Book Review: Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King

Garment of Shadows
by Laurie R. King

Genre: Mystery / Historical Fiction / Sherlock Holmes Sequel

Ages: 14 and up

This is the 12th book in the Holmes/Russell series, sequel to The Beekeeper's Apprentice, A Monstrous Regiment of Women, A Letter of Mary, The Moor, O Jerusalem, Justice Hall, The Game, Locked Rooms, The Language of Bees, The God of the Hive and Pirate King.

I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

 Russell and Holmes have travelled the world since their 1915 meeting on the Sussex Downs.  Now they find themselves in Morocco…

Although it takes some time before Russell knows quite where, since she wakes in a strange city with no memory, in unfamiliar clothes, and with blood on her hands–and to make matters more interesting, there seems to be a war on. Holmes, meanwhile, is swanning around in the Atlas Mountains, ducking bullets, happily oblivious to both the war and his missing amnesiac wife.

Just another day in the life of Russell & Holmes.

My Thoughts:

This series never disappoints. Russell and Holmes were just as entertaining a partnership as ever as they continue in their habit of sticking their noses into other people's hornet nests. In this case, Morocco on the edge of war.

I have a weakness for stories involving amnesia, so when Russell woke up in a strange bed with no memory of her own name or anything else, I was delighted. Using only her wits and some skills she is surprised to find herself possessing, she sets out to find out where she is, who she is, and why someone is after her. She gains an ally in the form of a mysterious, mute urchin who seems to know more about her than she does.

A substantial part of the story is told from Holmes' perspective. Seeing him worried over his missing wife and partner to such a degree that it neared true discomposure was oddly entertaining. He shows emotions so subtly that certain phrases and facial expressions are as close as he comes to hysteria. I rather wish that Russell's amnesia was drawn out more just to prolong Holmes' understated concern. Is that mean of me? My favorite moment of the entire novel is when amnesiac-Russell finds worried-Holmes whilst having no knowledge of who he is.

As is usual in Laurie King's books, the mystery is set against a fascinating historical background. In this case, mid-1920s Fez approaching the Rif Revolt. Starting out with very little previous knowledge of this time and place in history, I found it very interesting. A real-life historical figure, Hubert Lyautey, is introduced as Holmes' cousin, thus drawing our hero and heroine into the intrigues and troubles of the day.

I enjoyed the new characters introduced, particularly Lyautey and Idir, the mute boy who helps them along the way. I also loved the appearance of a some old friends (whose names you will have to discover for yourselves).

This is a wonderful addition to one of my favorite series. It is neither my favorite nor my least favorite of Holmes' and Russell's adventures, but rather falls somewhere in the middle and perhaps leaning toward the favorites end. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the series; it should not be read out of order as it references multiple previous novels, though the mystery itself is stand-alone. 

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 2.10 for some mild swearing.

Sexuality:
 I give it a 1.10 for the tiniest of hints.

Violence:
I rate it a 5.10 for murder, attempted murder and some skirmishing.

                            Lieder Madchen 

Book Review: Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Styxx
by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Romance / Mythology / Paranormal

Ages: Adult. Very adult.

22nd book in the Dark-Hunter series, you can read my review of Acheron here, though I really should re-review it now that I'm a little older and can do it justice.

Description:

Sherrilyn Kenyon's most highly-anticipated novel in the Dark-Hunter series since Acheron is here—the unforgettable story of Styxx, Acheron's twin brother and one of the most powerful beings on earth

Just when you thought doomsday was over . . .

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now.

She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her. But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul? 

My Thoughts:

I waited eagerly for this book to show up on my kindle at midnight and started reading it immediately. Given that it is eight-hundred and forty-eight pages long and completely engrossing from page one, I did not get any sleep. I wondered how in the world Ms. Kenyon could possibly turn Styxx into a hero, given all the awful things he did in previous novels, but I knew from experience that with her fantastic imagination it would certainly be something to see. Complete. Understatement.

I started to love Styxx as the protagonist immediately; that sad little boy who was neglected and abused just as badly as Acheron, maybe even worse, because he didn't have Ryssa and his father continuously vacillated between hating and loving him. It was easy to pity him at first, then admire and cheer him on.

