so happens to belong to a family of dragon hunters… all adding up to a fun fusion of fantasy and teen romance. I love anything to do with dragons, and the author does a great job at building their culture, even going as far as introducing different types of dragon shifters (which was my favorite creative element to the story).

Overall, while the love story is the same old format, it worked well in this story. I thought the whole thing was really sweet. While it seems like most books in this genre are only appropriate for older teens, I am happy to report that “Firelight” is great for even the youngest teen readers.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Oct 27 2012

Coming Soon: Defiant Peaks by Juliet E. McKenna

Title: Defiant Peaks

Author: Juliet E. McKenna

Series: Hadrumal Crisis #3

Release Date: November 27, 2012 Now Available!

I’m excited McKenna has a new book out, as she is responsible for producing one of my favorite series of all-time: The Tales of Einarinn. In fact, I liked it so much, it’s going to be featured in the upcoming bulletin, Top 10 Favorite Fantasy Books. Her characters are strong, her writing is transporting, and her world-building is phenomenal. If you’ve been searching for a guaranteed good read, look no further!

By Niki Hawkes

Oct 26 2012

Book Review: White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

Title: White Witch, Black Curse

Author: Kim Harrison

Series: Rachel Morgan #7

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Some wounds take time to heal…and some scars never fade.

Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won’t rest until his death is solved…and avenged. Whatever the cost. Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderland food chain, Rachel’s past comes back to haunt her. Literally.

The Review:

As I’ve mentioned before in a review of the first book, “Dead Witch Walking,” Kim Harrison is my go-to author for urban fantasy. After finishing this seventh book in the series, she’s still going strong and, if anything, gotten better.

The intrigue and suspense in this particular novel are great. Not only is Rachel trying to help in a case involving an aura-stealing banshee, but she’s also dealing with an ornery demon AND trying to solve a murder case at the same time. As you can see, there are multiple arcs to the story, ones that Harrison manages to blend together seamlessly.

She is also good at delivering great relationships, and not necessarily in a romantic sense. The main character’s friends, acquaintances, and even enemies are what keep the story fresh and vibrant for me. I’m reading to find out how their stories play out, too!

Overall, these books are highly entertaining and memorable – the type you can set down when you’re busy then pick up weeks later without skipping a beat. They’re also incredibly clever – I laugh out loud at least a couple times every time I read them!

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like: