From the Stacks: Alchemystic

I admit it...I've had a thing for gargoyles since my childhood when I watched that animated Gargoyles show on TV. Today, I am taking flight with the first book in The Spellmason Chronicles by Anton Strout, which to me makes it seem like gargoyles could really exist.

Summary:

"Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City until she's forced into her family's real estate empire, which includes a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name...

Lexi's great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason - an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, her ancestor's magic has awoken his most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis.

Lexi and Stanis are equally surprised to find themselves bound to each other. But as they learn to work together, they realize that only united can they save the city they both love..."

My Thoughts:

This was a very intriguing book. I thought the setting and the alchemical processes and such were described really well and I felt quite immersed in the world. The novel switches back and forth in POV, from Stanis the gargoyle (or grotesque as the characters prefer to say) and Lexi, who is discovering all sorts of secrets about her family and the power of Spellmasons. 

Stanis and Lexi have an interesting relationship and I'm curious to see what happens as the series progresses. I really loved all the characters in this book. Lexi's brother Devon was a jerk, her parents were...cringe-worthy in their holier than thou attitudes, and her best friend Rory (short for Aurora) was a kick-ass fierce dancer woman. But, I'm sorry, my absolute favorite character was geek-boy Marshall. I adored all of his D&D references and nerdom and his sheer awesomeness. Seriously, I want more Marshall.

Oh, and I'm not going to spoil the surprise but something happened about 2/3 of the way in that I was not expecting and that was awesome. It is not often that a book can throw me for a loop like that so way to go, Mr. Strout. Needless to say, I am eagerly awaiting the next book, due out in September 2013. Alchemystic is a 5/5.

Other Readings:

I went to the library today and picked up a few books: Old Man's War by John Scalzi (the January pick for Sword & Laser), as well as Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins, and a book I've heard great things about, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. So, I'm really looking forward to the books I'll be finishing up in early January 2013. It's going to be a great year; I can tell already.

From the Stacks: Succubus Blues

The main pick for the Vaginal Fantasy book club in December. The live Google+ hangout to discuss the book will be December 30th at 2PM Pacific. Sadly I'll have to watch it after I get off work that day, but my review is here now.

Summary:

"When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore - free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny..."

My Thoughts:

First, I would like to point out that my copy of the book is the Mass Market Paperback version, which has an updated cover. It was released a couple years ago and since then they've released the Mass Market Paperbacks of the second and third books. Since I like those covers better, those are the ones I am going to purchase myself.

Moving on, I really enjoy Richelle Mead. She is one of my favorite authors, period. I stumbled upon Vampire Academy in the library, devoured it, and then continued on, reading every single book I could find.  It doesn't matter if the book is YA or Adult; they are all amazing. Succubus Blues follows Georgina, who has been a succubus for quite some time and she is one of those girls who doesn't exactly take pleasure in her job...well, at least the succubus job. Her other job is at a bookstore and honestly that might be what really drew me into the series.

I admire Georgina's restraint. At one point I remember her making a comment that she only reads 10 pages a night so she can enjoy the book and doesn't just devour it in one fell swoop. I could never show that sort of restraint towards books. And then there's Seth, adorable writer Seth, and Georgina is obsessed with him and his writing.

The characters in this book are great, having these supernatural abilities and such while at the same time being rather grounded in normalcy. It is a very nice balance and I appreciate that. I feel bad for Georgina in the fact that she can't be with Seth in a sexual manner because of who she is, and I feel bad for Seth because I want them to be together but I cannot imagine being in a relationship with someone knowing that they are going out and sleeping with a bunch of other people. Seth is seriously a saint.

I highly recommend any books by Richelle Mead. Seriously, go check them out. 5/5.

Succubus Blues at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/succubus-blues-richelle-mead/1100324771?ean=9780821780770

Succubus Blues at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Succubus-Blues-Richelle-Mead/dp/0821780778/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356756395&sr=8-1&keywords=Succubus+Blues

Other Readings:

Wow...I can't believe we are almost at the end of 2012. It's crazy. I've been pulling together some ideas for which books to read and then review for my From the Stacks posts for at least the first couple of months. Right now my to-read list on Goodreads has 590 books on it, and I know at least 100 of those are books I own but for some reason or another haven't quite gotten around to reading yet. I'm hoping to find a nice balance of YA books and then sf/f books. It may be that next year I start trying to do something like 6 From the Stacks posts a month instead of just one every Friday. What do you guys think? Tomorrow I should have my review of Anton Strout's Alchemystic ready for you guys. Until then, happy reading.

From the Stacks: Showtime

Today's book marks a new experience for me. The author contacted me on Goodreads and told me that she saw that I had marked her book as to-read before asking if I would like a free e-book copy in exchange for an honest review. I am never one to turn down a free book, so naturally I said yes. Welcome to the Marvelle Circus with Chloe Kayne's Showtime.

