Review: Wicked Enchantment

I'm just going to say that this is a hard review to write.  And I can't put my finger on why. I thoroughly enjoyed the world of the battling Seelie and Unseelie.  I enjoyed our main characters immensely.  And after a small case of info-dumping in the beginning, the story hits it's stride. So what gives? I have no idea. So I'm simply going to share with you some of what I enjoyed and some of what i didn't.


The world Bast has created in Wicked Enchantment is carefully crafted and well thought-out.  And has to be appreciated.  I got the impression that in this case the world came before the characters. Every piece fits.  And she brings new ideas to the table; which are always a treat for me.  The idea of the "wild hunt" has to be my favorite.  
"All of them had been handpicked by unknown forces to be his posse, the Furious Host.  Every night they formed the Wild Hunt, the group that tales had been told of in almost every culture of almost every land since time had begun. Every night they met here and did their sacred duty. Every night, they rode."  The host is responsible for ushering souls to the every-after, and even though it's a rather dark subject matter I found it riveting.


Our main characters Aislinn and Gabriel are great leads.  They're imperfect and each have a past that must be dealt with.  They're strong minded but warmhearted. And the chemistry between them is arousing. One of their first encounters sums of each of them nicely.
"...What movie about me have you made in your head, sweet Aislinn? And without even knowing me."
"That you're a dangerous, arrogant, superficial man with piles of discarded, heartbroken female bodies on each side of the path you tread."
He studied her with hard, glittering, dark blue eyes. "Your honesty is very refreshing. Im sorry that's your first impression of me.  Perhaps I can change it."
"Maybe you can."
"A little too honest that's my first impression of you."...
Can you feel the steam rising? ...and that was in the first chapter.


Having a tiny little sub-story pop up every 75 pages or so is one of my least favorite methods of creating a climax.  It's hard for me to ever really connect with the characters involved, even if they're only meant to be the bad guys.  As the story went on each time this came along it felt more like an annoyance rather than an important part of the plot.  Almost as though I wanted to just skip over those few pages and get back to the "real" story. 


Typically in a series with a pack of interesting secondary characters, the author has plans for a long running series where each new volume covers a different characters. Throughout Wicked Enchantment we get to know Bella and Ronan, and I truly enjoyed them.  That was the problem.  Their story was already complete.  And even though we're given the gist of it I felt robbed of a great adventure.  I even went back to make sure that this was in fact the first of the series.  It is. 


Like I mentioned before, the author has a small case of info-dumping.  I understand that this is a first book in a brand new world, but there was something about the way it's all delivered that didn't connect with me.  It all came off feeling like a history lesson more than it should have. The world is interesting to be clear, but at times I wanted to say "enough, there's too much going on."  In my opinion, a PNR is suppose to be about the romance, and that didn't feel like the author's focus here.  


Bottom Line: Aislinn and Gabriel are great together, and this new series warrants another look.  


3 stars

Review- Venom

I pre-ordered Venom, the 3rd installment in the Elemental series, as soon as I completed reading Web of Lies a long time ago. I waited in anticipation like all other fans.  And I am a fan. I miss Gin during the waiting periods between books, and I often wonder what her and the rest of her crew are getting into.  She's a great character to watch.  Somehow you fall in love with her morals, even though most of her life she's been a hired assassin, taking justice into her own hands.  You admire the strong bond she has with her team/family. And I truly enjoy the dynamic she has with each of them.


Venom's story-line is an easy next step in the series.  The villain is very villainous, and Gin becomes one step closer to her true target, Mab Monroe, in the process of dealing with him.  The story has some high points and some low points, but by the end of the book I'm happy with the progress that's been made. The book definitely left me wanting more.


Some of the issues I have with the author's writing style are still present.  I still find the repetitive narrative a little tiresome.  And it irks me that Gin is hinted at being one of the strongest elementals ever known (especially in this book) and yet minus using her ice power to pick a lock once, she doesn't use her abilities in this story. It became slightly frustrating during the fighting scenes, and drew my attention away from the action a little.   


I loved the addition of two new characters in Venom.  Bria Coolidge and Owen Grayson.  Both signal changes for Gin's character, and I'm all for it.  I loved waiting to see if anything would develop with Owen. And I'm so happy to be rid of that Donovan Caine [narrows eyes viscously at the mere mention], and if she'll stop comparing him to Owen all the time, these two might really have a chance.  Gin is opening up to him like she wouldn't in the past, and I for one was excited with this change from her.  Bria brings with her a lot of information about their past, and I'm really excited to see what's next for her and Gin.  We don't get a ton of face time with her, but she has a few very honorable mentions in the story that make you anxious for more. 


Like I said, by the end of the story I think Gin is finally somewhere I've wanted her to be for a while now.  She's stronger somehow, even though she's much more open and therefore more vulnerable. I'm excited for what lies ahead.