The majority of Styxx takes place during the same time as the first half of Acheron; every moment, every conversation takes on new meaning from Styxx's point of view. It was utterly fascinating and oh-so very painful. There were times I wanted to kill Acheron and I didn't think anything could do that. The worst of Styxx's torment may have started when he was a older than his twin, but it was just as bad. Sherrilyn Kenyon sure likes her tortured heroes. Emphasis on the tortured.

The romance surprised me in that it started so early. Styxx was such a sweet, innocent young lover. His ever-enduring faithfulness was one of my favorite parts of the whole novel. Beth, however, I wanted to smack upside the head. How could she...do something I can't say because of spoilers? She's a goddess and she was with him for years and yet all the while...grr. Not saying anything more. Despite how much she annoyed me at times, I did like her for the most part, except...I find I really can't say much about her without spoilers. Suffice it to say she is not my favorite of Ms. Kenyon's heroines. She seemed a little lacking in the 'heroics' department. However, she did have a good sense of humor and once she...bother. I liked her more in the second half of the book.

The relationship between Ash and Styxx was brilliantly handled. Their interactions were limited, but when they met...oh, boy. Sparks flew in all directions, sometimes literally. It was so easy to see how alike they are, no matter how much they would like to deny it.

I loved, loved, loved how hints and foreshadowing and characters from the previous novels were worked into this book. I won't say what they were, but I am very interested in what will happen next in the series. I have new questions by the bucket load, especially those stemming from a delightfully shocking little revelation. It's going to drive me mad waiting for answers.

Overall, I loved this book. The fact that I got annoyed with characters just made me enjoy it all the more; that made them more human (figuratively speaking). Plus, who doesn't love to yell at fictional characters? I highly recommend Styxx to anyone who likes the rest of the Dark-Hunter series. I would not recommend reading it out of order. It gives away the ending to Acheron, Night Embrace and Devil May Cry as well as other things. Make sure you have a few to several hours (depending on your reading speed) before opening this book. You won't want to stop.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:

I rate it a 10.10 for strong, frequent language including 108 uses of the f-word (no, I didn't count them all; my kindle did).

Sexuality:

I give it a 10.10 in sexuality for multiple scenes of sexuality and rape, as well as multiple references, innuendos and fade-aways. Most were not graphically described.

Violence:

I rate it a  9.10 for extreme violence including torture and ghastly wounds of all varieties.

                                Lieder Madchen

The Happy Booker's Vampire/Zombie Acrostic Challenge

The Happy Booker  has issued a poetry challenge to go with a giveaway and I just have to accept it. Mock my acrostic at your own peril!

The challenge is to take the title of one of your favorite vampire and/or zombie novels and write an acrostic poem about it. Here's mine for Warm Bodies.

Without breath or life
A lost soul
Roaming aimlessly
Moaning, groaning

Brains sustain him
Opening doors into memories
Dreams of the living
In them is a girl
Everything changes as
Still hearts learn to beat

               Lieder Madchen

Book Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure
by Julie Kagawa

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Science Fiction / Dystopian / Post-apocalyptic / Romance

Ages: 14 and up

This is the second book in the Blood of Eden series, sequel to The Immortal Rules.

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Reviewer's Note: This is the third Julie Kagawa novel I have read and reviewed in the past 24 hours. I started in the very wee hours of the morning with The Lost Prince (reviewing it about 5 seconds after reading the last page) then picking up with The Immortal Rules in the afternoon (I was interrupted by a plumbing crisis so the review didn't get published until a couple hours after I finished reading) and, to top of my lovely marathon, I just finished reading The Eternity Cure.

P.S. I'm listening to Fall Out Boy as I write this, which is strangely fitting.

Description:

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left:

Blood calls to blood

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever—and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago—and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

My Thoughts:

It has been four months since Allie left Eden and Zeke. She is now fully adjusted to being a vampire and has become more comfortable in her skin. She's more dangerous, harder-edged, but her humanity is still intact. Well, as intact as possible. As much a survivor as ever, she teams up with her untrustworthy blood-brother in her quest to rescue Kanin..