Summary:

"The grandeur of the traveling circus is at its peak in the early 1920s when sixteen-year-old Laila Vilonia is searching for an escape from her bleak future. Behind the gates of the legendary Marvelle Circus, she is thrust into a mysterious world she never knew existed—a paradise populated with outcasts. It’s in this glamorous new home that Laila sparks a controversial romance with notorious sideshow performer, "The Disappearing Man," and learns just how dangerous her new life can be.

Touring the picturesque eastern coast of America, Laila’s immersed in friendship, vaudeville, festivals, sequins, and serial killers. But behind the curtain, a sadistic plan is brewing that will crack the very foundation upon which she’s become so dependent."

My Thoughts:

Okay, for the most part I enjoyed this story. Laila had a difficult life and chose to escape it by joining the circus, even if she had to lie a little bit to do so. Now, I have read a couple other circus books (Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants come to mind first) and Morgenstern had a magical story that entranced me and I didn't want to walk away (probably why I own it in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook) and Gruen started with that mysterious prologue and the book had that realistic and gritty quality to it, which I enjoyed.

I feel that Kayne did a great job describing the aerialist routines and I could picture those rather well, but there were a few things that kept popping up and bothering me, making me focus on them, and that drew me out of this otherwise good story. Showtime takes place in 1918 and yet the Marvelle circus supposedly has a 20,000 grandstand-seat 3-ringed circus tent going on. That seemed completely unrealistic to me and it just bugged me. Also, I remember towards the end in the whole major climax moment and stuff the bad guys (I won't say who because I don't want to ruin the story) tell Laila that Marvelle is making a fortune off her, because they charge $5 a seat, which with the 20,000 seats is $100,000 a night provided that the show is sold out. In 1918 $5 would have been quite a bit of money, and I certainly don't think a circus would charge $5 PER SEAT.

Another point that got me (and I'm sorry that it sounds like I'm being mean in this, but I was asked for an honest review and I'm going to give it) is that Kayne really needed to go through the novel one more time in edits before self-publishing. I completely respect that she self-published and seems to be getting quite a few good reviews on this, but I did browse through some of the reviews and found a few people saying basically the same thing as I am now. Kayne has a bad habit of using the wrong homonym of certain words, particularly saying passed instead of past, and mixing up taught and taut. It isn't something that the spelling and grammar checker of programs such as Microsoft Word will necessarily catch.

Okay, but I will say that I really did enjoy most of the characters. They had thought out backgrounds and their mannerisms were consistent throughout the story. I really enjoyed James, but I felt that he disappeared for a while through the middle and I kept wondering where he was and why he wasn't hanging out with the group of people. I fell for Dex, just like Laila did, and I am definitely eager to learn more about him, as well as his twin Seth, who I think of as the evil twin, really. Oh, and Kayne did such a great job with Laila's mom. I really did not like her.

So, this book had its pros and cons, and overall I am going to give it a 3.5/5. With some additional polishing on the passed/past, taught/taut and the seating and pricing issues, I would probably up my rating to a 4 or a 4.5. I can say that I have already put the second book, due out in Spring 2014, on my to-read list.

Showtime at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/showtime-chloe-kayne/1112974167?ean=2940015697551

Showtime at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/SHOWTIME-Marvelle-Circus-1-ebook/dp/B009EDU37E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356669686&sr=8-2&keywords=Chloe+Kayne

Other Readings:

I'm all excited because my Christmas packages came in the mail today. My grandma always writes me a check for $25 for Christmas and then I can get whatever I'd like. This year I decided on getting myself a copy of Jim C. Hines's Libriomancer because I couldn't continue without my own copy, and then I decided on Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. I have heard great things about the book and I can't wait to dive into it. So, I think that's all for now and I'll be back tomorrow for my regularly scheduled From the Stacks post.

From the Stacks: A Soul for Trouble

After enjoying a free book (Tangled Web) from Crista McHugh, I went in search of more of her stuff to read. The giveaway I won came with bookmarks, one of which showed the covers for The Soulbearer Trilogy. So, here I am now, with a review for A Soul for Trouble.

Summary:

"When you're a witch named Trouble, chaos follows.

Arden Lesstymine (known to everyone as Trouble) likes attention as much as the next girl, but this is getting ridiculous. When an insane stranger is murdered at the inn where she works, Trouble becomes the next Soulbearer for the disembodied god of chaos, Loku. Yes, it comes with the ability to channel the god's limitless power, but at the cost of her sanity - literally. Now she has a sexy but cynical knight claiming to be her protector, a prince trying to seduce her to his cause (and his bed), and a snarky chaos god who offers a play-by-play commentary on it all, whether she wants to hear it or not. To make matters worse, a necromancer wants to capture the soul of Loku for his own dark purposes, and the only way he can get it is by killing her first."

