Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #7)

 

Synopsis (from BN.com) :

No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…

As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.

As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…

My Thoughts:

This is one of my most favorite urban fantasy series. One thing that I love about this series is that this is book seven in the series, and the story continues to grow and build with each book, and the characters continue to develop. I find with some series with numerous books in them, the story and characters seem to go stagnant and don't move anywhere after a certain point. 

Another thing I love about this series is the world that Ilona Andrews has created. I am always interested to see how authors are going to put a different spin on the paranormal genre, and this series is definitely an original!

This is a series I recommend to anyone who has any interest in this genre!

Rating: A

Black Magic Sanction (Rachel Morgan #8) - Kim Harrison

Overview from BN.com:

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.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely love this series and the cast of characters (especially Jenks, the tough, foul-mouthed pixie). The plot continues to build and grow with each book, and the characters continue to develop, especially the main character, Rachel Morgan. The last couple of books have been developing the story behind Rachel's special powers and how they stem from her childhood, as well as bringing in some of the history between witches, elves, and demons. This current book continues to build on that a bit, which in my opinion, is definitely one of the more interesting sub-plots - I'm really excited to read and see where and what that will lead to.

The Rachel Morgan series is definitely in my top 5 favorite series. Rachel is a confident, strong heroine, while also being a little clumsy and insecure. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves strong female characters and urban fantasy.

Rating: A

Undead and Unwed - Mary Janice Davidson

Synopsis:

First Betsy Taylor loses her job, then she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites is that she can't seem to stay dead. And now her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious power-hungry vampire in five centuries.

My Thoughts:

Poor Betsy! First she is attacked in an alley by some nasty people (if you could call them that) that aren't that familiar with soap and water. Then she gets hit by a truck, thrown into a tree and dies. Then she wakes up only to realize that her horrible stepmother stole all her designer shoes, and oh yeah - she's now the undead.

In my opinion, this is the ultimate humorous chick-lit paranormal! My favorite parts where the times that she continually tried to kill herself and be really dead, instead of undead or in-between. I also loved that fact that to get her involved with overthrowing the bad vampire, her friends bribed her with designer shoes!

I'm looking foward to reading more in this funny series!

Rating: A-

Dark Gold - Christine Feehan

Synopsis:
Alexandria Houton will sacrifice anything--even her life --to protect her orphaned little brother. But when both encounter an unspeakable evil in the swirling San Francisco mists, Alex can only cry to heaven for their deliverance . . . And out of the darkness swoops Aidan Savage, a golden being more powerful, more mysterious, than any other creature of the night. The ageless Carpathian male snatches them from a hideous fate. But is Aidan Alex's salvation . . . or her sin? If she surrenders to Aidan's savage, unearthly seduction, and gives him the color, the light, the family he craves, will Alex truly save her brother? Or sacrifice more than her life?

My Thoughts:
Another strong story in the Carpathian series, this time focusing on Aidan Savage. This is the third in the series, and I'm feeling as if all the stories are all the same in the sense that they are all more character driven than plot driven, the women are turned into Carpathians and have to be shown the way to live by their mates, and there is always an internal struggle with the females of the stories to want to be with their mates. They find they don't want their lives ruled by a man, and want a sense of independence, but in the end all works out well and everybody is madly in love.
Because Dark Gold was so similar to the last two books, I found myself becoming bored with the story. My friends say that as the series goes on the characters and the plot get better. I will probably read one or two more to see, but if this is all there is, I'm probably giving up on the series. It is a really strong romance, but the stories are becoming too repetitive.

Rating: B-

Lover Eternal - J.R. Ward

Synopsis:
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

My Thoughts:
I love this series! This second installment picks up right where the first one left off. This time, however, we learn more about Rhage and all of his inner demons (figuratively and mostly literally). I love this series because of the characters, and how with each book the plot becomes more complex and more of the pieces fit together.
It's a series I believe you don't have to absolutely read in order, but to get the most out of the books, I would recommend it :)

Rating: A

Club Dead - Charlaine Harris

Synopsis:
Sookie Stackhouse is having man trouble. Her vampire boyfriend, Bill, has been distant and inattentive lately. Then he announces that he is going on a business trip, which clearly is more than it seems. After a werewolf tries to abduct Sookie at work, Bill's boss, Eric, tells her that Bill fell under the sway of his--Bill's, that is--ex, a sexy vamp named Lorena, and has been kidnapped. Eric wants Sookie's help in getting Bill back, and despite her hurt over Bill's betrayal, Sookie agrees to go to Jackson, Mississippi, to find her wayward lover. Eric has persuaded Alcide, a dashing werewolf, to get Sookie access to Josephine's, aka Club Dead, the local hangout of Jackson's supernatural element. In between dodging kidnappers, the advances of amorous Eric, and her growing feelings for Alcide, Sookie has to find out who kidnapped Bill and figure out a way to rescue him.

