Category Book Reviews

May 20 2015
Image

Series Review [So Far]: The Gentleman Bastards #1-3 by Scott Lynch

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Red Seas Under Read Skies by Scott Lynch
The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

The Gentleman Bastards #1-3
by Scott Lynch
4.5/5 stars!

This is honestly one of the most unique fantasy series I’ve ever read. Everything from the characters to how each section of the story was organized felt like a fresh spin on the classic concept of thievery and how it’s usually presented in a fantasy world. I have to admit that this series had me on board from the very first chapter, mostly because I thought it was funny as shit (now seems like a good time to mention that the series contains a lot of profanity). The dialogue is incredibly witty, and I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud; I even went back to reread some of the funnier passages once I was done. The series was totally infused with that great situational humor that really gave it a life of its own.

The plot was pretty clever – an Ocean’s 11-style framework with a lot of plans, sub plans, and countless moving parts that eventually lead to the big payoffs (or the big fails, as the case may be). I really enjoyed seeing what harebrained scheme the characters would concoct next and delighted whenever they managed to pull one off. Did I always know exactly what was going on? That’s a definite no – but the journey was so much fun that not knowing didn’t bother me.

So far, I’ve made it sound like this series is a lighthearted comedy with very little substance – but I assure you it also has its fair share of absolutely heart wrenching moments. Things definitely don’t always go according to plan, and it’s how the characters deal with the fallout from those failures is what made this series truly poignant in my mind (that, and it was funny… did I mention it was funny?). For me, The Gentleman Bastards series was unique in almost every writing category I can think of, and that’s part of the reason why it’s now among my favorites. I didn’t like all of the books equally, so I’m going to take a minute to talk a little more (spoiler free) specifics about each one.
                                                                                                                                                      

The Lies of Locke Lamora:

As far as the humor goes, I think I laughed hardest during the first third of this one (which is understandable considering the plot gets more serious as it goes). I thought it offered an excellent introduction to the story, great character development, and great storytelling. As I mentioned before, the organization of each scene was different than I’ve read before because it kind of bounced back and forth between past and present. You get a glimpse in the past long enough for the “present” passages to have more meaning and context, which might be why I came away from it feeling satisfied from how rounded the story was. There was a section kind of near the middle where I wasn’t totally sure what the scheme was, let alone how what they were doing contributed to it, but that may just have been an attention problem on my end. In any case, it eventually made itself clear and I was just as enthralled near the end as I had been at the beginning. A strong first book, no doubt about it, but it’s the second one that really rocked my world.

4.5/5 stars
                                                                                                                                                     

Red Seas Under Red Skies:

As you can probably tell from the title, this one takes the adventure to the high seas. Knowing that was the direction the second book was headed, I admit I wasn’t convinced I was going to like it as much. How much scheming can the characters really do in the middle of an ocean? Turns out, quite a bit more than you think. This book just struck a chord with me, and I think part of it might be because of how much depth of character was explored (as well as the addition of several fantastic new characters). I also think the pacing was incredibly strong – one event flowed seamlessly into the next, and there wasn’t a single boring part between them. I imagine that’s difficult to do when your characters are aboard a ship for a good portion of a novel. Kudos to the author, who produced my favorite installment of this series (so far) and quite possibly one of my favorite books ever. That’s serious stuff right there.

5/5 stars!
                                                                                                                                                      

The Republic of Thieves:

While book #2 was my favorite so far, The Republic of Thieves was unfortunately my least favorite. Don’t panic though – it’s still a solid 4-star read. I think the reasons I didn’t like it quite as much are a bit odd, so that should be taken into account. For one thing, at some point in the novel the characters rehearse for a play… and I hate reading classic playwrighting, even creatively done within a high fantasy novel. Lynch did a great job actually bringing the play to life without letting it overtake what was going on in the real world, but I just couldn’t get into it. Even reading about the characters learning the play was a bit tedious, even though it was also kind of funny. See? I told you it was a weird reason. The other deterrent was the love story – I think the main conflict behind it was hashed back and forth just a little too often and I kind of wanted to smack the characters involved… move on already. Other than that, all of the attributes I mentioned in the first three paragraphs were strong as ever in The Republic of Thieves, and I liked the work as a whole so much that I’m basically down to splitting fine hairs to differentiate between the novels.

