Tag Archives: urban fantasy

Mar 29 2013
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Your Pick for Nik! – March’s Review!

Title: Hounded

Author: Kevin Hearne

Series: Iron Druid Chronicles #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

The Review: 

World Building: The setting was great – Hearn does a great job at selling the perks of living in Arizona. You could tell he’d done a lot of reasearch on what the local flora and fauna are, and I particularly liked the way he incorporated them into the story. Let’s face it, you don’t see a lot of urban fantasies outside of big concrete-jungle cities, so it was neat to have a change of pace.

The biggest draw of world-building for me was how much information he included about druidic lore and religious culture (ancient Gods and Goddesses brought to life). These elements were great, but my favorite draw was the magic. Druidic magic is interesting enough, but Hearne took it one step further by making the protagonist a master of his own unique magical development. This ranges from the charmed necklace he wears to his extensive knowledge of herbal remedies. I thought it was well done, and I always love feeling like I’ve learned something from a book.

Character Development: The main character was well-rounded and frankly fun to read about. His cheeky attitude that referenced modern sayings while maintaining the dignity of one so old was a cool balance. Although there really wasn’t a lot of personal growth with Atticus, I liked his story. I think to keep enjoying him in future books, there’s going to have to be some sort of inner conflict, not just the external of people coming after him. I mentioned in my pre-review that I thought the author missed an opportunity to introduce a love interest. While I still think that’s true, I don’t mind that it didn’t happen in this first book. I’m also hoping for more in the future (I’ll talk about more in the “story” portion of the review).

Most of the characters were either gods and goddesses or supernatural beings of some sort. While interesting, they weren’t exactly relatable. Because of this, I latched on to some of the more “normal” people and actually found them to be the most interesting. I’m not sure the author intended this, but if he did it worked. My favorite element was actually the wolf-hound sidekick. I thought he was a charming comic relief, and I enjoyed the scenes he was in the most. He just made things more fun, and I went with the idea that he thought more like a human than a dog (although I wasn’t sure at first if it would work).

Pacing: One hit after another, this author can’t be criticized for taking things too slow. Not to say it went too fast, either. There was plenty of down time between attacks to learn more about the world and the characters. I also thought it did a good job building momentum for the climax of the book. Pacing is usually something usually talk a lot about, but with Hearne I think the best compliment I could give is that I never stopped the story to see what page I was on.

Story: I like a book with more information up front. In Hounded, we know who we’re rooting for and against right away, and I thought it gave the story a great sense of direction. The concept of finally having to face something he’s been running from for hundreds of years put the reader into the action right away.

I mentioned earlier that I love a book where I feel like I’ve learned something. Not life lessons, mind you, but things that I would never have the opportunity to learn in a magic-less world. Any time a character has a special skill or ability I latch on to those elements and almost always enjoy the book. I want to talk about it in this section because not only do these special skills help round out your character, they also makes for a much better story. Atticus’ apothecary, herbal knowledge, and special iron magic skills were fascinating to read about. One would’ve been interesting enough for me, but the fact that we get three leaves me a very happy reader.

I’m also going to bring back up the love interest for this category. I have a hard time believing that Atticus has live for two thousand years without having experienced some sort of epic love. I sincerely hope the author addresses this in future books and maybe give solid reasoning why he’s not seeking it in this day and age. I should disclaim that I thought the book was well-rounded without this element, I just think it could’ve been even better. It was the only reason the book wasn’t a solid 5/5 stars for me.

Recommendations: Overall, this was a great month in the book club world. I got to experience a great new author and see the magic in a setting not that different from where I live now. This was a great book, and I’d recommend it to those who like urban fantasies but also enjoy epic hero tales. Heck, I’d even hand this to someone looking for something “fun”. :)

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Mar 27 2013
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Book Review: Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

w1Title: Hunting Ground

Author: Patricia Briggs

Series: Alpha and Omega #2

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Anne Latham didn’t know how complicated life could be until she became a werewolf. And until she was mated to Charles Cornick, the son—and enforcer—of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves, she didn’t know how dangerous it could be either…

Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran’s controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan—and it seems like someone else might be, too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all—or risk losing everything…

The Review:

This is what I’ve been waiting for! I mentioned in my review of the first book, Cry Wolf, that I didn’t like it quite as well because it read more like a paranormal romance than an urban fantasy. Not so with Hunting Ground. It had everything I’ve come to expect from a Patricia Briggs book: lots of action, plenty of paranormal creatures, and a suspenseful crime to solve.

I especially appreciated the relationship development in this book. A lot of times authors will throw two people together and tell you they were made for each other. With Anna and Charles, you can actually see how well their personalities play off of and fit together which made it feel really… organic. It is one of the best relationships developments I’ve ever read, and I marvel at how well the author paired the two personalities. Briggs has always been great at creating well-rounded characters, but I think she may have outdone herself here.

Another aspect that I was missing in the first book was the involvement of other werewolves. I wanted to know more about the political situation within the werewolf pack and how their decisions are going to affect things in upcoming Mercy Thompson books. There was definitely plenty of questions answered here, and I am really looking forward to reading Fair Game to see how it all plays out. I’m convinced these are must reads for Mercy fans – why miss out on any back story if you don’t have to?

Overall, the story, the humor, and the relationships were fantastic, and it just makes me that much more fired up to read Frost Burned (the latest Mercy book). I think fans of both paranormal romances and urban fantasies would really enjoy this series. As spinoffs, you actually can read them without reading the parent series but you’d be missing out. The Mercy Thompson novels are some of the best on the market, and I recommend them constantly. A warning to the wary: these books contain violence and sexuality.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Mar 26 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday! (3/26/2013)

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that helps book lovers like myself connect with other bloggers as we list the books we love. This week’s topic:

Top Ten Books I Recommend The Most!

This is a great topic for me, as I spend most of my day recommending books both online and at the bookstore (I usually end up catering my suggestions to each person’s needs, often giving them a book I think they’ll like the most, not necessarily the one that I liked most). The books I’ve chosen for the list are my personal favorites spanning multiple genres and starting points for every conversation beginning with “So, what’s a good book?” to which I reply “Have you read this yet?”

#1 Fablehaven: Let’s face it, everybody who was going to read Harry Potter has already done so at this point, so recommending that is redundant. I’ve discovered that not everybody has read the Fablehaven series, however. I always start with this one in the children’s department because it’s my favorite. If the person has read it and liked it, I know we’re going to get along.

#2 Partials: This is a fun one to recommend because it hasn’t had a chance to catch on quite like Divergent or Matched yet. As this was my favorite book published last year, I can always sell it with confidence (but only to people who respond “yes” to “did you like the hunger games?). Read full review

#3 Survival: This author is by far my favorite science fiction writer. Her books are witty and creative, and I always come away feeling like I want to reread them right away. The only reason I picked them up initially is because my favorite artist painted the covers (Luis Royo). I figured any writer who was good enough to convince the publisher to splurge for Royo cover art was worth my time!

#4 Graceling: My favorite teen love story, I just adore this book. It’s a sweet read and not too much for people new to the fantasy genre to handle. If the customer doesn’t like dystopian or paranormal novels (thereby limiting my recommending power in half these days), I hand them this book. Read full review

#5 Moon Called: One of the best urban fantasies out there, Briggs is not quite my favorite, but she’s close. She does happen to be the author that I think a lot of people will like, which is why she passed up Keri Arthur and Kim Harrison in my recommending repertoire. She has great characters, great adventure/paranormal encounters, and an excellent love story without being too gushy.