The characters in this story are just so good. Even Jackal, murderous, untrustworthy bloodsucker that he is, is strangely entertaining. Sarren is the creepiest villain I have met in a long time and every word he says gives me shivers. If there is ever a movie, he should be played by Bill Nighy because he has the perfect voice for it. Zeke is so lovably loyal and self-sacrificing that I spent a lot of time cheering him on. My faint inclination for Kanin as a love interest faded the instant Allie was referred to as his 'daughter'. Oh well, I can still have a crush on him if I want. I'd read a whole book about Kanin.

Story-wise, I didn't like The Eternity Cure as much as The Immortal Rules until the end. Oh. My. Gosh. That ending...how will I survive waiting for the next one? It was brilliant, but completely evil. This is a great sequel, and I have a feeling Book 3 will be magnificent.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 5.10 for one use of the f-word and some mid-level swearing and name-calling.

Sexuality:
I give it a 2.10 for brief sexual innuendos and threats.

Violence:
I rate it a 7.10 for fighting, murder, torture and vast quantities of blood.

                            Lieder Madchen

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules
by Julie Kagawa

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic / Dystopian

Ages: 14 and up

I received an e-galley of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what–and who–is worth dying for…again.

Enter Julie Kagawa's dark and twisted world as an unforgettable journey begins.

My Thoughts:

This book takes some old ideas and squishes them together in new ways to make a delightfully original story. It is a vampire/zombie apocalypse adventure with more than a few hints of samurai legends. I love it. It's dark and dramatic and powerfully written. Plus it has vampires fighting zombies. Beat that! Well, they're called 'rabids' in the book, but they're basically zombies.

Allie is one tough lady. Having spent her entire life hating vampires, she suddenly is one. Under the tutelage of Kanin, a mysterious, solitary vampire with many secrets, she starts to learn how to be a monster without becoming a monster. He teaches her how to use her new abilities to survive and defend herself and gifts her with a katana. (A vampire slaying zombies with a katana - like I said, beat that!) This interlude does not last long, however, and Allison is forced to set out into the world on her own. It is there that she discovers a wandering group of humans - and Zeke.

I really like Zeke (full name Ezekiel Crosse). He still has hope in a world that offers none. He's a born leader; protective, selfless and brave. He's also falling fast for Allie - or the human he thinks she is. Despite how much I like him as a love interest, I have this kind of half-hope that Kanin will turn out to be...but I doubt it. Maybe. We'll see. He's pretty entrenched in the mentor role for now.

All-in-all, I loved this book. Great characters, wonderful story, serious and fun at the same time...what's not to like? I would highly recommend The Immortal Rules.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 4.10 for some mid-level swearing and name-calling.

Sexuality:
I give it a 3.10 for some innuendos and brief threats.

Violence:
I rate it a 7.10 for fights, murder, gore, torture and vast quantities of blood.

                                          Lieder Madchen

Book Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince
by Julie Kagawa

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance

Ages: 13 and up

Sequel to the Iron Fey Trilogy and The Iron Knight.

I received an e-galley of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

 That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My Thoughts:

Wow. Cute little Ethan is all grown up and has gone punk...sort of. After years of hiding from the Fey, he's developed a surly attitude and a bad reputation that acts as a wall between him and the human race. Plus his hair's all spiky and his ears are pierced. Like I said, sort of punk. But he's still cute. On his first day at a new school (he kind of accidentally set the last one on fire), he runs straight into trouble in the form of a bullied half-phouka. And so the adventure begins.

I love all the new characters in this book. Kenzie, who worms her way past Ethan's snarkiness by sheer force of will and stubbornly refuses to give up on him. Todd, who's a little peculiar but quiet promising, and Keirran. Oh, Keirran, I don't know what to think of you. All I can tell so far of Keirran is that anything to do with him promises to be very interesting and he has a marvelous pet, the entertainingly random gremlin named Razor. It was also lovely to see old friends again - Meghan, Puck, Grimalkin and brief glimpses of Ash. Can you virtually hug fictional characters?

This book is as beautifully written as Julie Kagawa's previous novels, perfectly swirled with rich descriptions and dark secrets. The Nevernever has become even more wondrous and dangerous than ever, if such a thing is possible.

I would recommend this book to all and sundry, though it is a good idea to read the rest of the series first even though it is technically the beginning of a new trilogy. I must also warn you that it spoils some of the plot of the film Serenity (it ticked off my sister when she read it, but I just loved the fact that Ethan is a Firefly fan).

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 2.10 for some mild swearing.

Sexuality:
I give it a 2.10 for a couple of brief sexual slurs.

Violence:
I rate it a 5.10 for some fighting and injuries as well as murder.

                                           Lieder Madchen

Release Day/Book Bomb Review! Cobweb Bride by Vera Nazarian

Today is the release day of Cobweb Bride by Vera Nazarian! Very exciting, because this is such a lovely book (I will be saying that in a variety of ways in my review. Really, you have no idea.) and it makes me very happy to support lovely authors and share lovely books with lovely people (Such as Vera Nazarian, Cobweb Bride and yourselves).


Cobweb Bride
by Vera Nazarian

Genre: Fantasy

Ages: 14 and up

I received an advance e-galley through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

You can find the official Cobweb Bride site here with more information and purchase links.

 Description: 

 Many are called... She alone can save the world and become Death's bride.

COBWEB BRIDE (Cobweb Bride Trilogy, Book One) is a history-flavored fantasy novel with romantic elements of the Persephone myth, about Death's ultimatum to the world.

What if you killed someone and then fell in love with them?

In an alternate Renaissance world, somewhere in an imaginary "pocket" of Europe called the Kingdom of Lethe, Death comes, in the form of a grim Spaniard, to claim his Bride. Until she is found, in a single time-stopping moment all dying stops. There is no relief for the mortally wounded and the terminally ill....

Covered in white cobwebs of a thousand snow spiders she lies in the darkness... Her skin is cold as snow... Her eyes, frozen... Her gaze, fiercely alive...

While kings and emperors send expeditions to search for a suitable Bride for Death, armies of the undead wage an endless war... A black knight roams the forest at the command of his undead father... Spies and political treacheries abound at the imperial Silver Court.... Murdered lovers find themselves locked in the realm of the living...

Look closer--through the cobweb filaments of her hair and along each strand shine stars...

And one small village girl, Percy--an unwanted, ungainly middle daughter--is faced with the responsibility of granting her dying grandmother the desperate release she needs.

As a result, Percy joins the crowds of other young women of the land in a desperate quest to Death's own mysterious holding in the deepest forests of the North...

And everyone is trying to stop her.

My Thoughts:

I read this book in one sitting, and was left speechless. I love Vera Nazarian's previous novels, but they pale in comparison to the utter perfection that is Cobweb Bride. It is quite simply one of the most beautifully written stories I have ever read.

The eerie descriptions paint a wintery world of shadow and breathless anticipation seemingly without effort. You know how in some books you find yourself skimming over the descriptions to get to the interesting part? Not in this book, you don't. The world is a living, breathing character.

In many ways, this story is a fairy-tale. A dark, shivery fairy-tale with an intensity that grabs hold and doesn't let go. I am having trouble describing the atmosphere, it is so different from other books. It is macabre and wondrous, beautiful and frightening, all at the same time.

I generally dislike books with multiple main characters and story-lines, but it didn't bother me for a moment in Cobweb Bride, so skillfully were they woven together. The murdered princess unable to die, the unappreciated daughter who finds purpose, the conflicted young knight...their unconnected lives suddenly inextricably bound together. I found it fascinating to watch everyone react to a world where people were suddenly unable to die. Wonder, horror, revulsion, fear, grief - everyone reacts differently.

The author does a wonderful job in explaining how important death is, in ways both obvious and unexpected. When suddenly no one and nothing dies, the world becomes, oddly enough, a scarier place. It is rare to find a fantasy novel of such depth.

I would recommend this book to pretty much everybody. I honestly can't think of a single complaint or flaw. This story can be enjoyed equally by men and women, teens and adults. It's the closest to a perfect book I've come across in a long time.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 4.10 for some mid-level swearing and name-calling.

Sexuality:
I give it a 2.10 for some innuendos and mild references.

Violence:
I rate it a 7.10 for murder, battle and some descriptive gore.

                                     Lieder Madchen