4/5 stars
                                                                                                                                                      

A part of me wishes I had read the first book of this series when it first came out ages ago – I’ve had it sitting on my shelf since then. The other part of me is grateful I waited, however, because of how long the wait is between book releases. There is a lot going on in these novels, so many things to orchestrate, that I’m frankly just grateful the author had enough energy to give us at least three books in the series, but I would still appreciate a solid release date for the fourth book. I’m excited to see the series getting so much attention in both the blogosphere and the bookselling world, and I’m even more glad to have finally joined the ranks of fans eager to see what happens to Locke next. If you are sick of the same old thing, give this series a try, you (probably) won’t regret it! As a side note, I listened to bits of these on audio and it is an experience… I think it’s now my preferred format for the series.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

May 7 2015
Image

Mini Book Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

the ruby circleTitle: The Ruby Circle

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #6

Genre: Teen Paranormal

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

The Mini Review:

I want to start out by saying Richelle Mead is my all-time favorite author… Although if you’ve been following for any length of time you probably already know that. I gush about her so much in my reviews that I’m going to make this one a mini review to help tone it down a little. :-)

Considering Silver Shadows was one of the best books I’ve read EVER, The Ruby Circle had a lot to live up to. It was a decent series ender – filled with all the things we love about the VA world – but I couldn’t help but come away thinking it felt a bit rushed (flash forward to the Richelle Mead signing I attended where she stated: with a newborn to deal with, “it’s a miracle this book got published it all,” and it all starts to make sense… I have a tendency to forget that authors are real people with busy lives of their own, which is ironic considering I am an aspiring author). Richelle did mention that she left a few things open because she wanted to give herself room to revisit this world in the future (we can hope). Even slightly rushed, it was still a great book – Sydney had a lot of obstacles to traverse with her magic, the romance was as sweet as ever, and there were a few surprises that practically knocked me out of my chair (you’ll see). As for the series as a whole, I wasn’t convinced I was going to like it at first, but I ended up loving it even more than VA and found Sydney to be the female character I identify most with from any series, so that’s kind of neat. Ooooh and something else cool – the characters visit my hometown at some point in the book – SHOUT OUT!!!! I feel famous. Anyway, if you like YA paranormal and haven’t read this author, you’re missing out on who I consider the best in the genre… just saying.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

May 6 2015
Image

Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

angelfallTitle: Angelfall

Author: Susan Ee

Series: Penryn & the End of Days #1

Genre: Teen Post-Apocalyptic

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: It’s been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back…

The Review:

I haven’t been so excited for the beginning of a post-apocalyptic series since I picked up Partials by Dan Wells two years ago… and trust me, I’ve read a LOT of books from this genre between then and now. Angelfall just had an X-factor that immediately grabbed my attention and held it from start to finish. So much so that a hundred pages into the first book I was already online ordering the next two in the series. It was one of those books that made me a believer early on, and I’m kicking myself for not picking it up sooner.

The biggest thing that stood out to me about Angelfall was how incredibly well it was written. Susan Ee has a way with words and descriptions that allowed me to completely lose myself in the story. All of the interactions between her characters seemed so organic and natural, and that’s part of the reason why I think the book flowed so well. For everyone I’ve ever heard complain about insta-loves in YA, this would be an excellent series for you – the relationship development in Angelfall was gradual, based on shared experiences between the characters and a combination of little moments… i.e. my favorite kind of love story.

The other thing that stood out was the concept and how it was executed – this is a post-apocalyptic world where angels (of all things) are responsible for its destruction. Now, up until this point I haven’t had any interest in the angel trend permeating the YA market because it always seems to come across a little cheesy (as it did occasionally in Daughter of Smoke and Bone). What Ee managed to do was take all of the traits indicative to angels and make them kind of badass. The creatures in her novel were dangerous, and you could feel that deadly force emanating from the pages with each new conflict. It was awesome. And if the great concept wasn’t enough, add to that heart-wrenching back story to Penryn and her family (which added a ton of interesting depth and dynamics the story) and you have one robust, well-rounded novel that is sure to knock your socks off.

I was certain this was going to be a 5-star read across the board, but right at the very end the story took a left turn that I did not enjoy as much as everything that came before it. Since that’s just a personal preference kind of thing, I will have no problem recommending Angelfall as killer read to anybody who loves YA post-apocalyptic is much as I do. Now gimmie the next one.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 30 2015

Book Reviews: The Dresden Files [Books 2-4] by Jim Butcher

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

The Dresden Files [Books 2-4]
by Jim Butcher

That’s right, I’m reviewing in bunches now because 1) reviewing them by themselves just seems so repetitious unless I’m willing to discuss spoilers (which I’m not), 2) there are so many books in this series that to review each one individually would totally bombard you with Butcher, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I like a little more variety on my blog, 3) I’m reading so much faster than I’m reviewing these days that if I waited to do these individually you wouldn’t hear about them until next year (totally not kidding… I finished Fool Moon in June 2014) and finally 4) after three years of book blogging I finally figured out that I make my own rules for my blog and can review more than one book at a time if I want to… This seems like a really stupid epitome, but it has been liberating (I am blogger, hear me roar)!