My Thoughts:

Trouble is so naive that it's adorable. I almost feel sorry for her, but she does manage to hold herself up against the otherwise male ensemble cast of the novel. I mean you have Dev-her protector, Kell-a womanizing prince, Loku-a disembodied god, and you could even include Cinder, who is a fire-wolf. And the men in her life are all so different that it is really nice. Crista McHugh does a great job bringing all of these people to life. 

Dev is so honorable and tortured by the failures of his past, and tries so hard not to make any move on Arden, which confuses her and makes her think that he isn't interested in her, though Loku tries to tell her otherwise since he has known Dev for quite some time.

Then there is Kell, who seems so completely sure of himself and his ability with women. Also to consider is that Kell is trying to keep Trouble from being executed for using magic because he thinks she will help save them from the necromancer and zombies. Of course, it also seemed like every time something might have happened between Kell and Trouble, Dev would show up or Loku would make some sort of commentary. I would have felt sorry for the guy if it weren't for the fact that I had already fallen for Dev.

Loku, Loku, Loku - I love him as a character. He pops in and makes all sorts of commentary about Trouble's difficult romantic situation and keeps trying to get her to use the immense power she receives by being his Soulbearer. But, at the heart of it all, I think Loku knows that he will never have another Soulbearer like Trouble, that she is the one he has been searching for all along. Through the whole book it doesn't seem that she is going crazy from having Loku in her mind, but I guess there are two more books to go.

This is another great story by Crista McHugh and the second book, A Soul for Chaos, is out now and I need to get it soon. And I can say that I'm very intrigued by the title of the third and final book, A Soul for Vengeance. What horrors await in the second book? I can't wait to read more. Rating: 5/5.

A Soul for Trouble at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-soul-for-trouble-crista-mchugh/1111985498?ean=9781468158748

A Soul for Trouble at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Soul-For-Trouble-Soulbearer-Trilogy/dp/1468158740/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356568961&sr=8-1&keywords=Crista+McHugh

Other Readings:

I only have a few more books to finish before I've hit the goal I've already changed about 5 times on Goodreads. I started the year planning to read 50 books, but I finished book 81 last night, so I'm thinking I can hit 85 books by the end of 2012. With any luck I can do the same or better in 2013. I'm looking forward to trying anyway.

From the Stacks: City of Lost Souls

I realize that this is the fifth book of the series and as I hadn't started the blog when I read the others, I don't have reviews for them, but I needed a book to review, so here we are.

Summary:

"The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

The Clave's magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can't stay away from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith's magic has wrought - Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other.

Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to forge a weapon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sisters can't help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell - a risk that could claim their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. She's willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series."

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the first four books and couldn't stop reading them. This book though...I've had it for almost six weeks now and I just now finished it. I've had it sitting on my desk and I basically had no great desire to pick it up to read. I don't know what it was about this book, but I just wasn't as interested in it. There are a great number of series where there are numerous books. When I was a kid I read the Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate and there were 54 books, plus the Megamorphs and Alternamorphs specials and a couple other bonus books, and those drew me in and held my interest through the whole series. 

But here, with City of Lost Souls, I just felt that it is getting dull and repetitive. It is still well-written and such, but I'm just not as excited by it. Why does it seem like every book Cassandra Clare has to find a way to keep Clary and Jace apart. It's just old. At this point I'm more interested in the Magnus/Alec relationship and the Simon/Isabelle relationship. Clary and Jace just seem too...I don't even think predictable is really the right word, but really I basically knew what they both would do and say because they are that tragic couple who would sacrifice anything to save the other. 

I'll keep reading these books to satisfy my curiosity because I don't like to drop a series I've spent so much time reading and wondering about, but that's about it. I'm actually more interested in the Infernal Devices series than I am the Mortal Instruments right now, but nevertheless, I'm glad I finally got around to reading this book. Anyway, I'm curious to see if Isabelle will take that big step forward in their relationship since Simon won't, and I want to know if Alec will find a way to make up for the mistakes he made in City of Lost Souls. Also, I really want to have Jocelyn and Luke get married already, seriously. And, okay, I'm a little curious about Jace being filled with heavenly fire now, but since book six, City of Heavenly Fire, isn't expected until 2014, I won't waste too much time thinking about all of this.

The book is well written and is fairly interesting so I give it a 4/5.

City of Lost Souls at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/city-of-lost-souls-cassandra-clare/1104511184?ean=9781442460676

City of Lost Souls at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/City-Lost-Souls-Mortal-Instruments/dp/1442416866/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356493311&sr=8-1&keywords=City+of+Lost+Souls

Other Readings:

For Christmas I bought myself a couple of books with money given to me by my grandmother. One of those books was Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines, because I simply couldn't continue on without owning my own copy. The other one I bought is Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes, and I can't wait to read it. Also on my to-read list and will most likely be reviewed in January are: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter, Embers in a Dark Frost by Kelly Keaton, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, and Coveted by Shawntelle Madison. I am going to attempt for 2013 to have some semblance of balance in my reviews between YA books and adult books.

From the Stacks: Blood Bound

Okay, so I have to start this post by saying that I read this book in November 2011, but I am seriously going to pick it up and read it again in anticipation of the third and final book being released April 23, 2013.

Summary:

"By blood, by word, by magic...

Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special - a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Live is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner...every touch...every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over..."

My Thoughts:

The world in this book is amazing and it drew me in. I loved the complexity of the characters. Probably one of the things I enjoyed most was that the romance in this book was not that of two people who had just met, but two people who had been in a relationship before and had separated. During the course of the book Liv and Cam run into each other more and more and it brings up all those old feelings.

The Unbound series is an interesting place to visit and I'm certain that I do not wish to live there. Oaths are so restrictive and binding and leaving your blood lying around can be extremely dangerous. Even letting someone know your full and complete name puts you at their mercy. Seriously, it is that awesome and crazy and I cannot explain all of the awesomeness in detail.

I was drawn in to Blood Bound, devoured it, and then had to wait impatiently to read book two, Shadow Bound, and after finishing off the second book, I am now anxiously awaiting the third and final book's release. I loved Liv and Cam, and learning about the complexities of the world and the syndicates who control the area and most of the characters in the book. I also loved the well...almost happy ending of this book, though it is clear that the issues are only going to become more tense as the trilogy progresses.

I highly recommend this book. It is definitely a 5/5.

Other Readings:

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/etc. everyone. I really enjoy doing these From the Stacks posts and sharing some of the books I've read and enjoyed over the year. We still have another week left of December and I have a post ready for each day, plus one to start the new year, so eight more From the Stacks posts before I return to my regular one review a week. Right now I'm trying to figure out my books and such so I can let you know the first couple books for 2013. I am finishing the final couple chapters for Leviathan Wakes and Alchemystic so I can write up those posts, so I'm off to go read some more.

From the Stacks: Fearless and Spark

Okay, so I'm back with more amazingness in the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer. Here's a little looksie  into Hunter's past with the novella Fearless and then we get to delve further into the lives of the Merrick boys, this time focusing on Gabriel in Spark.

Summary:

"Being a force of nature doesn't keep you safe.

Hunter Garrity is used to watching his back. The kids at school sense something different about him. And they're right.

Hunter has powers that have nothing to do with how hard he can throw a punch.

Maybe that's what Clare Kasten is picking up. She's shy, quiet, and intense, but she's sought him out. There's no telling what she wants from him.

But Hunter knows enough to sense a secret when it's close. And getting close to Clare is a danger he's ready to face..."

My Thoughts:

What is with these novellas and being so shocking? They are amazing and they draw me in and I finish them quickly and find myself begging for more. I knew there was something going on with Clare and that there had to be a reason for her getting close to Hunter (and not just because Hunter is yummy). Fearless is basically what happens in Hunter's life not long before he arrives in town for the events of Storm. I actually felt a little bad for Hunter because of his life situation, but it does help the reader to understand him better. It's yet another great read: 5/5.

Summary:

"Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can't.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it.

And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can't let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that's right at his heels. But there are some risks he can't help taking.

The fuse is lit..."

My Thoughts:

MmmMmm....Gabriel Merrick. He is great and athletic but has issues with certain academic areas, such as math. Enter the brainy Layne, who I related to (at least when it came to school stuffs) and she ends up helping Gabriel out, and doing that brings her closer to him and to the danger that is the lives of the Merrick boys. 

Gabriel has a temper, which is typical of a fire type, and it pushes him away from his brothers and makes him feel rather alone. This also helps to build a friendship between Gabriel and Hunter...a friendship built over the two of them going out to fires that are later determined to be arson. I think it actually helps Gabriel learn to better control his ability.

Then there is cute shy Layne, and I think being around Gabriel helps her too, especially with everything she has going on at home. Gabriel and Layne complement each other well, and I was glad to see their relationship develop through the novel.

I was completely sucked in, finding myself drawn to the fire of awesome that is this book (the whole series, even). I so cannot wait for the next one. Brigid Kemmerer is incredible. Another 5/5.

Other Readings:

Tomorrow I am going to take you into a world where an oath is practically permanent and it takes so much to break free from deals made. Travel into the Unbound novels by Rachel Vincent, another author who I absolutely love.