Bottom Line: Fans of the series will be happy with the developments in Venom, but, and I feel like a judge on Project Runway, I want more from you Gin. 
      
3.5 stars

Happens to the best of people.... and me too

Apologies for falling down on the job.  I'm reading a ton (already 4 books in to my 10 book challenge) but not able to write at the moment.  My Double Cross non-review must have zapped whatever little creativity I had.  Just waiting for something interesting to come out of my brain again.  


Luckily, it seems red wine is a cure.  I'll be valiantly pursuing this form of medication over the weekend....the sacrifices I make for this blog.


Hope you have a great weekend.

Next Virtual Book Club & Giveaway

I'll admit it. I'm a steampunk virgin.  I've oohed & ahhed at the amazing art on the covers, and I've imagine what might be in store for me within, but I've yet to actually crack one open.  That stops here.


This month I've selected Boneshaker by Cherie Priest.  We'll be discussing the book in an open forum Friday, November 5th.  I hope you'll read and come discuss with me.


Also, Cherie will be giving away a signed copy of her latest novel, Dreadnought, to one lucky commenter who stops by Nov 5th.  (US & CA)


COME JOIN THE DISCUSSION HERE

In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born.

But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.

Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenaged boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history.

His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive.

NON Review- Double Cross

I've started and re-written this review 7 times already.  There's just no way to come off without looking like a complete fanatic, so I'm giving up. 

[slowly raises from chair and announces] 
My name's Jessica. And I'm a Midcity-holic.  I'm ready to take up a job on the Midcity Eagle, only serve my coffee "brown cow", and curve my mexican cravings at El Burro so that I don't ever have to leave.  


I had this entire review written up where I talk about how happy I am to see Simon's character playing such a big part because he's so diabolical, and does great things for Justine's character.  And how frustrated I am with Justine in general; how at numerous times I screamed at the book "you're such an idiot" and adding, "His face is in shadows and you can't complete the deed. Don't you realize what that means?!?!" I had planned to discuss how Packard's interactions with our heroine are as cryptic as ever, making us readers just as confused as Justine and how brilliantly it's all pulled off.  I prosed about Justine's strong convictions against what she's doing to the "marks" and how much she's changed in this book...while still staying frustratingly the same.  I'd wanted to describe in depth, how I see each of these characters just like you'd want to see a super-hero; constantly battling with their alter-ego only to push their character farther from what you expected. And how quotes like "You're contorting so wildly to pretend you're on the good side, you're like a fucking sideshow act. Reality check, sister. We're the bad guys." have me throwing up my hands and shouting "Yes!"  


But alas, this could not be.  I am a mere mortal and I've fallen victim to a story that had me cupping my hand over my mouth more times than ever should be normal, and therefore my brain has turned to mush.


Bottom Line: This edition, and I say edition b/c when I read Double Cross I'm holding a shiny 7"x 11" graphic novel in which the story unfolds within black rimmed, boxed panels and the dialog comes out of word balloons, has everything you've really always wanted... even if you didn't know that's what you needed. 


5 stars

Winner Winner

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by on Friday for our chat about Kelly Gay's The Better Part of Darkness.  I threw all the comments into a spreadsheet and husband randomly picked a number and the comments was made by:

Melissa from "My world... in words and pages"

Winning comment:

"Jessica - Yeah! The flower was used as warfair to release the souls from the bodies, and this is where they are claiming the Reverants and wraiths to have come from. So...what if it is used to remove the Reverants once again? But leaving the original soul in tack to live out their life. You know that Titus Mott is one amazing scientist, who knows what he, Aaron, and Carreg could come up with..."

Congratulations Melissa!  I'll contact you this morning and get your info. 

Thanks to you all for participating, and I hope that you go and purchase Kelly Gay's next novel The Darkest Edge of Dawn, and then you come back here and tell me what you think.

Virtual Book Club- The Better Part of Darkness

Up until recently, there was nowhere that I could go geek-out with other literati, and I definitely didn't have a book club in the sleepy beach town where I live.  So, I thought that once a month I would host a virtual book club here at The Spinecracker, somewhere we can share thoughts and argue about plots.  So grab a cocktail and join in at your leisure. 


There is also a giveaway happening today as well.  Kelly Gay has been kind enough to give away a signed copy of the next in the Charlie Madigan series, The Darkest Edge of Dawn.  Here are the details:

• Each comment is an entry
• If you're a Spinecracker follower that's also an entry
• US & Canada only
• Contest ends tonight at midnight (pst)
• Winner will be announced Monday, Oct 4th

This month we'll be discussing The Better Part of Darkness.  I've listed a couple questions to get the discussion started, but please jump in and bring up anything you'd like about the book.


*all I ask is that the comments remain respectful to the author and to each other

1. Drugs, Divorced/Single mother, Teenage daughter: Too realistic for fantasy?
2. Carreg: Good Guy? Bad Guy?
3. Hank & Charlie:  Platonic or More?
4. Favorite secondary character