So let’s talk about The Dresden Files for a minute. :-)

I can definitely see why Jim Butcher is considered a staple in the Urban Fantasy genre – he has an excellent main character (who is a tad whiny at times, but that’s kind of why I like him), loads of paranormal that will continually ding your creep-o-meter (even though I admit it doesn’t take much to set mine off), and plenty of action, humor, and intrigue. Overall, if you’ve never read an urban fantasy, this author is a great place to start. The best thing about him is that he seems to get better with each book.
                                                                                                                                                                

Fool Moon:

I think this one might of been my least favorite so far, but when you’re dealing with 4 to 5 star titles, that’s not really a big deal. If you read negative reviews of this author, one of the number one complaints is the objectifying and over-sexualization of women in his novels. While I definitely see what they are talking about, I personally didn’t find it offensive… I found it funny. And because I found it funny, it made it difficult for me to take the book seriously. The story would start to spike my adrenaline with these ridiculously scary werewolves running around tearing people to pieces, then they would switch back to human and creepy went out the window in favor of bodies, bodies, and more bodies (and not of the deceased variety). I can’t quite figure out if Butcher is doing it on purpose or not – oversexualizing every female so that the most normal and relatable woman in the story, Murphy, stands out even more. If it was in fact a deliberate misdirection, it’s brilliant… Murphy always looks the most appealing to me because she has the most substance, and she’s one of the main reasons I was excited to keep reading at this point in the series.

4/5 stars
                                                                                                                                                                

Grave Peril:

I remember hearing an interview where Jim Butcher talked about Grave Peril being the book where most fans thought the story came alive, and I can’t say I disagree – there seemed to be a lot more in-depth character development, as well as richer side characters who really added to the completeness of the story. Now was there still ridiculously over-sexualized women at every turn? Totally, but this time it felt like it was integral to the plot, making the bad guys seem a lot more dangerous in their allure rather than just being over the top for kicks and giggles (of which I have no issue with, other than they don’t add much substance to the plot that way). I also thought this book was the funniest one so far and think Bob is one of the best sidekicks I’ve read to date. Where Fool Moon dealt with werewolves, Grave Peril focused on Vampires, and I appreciate that each book seems to have a different paranormal focus. For the record, this one scared me the most… but keep in mind that I’m a wimp.

4.5/5 stars
                                                                                                                                                                

Summer Knight:

The “whodunit” framework for this novel was a lot of fun – especially since the culprits were Fae and poor Dresden got caught up in their politicking. I think the overall atmosphere for Summer Knight was my favorite element – it had lots of magic, some interesting creatures, and we got to learn a lot more about the Fae and how they operate. Even though the “monsters” in this novel were a little more lighthearted than in the previous ones, the internal conflicts Dresden faced were as serious as I’ve seen them. Even though there was a lot of character growth (which I always like), there was no shortage of paranormal, action, and overall plot advancement. I think this one may have been my favorite so far simply because Murphy was really involved in the plot – I love the dynamics between her and Dresden. As of now, the series is going strong and I am eager as ever to pick up the next book.

5/5 stars
                                                                                                                                                                

Overall, The Dresden Files are a ton of fun to read and I recommend them to anybody who likes urban fantasies… In fact, you’re kind of not in the cool-kids club until you’ve read them… just sayin’. I’d heard amazing things about Butcher for ages before I finally picked up Storm Front, but it was only after I read a couple of his blog posts I knew we’d get along. He had this one hilarious post where he copied and pasted at least fifty soul-crushing, vicious reviews of his books, and I’m talking pages and pages of Butcher-hating slander, then at the very end simply wrote* “sometimes it’s hard to get motivated.” And lucky for those of us who love him, his books are permeated with that awesome humor.

