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?
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.
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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!
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!
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Title: Cold Days
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: Dresden Files #14
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Considered by some to be the best urban fantasy series on the market, the Dresden files are always mentioned when I talk to people about the genre. I am shamefully going to admit that I haven’t read them yet… what can I say? Too many books, not enough time! Anyway, it’s been on my radar for years now, and I am looking forward to picking up “Storm Front” within the next couple of weeks. As for you avid Butcher fans out there, I hear the series is supposed to have around 23 “case” books, then an additional 3 for an “Apocalyptic” trilogy (sounds awesome!). So if you love him as much as everyone else seems to, there’s a lot more to look forward to!
Title: The Wise Man’s Fear
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Series: The Kingkiller Chronicles #2
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars!
The Overview: Day Two of the Kingkiller Chronicle, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King’s Road.
All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the FAe realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived…until Kvothe.
The Review:
I wont officially declare this until I read the last book, but “The Kingkiller Chronicles” is a strong contender for my top 10 favorite series list. These books exceed all my expectations for a good fantasy: characters that are so well-rounded they come alive, a world that is so vivid that I felt like I’ve been there, a writing style that is so evoking I find myself laughing and crying on emotional highs and lows with the main character. I loved these books and I can see myself rereading them for years to come. Heck, I almost reread them as soon as I was finished.
My favorite thing about this author (and there are many things I loved) is his knack for producing the unexpected. Things happen that have you reeling in your armchair hours after you read them, and I have yet to pick up another book that does that as well.
The only contrast I can provide is between books 1 and 2. This second installment is every bit as entertaining as the first, but it includes a lot more sexuality. While the first book might be appropriate for some younger readers, the second book would have parents out for my blood if I recommended it. That said, I think it follows the natural progression of the character as he strives to become a man, and thought (from a developmental standpoint) that it was incredibly well-done.
Overall, these are well worth your time to read. Twenty years from now, we’ll be looking back and admiring Rothfuss for his profound effect on the fantasy world. Yeah, he’s that good. I’m so glad that everything I loved in book 1 remains true in book 2.
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