My Thoughts:
Yet another great addition to the Sookie Stackhouse story. She's back at it again, this time Bill has been kidnapped, and she must go search for him and his kidnappers in Alabama. Some great new characters, as well as the characters we've met before. In my opinion, this series keeps getting better with each book.

Rating: B+

Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Jennifer Rardin

Synopsis:
I'm Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that's ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best--assassination. And I help. You could say I'm an Assistant Assassin. But then I'd have to kick your ass. Our current assignment seemed easy. Get close to a Miami plastic surgeon named Assan, a charmer with ties to terrorism that run deeper than a buried body. Find out what he's meeting with that can help him and his comrades bring America to her knees. And then close his beady little eyes forever. Why is it that nothing's ever as easy as it seems?

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love Jaz Parks! She's a no-nonsense smart ass :) The characters were well developed, the story line was good and kept me interested through the whole thing. There's a lot of action, a conspiracy, and some humor. I always say this, but I'm really looking foward to reading more in this series to see what happens with Jaz and Vayl!

Rating: A-

Changeling - Yasmine Galenorn

Synopsis:

Delilah, a were tabby cat by a twist of genetic fate, and her half-Fae, half-human sisters are on the front lines of a brewing war. Just recovering from a battle, and adjusting to a relationship with human cop Chase, Delilah is drawn into investigating the mysterious, gruesome deaths of the Rainier Were Puma Clan and becomes attracted to their leader, Zachary. As she fears, a new threat emerges, manipulated by an old enemy, and it will take all of their efforts, and acceptance of her fate, to bring them down.

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the series, and even more bad things are happening to the D'Artigo sisters! I like how Galenorn mixes in a bunch of genres in this series: a little bit of humor, some mystery, some romance, a lot of paranormal and fantasy! I did find myself being a little frazzled at how much stuff was going on in this story, but it didn't make me enjoy it any less. I'm really enjoying the series so far, but they definitely need to be read in order to understand everything that is going on.

Rating: B+

Dark Desire - Christine Feehan

 

Synopsis:
The stranger silently summoned her from across the continents, across the seas. He whispered of eternal torment, of endless hunger . . . of dark, dangerous desires. And somehow American surgeon Shea O'Halloran could feel his anguish. Drawn to the far Carpathian mountains, Shea found a ravaged, raging man, and recognized the beloved stranger who'd already become part of her. But was she to be his healer . . . or his prey?

My Thoughts:
I found this book more enjoyable than the first, and it seemed to move at a faster pace. The story takes place 25 years after Dark Prince, and we are met again with human vampire hunters, hunting the Carpathians. These vampire hunters are hunting and torturing any vampires they can find, including Jacques, a Carpathian male, who is the center of this story. Jacques is buried alive, obviously left for dead, for seven years, until he is able to reach out and call someone near through his mind. Our leading lady of the story, Shea, is called to Jacques and rescues him.
Like I said, I did enjoy this story much more than Dark Prince, I think because it kind of jumps right into the story and there's not much explaining and world building as there was in the first book. I'm currently reading the third in the series and am still loving where Feehan is going with this :)

Rating: A-

Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison

 

Synopsis:
All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnatie, to hide, to prowl, to party...and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining - and it's RAchel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead...or undead.

My Thoughts:
This is my first Kim Harrison book and I absolutely loved it. I thought the world she creates is fantastic, and am excited to see how that evolves. I also loved the characters and their interaction with one another (my personal favorite being the fiesty pixie, Jenks). I thought the story was intersting with touches of humor here and there, and definitely left some things open for the next book. I'm really looking foward to reading more in this series!

Rating: A

Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris

Synopsis:
Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one seems to care. Then she's face-to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it).
Point is, they saved her life. So when one of the blood-suckers asks for a favor, she complies. And soon, Sookie's in Dallas using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She's supposed to interview certain humans involved. There's just one condition: The vampires must promise to behave - and let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly...

My Thoughts:
How much more danger and adventure can Sookie Stackhouse get into?? Apparently quite a bit! I'm not sure I enjoyed this book quite as much as the first one, Dead Until Dark, but it still was entertaining. The whole issue with the fanatical fellowship was really interesting, and was left a little open for further mention in other books. I did feel that the murder that occured in Bon Temps was wraped up too quickly and not really given much development. I also didn't think the introduction of the maenad was very developed as well, but hopefully that will be brought up in future books. Despite these flaws, I'm just loving Sookie and Bill and all the other characters and am looking foward to reading the rest of the series.

Rating: B

Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K. Hamilton

Synopsis:
Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law--as long as they don't get too nasty. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees--with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting--to help figure out who and why.
Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along--yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters--both dead and alive.

My Thoughts:
A nice introduction to the Anita Blake Series. I have been reading a bit of paranormal romance lately, and I was suprised that this read more like a detective story involving paranormal creatures. Anita Blake is a tough lady that can definitely hold her own with the boys (and the vampires, zombies, and ghouls!) I'm anxious to see what my reaction is to Hamilton's newer books in the series, because there is so much controversy surrounding them, and I wonder what side of the fence I'm gonna be on :)

Rating: A

Dark Prince - Christine Feehan

Synopsis:

Raven Whitney, a telepathic hunter of serial killers, travels to the Carpathian Mountains for a little rest, hears telepathically Mikhail Dubrinsky's cries of loneliness and answers, only to find she is his life mate. Dubrinsky, Prince of the Carpathians, enchants Raven, while fending off a group of vampire killers who are attacking Carpathians.

My Thoughts:

I thought this book started a bit slow, but I think that's partly due to the fact that this is the first book in the series. Feehan really takes time to explain The Carpathians (basically they are 'good' vampires), as well as a bit of their history and customs. I thought this was a really nice set up for the series, and you meet some more Carpathians that have their own story on down the line. Despite the fact that it was a slow start, it did definitely pick up towards the middle, and the action and romance in the book really made the rest of the story fly by. As with a majority of paranormals, this one is definitely intense as well as dark.

Rating: B+

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Synopsis:
Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

My Thoughts:
First, the good news - I enjoyed the plot. Bella moves to a crappy little town and meets a gorgeous boy, Edward, who turns out to be a vampire. She wants to be with him, and he wants to be with her, but that puts Bella in danger in more ways than one. I can see why so many teenagers like this book (and so many girls) :). I also really enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's writing in the sense that it is so fluid. It's one of those books that I pick up and in no time I've read 100 pages just because the writing flows so well.
Now the bad news - the combination of the character Bella and the book being told in first person narrative drove me up the wall! Maybe if the story would have been told from third person, I would have enjoyed it more, but who knows. I usually don't have too much of a problem with reading first person narratives, but all of Bella's internal dialogue was too much like a junior high student to me...yes, I know she is in high school, and at that age everyone pretty much only thinks about the opposite sex, but it just made her seem really shallow and mundane.
Bella got on my nerves so much, I haven't been able to pick up the next book, but with much coaxing from friends who are addicted to the series, I have a copy on hold at the library. If I'm that annoyed with Bella after New Moon, I'm giving up on the series, and waiting to watch the movies.

Rating: C

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

 

Originally Reviewed July 30, 2008:

A great start to a series I'm excited to continue with. This book has humor and suspense, a good romance, and a great mystery. I thought it started off slow, but as you get to know the characters it definitely picks up. I love the main character, Sookie Stackhouse, and her 'gift' of being able to read people's minds which is both a blessing and a curse. I've heard that later books in the series are even more exciting, and am anxious to continue on with this series!

Rating: B

Dark Lover - J.R. Ward

 

Originally Reviewed May 13, 2008:

At first I thought the book was kind of corny, with vampires with names like Wrath, Phury, Rhage, Zsadist, and Vishious! But as the story went on, the more I was drawn in. JR Ward writes a really good vampire novel with a lot of romance, and enough suspense to keep me hanging on! Can't wait to start on the next one in the series.

June 22, 2009:

This has quickly become one of my favorite series! Ward creates such a great society with the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and I continually look foward to more books from her!

Rating: A