*Disclaimer – it has been years since I’ve seen that post and I haven’t yet taken the time to look it up, so forgive me if I misquoted him…. you get the gist, though.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 28 2015
Image

Mini Book Review: Havoc by Ann Aguirre

Havoc by Ann Aguirre

Title: Havoc

Author: Ann Aguirre

Series: The Dred Chronicles #2

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: The Conglomerate’s most dangerous convicts have made the prison ship Perdition their home. And they will defend it… Perdition is under siege. Mercenaries have boarded the station with orders to take control of the facility—and execute the prisoners. Their commander is offering full pardons to the first five inmates willing to help the mercs complete their mission. Dresdemona “Dred” Devos hasn’t survived hard time just to surrender to the Conglomerate’s armored thugs. Leading a ragtag army of inmates, Dred and her champion, Jael, wage a bloody guerilla war of chaos and carnage against impossible odds. But no matter how dire the outlook, the Dread Queen never backs down…

The Mini Review:

Havoc has to be one of the best books I’ve read in a long while. The series is about life on an old space station (which has been converted into a massive prison), and the various inmates’ fight for survival. I liked the first one and honestly did not expect to LOVE the second as much as I did, but the direction Aguirre took with the story had me literally canceling plans so I could stay home and read it (sad, I know… but it really was that good). Havoc is an action-packed, page-turning adventure that somehow manages to have excellent character development and a compelling love story mixed in the middle. I don’t know how she does it. It also boasts interesting alien species and a whole bunch of really gnarly bad guys. Really, what’s not to love? I really wanted to make this a full-length review, but I don’t know what else I can say without getting into spoilers. :P

Havoc helped remind me why Aguirre is one of my all-time favorite authors – she gives you a little bit of everything. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that this is the same author who wrote the New Adult 2B Trilogy (which I also loved), Enclave (a fantastic YA zombie apocalypse trilogy), and the Corine Solomon urban fantasy series (involving magic and a whole lot of paranormal). Each of those different types of stories was brilliant, and I have yet to find anything from Aguirre that I didn’t absolutely love. The Dred Chronicles are no exception – if you like space operas, definitely give this series a try (or even pick up Grimspace – the series that first got me hooked on this author), and you’ll see why I’m excited to read anything she wants to write.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Apr 24 2015
Image

Book Reviews: The Fire & Flood Series [So Far] by Victoria Scott

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott
Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

The Fire & Flood Series
by Victoria Scott
3/5 stars

The Overview:  [I’m only including the overview for the first book to help avoid spoilers for those who haven’t yet started it] Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can’t determine what’s wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She’s lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she’s helpless to change anything. Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It’s an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother’s illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there’s no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race. The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can’t trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

The Review:

There are a lot of things about this series I really like – the fact that the plot revolves around a competition (which always sparks my interest), the constant change of settings as the characters raced through different ecosystems, and the animal companion “Pandoras” that each contestant received at the beginning of the race. Any one of these would have prompted me to pick up Fire & Flood, so I just consider a bonus that all of them are present. I also liked Victoria Scott’s writing voice, even though it was a bit heavy-handed to start out with. She’s really cheeky, and made me laugh several times throughout with her humorous, semi-unconventional approach to storytelling.

So, while there were many things I enjoyed about the series, I have to admit that it required a strong “just go with it” attitude and definitely would not hold up to close scrutiny: the characters sometimes jumped out of character or acted inconsistently with past behavior for no other reason than to advance the plot, the framework for the race itself (and the people running it) felt underdeveloped, the settings, while exotic, were a bit under realized, and there were occasional issues with visualization, where time lapses were unrealistic, spaces and objects got bigger or smaller, and characters and Pandora’s all but vanished from scenes until they became relevant again.

As you can see, there were a LOT of issues, but they oddly didn’t seem like a big deal to me while I was reading, maybe because the things I liked about the book were done well enough to compensate. It occurred to me after I was done reading that having inconsistencies within the plot, while not ideal, means there is ample opportunity to surprise your reader. And surprised I was – these books definitely took some twists and turns you don’t see very often in today’s cookie-cutter YA novels. THAT if nothing else might make this series worth reading because it made them unique.

Overall, I liked the first two books enough to want to finish the series. They struck a good chord with me and I admit I was surprised at how forgiving I was willing to be. It just goes to show that you don’t necessarily have to have a full arsenal of writing strengths to be a successful author and to produce entertaining books – you just need to do what you do best to the best of your ability… sometimes that really is enough. Where Scott was most successful, in my opinion, was creating a story that was a lot of fun to read – that’s hard to do with than a dystopian genre, but somehow she managed. Fire & Flood probably wouldn’t be my first recommend of the genre, but I feel it has enough positive attributes to entice a lot of readers. If you do pick it up, take my advice: just go with it. :-)

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes