Title: Dead Ever After
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #13
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 7, 2013
A new Sookie book!!!! This series is great – perfect for vampire lovers looking for a more cheeky (and mature) escape from reality. They are surprisingly rather different than the HBO series True Bloods, but if you liked one, you’ll probably like the other. My advice: read this one slowly because it is going to be the last book of the series!
Title: Invisibility
Authors: Andrea Cremer & David Levithan
Series: N/A (at the moment)
Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 7, 2013
This is a new paranormal about an invisible boy and the only girl that can see him… sounds perfect. Cremer is the author of the Nightcreature series (which I really enjoyed) and Levithan is the author of his own handful of teen love stories (of which I have yet to read). Some of my favorite books had two minds behind them, and with what I know of Invisibility so far, it’s shaping up to be a complex, well-written novel. I will definitely be reading this one!
Title: Poison
Author: Bridget Zinn
Genre: Teen Fiction
Rating: 4/5 stars
Release Date: March 12, 2013
The Overview: Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
The Review:
The cover of Poison caught my attention right away, and I have to say it was a really fun book to read! I found the storyline totally grabbing – a girl (who happens to be a potion master) is on the run after her failed attempted to poison her best friend… the princess. It was a cool concept, and I thought the author made some excellent plot choices throughout the entire book – I enjoyed it immensely. Initially, I was only planning on reading a chapter or two a day but found myself sucked in each time I picked it up.
Although the writing wasn’t the most sophisticated in the world, the author used a lot of really smart techniques to keep my attention. Most notable of which was the use of really great hooks at the end of each chapter which just begged me to keep going. She also applied the “reveal” tactic successfully quite a few time throughout the book, and did it in a way that wasn’t obnoxious or detracting from the story. Usually when an author does this, they choose to hide silly information, creating a false tension for no compelling reason. Zinn’s application made the book that much more of a page-turner because I kept thinking: “Cool! I wonder what she’s going to reveal next!”
The beginning of the novel was interesting, but not as strong as the rest of the book. It wasn’t until about fifty pages in that I was totally on board. My main issue was a lack of world building. The story evoked a medieval setting, but so many modern terms and images were thrown in that I wasn’t entirely sure where it was taking place. It could’ve easily been in either world. That said, it didn’t take away from the story too much, and after the love interest was introduced, I was hooked.
Overall, for every weakness, there were some major strong points, and I think Zinn did a great job tailoring her writing to her target audience. It was a great first book from a talented new author. Poison is perfect for those wanting a fun, light read!
Other books you might like:
Title: Appalachian Overthrow
Author: E.E. Knight
Series: Vampire Earth #10
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 2, 2013
I may not have read this series yet, but Knight’s Age of Fire novels were some of the coolest dragon books I’ve ever read. Even though it’s been out a bit longer, Vampire Earth don’t quite sell as well as the dragon books (at least in my region, but that could be due to the drastic difference in subject matter – people love dragons around here). What I do know is they’re supposed to be futuristic/urban fantasy novels that includes some great world-buiding. I will probably pick these up eventually, but no time in the near future. Anyone read these yet?
Title: Gameboard of the Gods
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Age of X #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars!!!
Release Date: June 4, 2013
The Overview: In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.
The Review:
Anything Richelle Mead does is golden, and this book is another example of why she is my favorite author! From the prologue all the way to the last page, I was completely entertained by the story, the world, and the character development. Set as a futuristic urban fantasy, which is original in itself, the novel draws from worldwide mythology, making it one of the most unique books I’ve read in a while. Top that off with crime-solving detective work and just a touch of romance, and you have yourself a killer novel! I always appreciate Mead for her originality and creativity, and I think she might have outdone herself here.
A few weeks ago I criticized an author for switching perspectives and having too many things going on at once for me to feel invested in the story and the characters. Gameboard of the Gods is a shining example of how to weave multiple storylines without losing any momentum. Each perspective was intertwined with the main plot and they were introduced in a way that allowed me time to develop a sense for each person and their inner demons. Every protagonist directly added to the building of the plot, which is the best way to keep readers from becoming distracted when the perspective switches.
I thought the character development was one of the strongest elements of the story. I always marvel about how she can make flawed characters so likable. Maybe it’s because they come across as real human beings, rather than ideal figments of the author’s mind. Right from the beginning, we know a bit about what drives these characters and the inner conflicts they face. The prologue where we meet Mae was incredibly powerful; my only wish is that Mead would’ve represented the physical manifestations of her flaws a bit more throughout the book. In any case, I won’t be forgetting these characters any time soon.
Overall, the storyline was fantastic – plenty of intelligent plot decisions, the perfect amount of complexity, and a snowballing momentum that will keep you up all night. It was truly a well-conceived book, and I am doubly excited to see where she takes it next!
Other books you might like:
Title: Alien in the House
Author: Gini Koch
Series: Katherine “Kitty” Katt #7
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Scifi
Release Date: May 7, 2o13
I’ve nominated this series a couple of times for my Your Pick for Nik! book club, and always feel a tinge of disappointment when it doesn’t get voted for. I’ll admit the whole thing seems really bizarre, and with a first book titled Touched by and Alien, I can see how that would put some people off. It just sounded like a fun read, especially after seeing the reviews. My husband got me really into the Stargate SG-1 series, and when I read that the main character in these books is “like a female Jack O’Neill” I knew I had to read it eventually…
The Obsessive Bookseller 