#6 Magician Apprentice: I’ve mentioned before that when I take someone to the fantasy section, I always ask the question: “have you read Feist?” He’s been my go-to for so many years, but I’m starting to find that most people have already read him. For those who haven’t I find it a hard sell. Not because of story, or anything related to the content. Nope, the reason I have a hard time with this one now is the colossally boring cover. The one featured here is actually the first edition cover, and I dont’ know about you, but it made ME want to pick it up. Covers are a lot more important than people think when selecting a book, so I sincerely hope the next edition is more compelling. Read full review

#7 Joust: One of my favorite dragon books, and one that I throw in with any recommendation spiel to see if it sticks. My all-time favorite dragon book is Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evans, but I recommend these first because they are my second favorites and more accessible to the average reader. They’re a lot like Eragon but I enjoyed them so much more.

#8 Succubus Blues: I geek out whenever I find a customer open to the more, say, risky side of urban fantasy. These are by no means clean books, so I have to be careful to preface that when talking to customers. They are, however, some of the best books I’ve read, and part of the reason why Mead is my favorite author. The story, the humor, the romance –  they have everything I expect out of a good book.

#9 The Name of the Wind: This book is another one I read last year that I’m raving about. It has everything I hope to find in a book adventure, humor, characters development, education (I love it when characters learn things) and a love story. To top it all off, it’s written beautifully. I will be rereading this for years to come! Read full review

#10 Assassin’s Apprentice: Hobb is my go-to author for when I just need a guaranteed good read. I can devour 50 pages in a sitting, then not pick it up again for weeks but can still get right back into the story as if no time elapsed. The’s aren’t the quickest of reads, but they are powerful. The end of Fool’s Fate (which is book 9, chronologically) is partially responsible for inspiring this blog. It was amazing. Read full review

Mar 22 2013
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Book Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

a1Title: Shadow Heir

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Dark Swan #4

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land’s prophecy-haunted queen, there’s no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld. . .

The spell-driven source of the blight isn’t the only challenge to Eugenie’s instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can’t trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can’t—or won’t—reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon—and risk the ultimate sacrifice. . .

The Review:

Mead is my favorite author, and I loved the adventure aspects of this book (great change of settings and all), but I felt like this particular book was missing something. Mead usually has a way of creating a giant snowball effect as a series comes to an end that has you glued to the pages, downright anxious to see what happens. As Shadow Heir is most assuredly the last novel in this series, I was left feeling like there should have been more. In fact, had I not known this was the last book, I definitely would not have been able to tell from the plot.

It did not help matters that I did not care for either of the potential love interest for personality and behavioral purposes, and that’s enough to take the wind out of any romantic’s sails. I’m certain others would find them appealing, I just couldn’t bring myself to root for either one. Come to think about it, that is probably why I didn’t find the end to be super climatic because I wasn’t emotionally invested in one of the main arcs of the story. You have to understand, her leading men in two other series are by-far my favorites of any genre (hello – Dimitri Belikov and Seth Mortensen) so to not have a love story I could personally get behind left me wanting.

Not that there was any problem with the characters themselves, I’m just picky when it comes to men (as it should be). Mead is a master of creating great characters. I love that between all the stories I’ve read, her leading ladies all have distinct and unique personalities (and they all can kick some serious butt). It would be easy for Mead to take the same cookie-cutter model for a heroine and transfer it into each series. The fact that she doesn’t speaks to her strength of an author and gives us readers something new to look forward to each time.

Overall, the book was worth reading and it does provide some sense of closure; however, if you’re never read a Richelle Mead book, start with either Vampire Academy or Succubus Blues. A warning to the wary: these books contain a great deal of sensuality, language, and violence.

Other books you might like:

(I realize I did the classic “if you like Richelle Mead… read Richelle Mead! But since I made such a big deal about her other series, I couldn’t help myself)

by Niki Hawkes

Mar 20 2013
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Book Review: Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison

a1Title: Black Magic Sanction

Author: Kim Harrison

Series: Rachel Morgan #8

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she’s never faced off against her own kind . . . until now.

Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—her worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom. But trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and a lowlife ex-boyfriend-turned-thief.

The Review:

Arguably the best one yet, Black Magic Sanction was heart-wrenching, funny, and dynamic. I was absorbed from the first page and at the edge of my seat the entire time! I am so glad I pushed through the first novel because this is the sort of series that builds momentum and interest with each book that eventually makes it more than the sum of its parts. I always take forever to read these books because they’re my go-tos set aside for when nothing else it working for me (the only other author I do that with is Robin Hobb).

Her character development is superb, there are so many great storylines going on between Rachel and the other characters, and I can only imagine how the series is going to wrap up. Particularly with the elves and demons, each of them has a well-rounded and dynamic interactions with the main character, and I love that I’m never totally sure who’s on her side (kind of like with Jarlaxle in the Legends of Drizzt saga). Let’s take a moment to discuss the sidekicks: they’re the best I’ve read about in any genre! They really are what make the series unique and special, and I find scenes where they’re involved to be my all-time favorites.

Anyway, that’s all I feel I can talk about without giving anything away. These truly are wonderful books, and I encourage those of you who gave up at the first book to keep reading… it gets epic! A warning for the wary: these books are rather sensual and sometimes violent, so use your own discretion.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Mar 19 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy…But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread! (3/19/2013)

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Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy…But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread

(aka, story of my life)

You’ll notice that a lot of these titles were on last week’s Top Ten Tuesday (Books at the Top of my Spring 2013 Reading List). This is no accident because, dang it, I’m tired of not picking up the books I’m the most excited about. Often, I stall because a part of me wants to wait because the longer I hold off, the less wait I’ll have before the next one comes out. This makes no sense, as I’d probably do the same thing to the next release. #firstworldproblems

#1 Bard’s Oath: I blame the author for this one. I finished the first two books in 2002 (and loved them), then spent the next ten years thinking Bertin had fallen off the planet. I am so stoked she decided to finish the series, but now I have to go back and reread the first two because I don’t remember a single detail about them.

#2 Frost Burned: Best urban fantasy ever! The only reason I haven’t picked this one up yet is because I feel the need to finish the Alpha and Omega series first.

#3 Sword-Bound: I really enjoyed this series, and I honestly thought it was over. As soon as I found out about this release I was tickled. It’s one of those stories that I don’t think I’d ever mind reading more of.

#4 Eve & Adam: Co-written by K.A. Applegate and her husband, I simply had to own this to show support to the woman who inspired my love of reading (the Animorphs series, 1996, Scholastics book ordering form = my life has never been the same).

#5 Elfhome: Conclusion (I hope) to Tinker and Wolf Who Rules, this is a series long overdue for another book. Left with a cliffhanger, I was terrified she’d never finish. As with Bard’s Oath, this is another one I have to reread because it’s been so long. The cover art is a bit frightening this time around, though. lol

#6 Reached: I bought this the day it came out, and I haven’t even read the second one yet. Don’t worry, it’s on my list….

#7 Indigo Spell: Richelle Mead is my favorite author. I am shamed that I didn’t drop everything and devour this book the moment it came out. I lose like a thousand “loyal fan” points.

#8 Dragon Fate: There’s starting to be a pattern here. This is yet another title that stalled well over two years before releasing. As the last in the series, I definitely want to read it. I just can’t remember enough of the small details to make it worthwhile. Here comes another reread! (grumble..)

#9 Omen Machine: I loved this series, thought it ended well, and felt completely satisfied with where things left off. I really want to know what happens next, but it feels like a shame to stir the pot.

#10 Fragments: Partials was my favorite read book published last year. I raved about it in the review, and geeked out when we finally got it in (it was late). I will be picking this one up soon, I’m sure of it! ;)

There you have it – my shameful list! I should make a pact or something that April will be all about enjoying these titles. Hmmm…. 

What books are on your list? :)