Blood bound by Patricia Briggs

Blood bound is the second book in the Mercy Thompson series, and the fourth book set in the world shared with the Alpha & Omega series.  This review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the other books and I highly recommend reading them in the correct order.  So go back and read Moon called (Mercy Thompson) and Cry wolf and Hunting ground (Alpha & Omega) before reading anymore of this review.

The werewolves have come out and the world is coming to terms with more preternatural creatures roaming the world - the Fae are not alone.  As one of the lucky few, Adam Hauptman has become one of the faces of the werewolves, a hero who will make people think of werewolves in a positive light rather than a creature from their nightmares that might try and eat them.  The vampires are still a secret though, a tricky little thing when Mercy discovers that there is a vampire in town who harbours a demon inside.  Every where this demon riding vampire goes violence follows, and Mercy gets to see first hand just how much power he has when he messes with Stefan's head in a bad way.

When Stefan asks Mercy to testify to events she has no idea that she is about to be dragged into a deadly game of cat and mouse that will include Adam and his pack as well as Samuel before the chase is over.  Nothing should be able to take on vampires and werewolves with impunity, but this demon-riding vampire is able to do just that - and where muscle and brawn fail a little skin walker might be able to prevail, but at a cost.  Mercy barely understands what it truly means to be a walker, and all her skills and courage are going to be pushed to the limits before this battle is over - and not everyone will walk away unscathed.  How far is Mercy wiling to go to stop true evil, and to protect the people she loves?

Binge reading the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series has been something of a guilty pleasure - mostly because it is so easy to read adn get absorbed in the action and the drama.  Binge reading between the series also makes the differences between the two series more apparent - Alpha & Omega is essentially a love story (with some pretty incredible obstacles in the way), while the Mercy Thompson series is somewhat more along the lines of a traditional fantasy series with a truly inspiring heroine.  

There is a lot to like in this series, particularly the treatment of the werewolves and the fact that real thought has gone into making them more like true canids rather than people wearing wolves clothing, or brainless beasts who lose control completely.  The mythology of this world is truly amazing, and I look forward to binge reading the rest of the series again so I can fill in the gaps in my reviews!

The recommended reading order is:

• Moon called
• Cry wolf (Alpha and Omega)
• Hunting ground (Alpha and Omega)
• Blood bound
• Iron kissed
• Bone crossed
• Silver borne
• River marked
• Fair game (Alpha and Omega)
• Frost burned
• Dead heat (Alpha and Omega)
• Night broken

And to fill in the gaps there are some new (and old) short stories in:

• Shifting shadows: Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson

If you like this book then try:

• Tinker by Wen Spencer
• Night shifted by Cassie Alexander
• Kitty and the midnight hour by Carrie Vaughn
• Dark descendant by Jenna Black
• Burning water by Mercedes Lackey
• Blood price by Tanya Huff
• Urban shaman by C.E. Murphy
• Spiders bite by Jennifer Estep
• Dead witch walking by Kim Harrison
• Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

Reviewed by Brilla

Omens by Kelley Armstrong

Olivia Taylor-Jones has enjoyed a life of privilege - raised by loving and wealthy parents who were able to give her all their love and all the resources their money could offer.  She has wanted for nothing, and she will soon be married to her very own loving husband in the form of James Morgan.  The one spot of disappointment in her life is not being able to find a job, but her parents money means she can offer her time in volunteer roles.  It seems as though her future is going to be a happy marriage to a man who adores and respects her, returning to school to gain her masters, and then looking for a suitable job.  Clear, simple, precise - and driven completely off course when she discovers that her loving parents are not her biological parents.  Her biological parents are serial killers and the revelation has become national news and derailed all her plans.

Driven from Chicago by the press and their interest in her, Olivia finds herself in the small town of Cainsville - a place she had never even heard of before.  The people of the town are strangely interested in her life, and they seem to know a lot more about Olivia than she knows about herself.  One of the unexpected new acquaintances in her life is lawyer Gabriel Walsh, who represented her birth mother in a failed appeal.  Gabriel is driven, focused, and determined to be involved in the case - even though Olivia is not in a position to pay him for his time.  It is an uncomfortable relationship for both of them, and it soon becomes clear that Gabriel is playing his own long game and that he can't really be trusted - but Olivia needs his help more than she knows.

I picked up Omens because I was looking for something to read and it was shelved in my library's crime section (don't worry the rest of the series is in fantasy).  I was absorbed in the story right from the start, not only because it starts with a bang, but also because the characters and character development are so strong - this is a book that balances plot development with character development very nicely.  I like Olivia and her world immensely - she is not a whining socialite who helplessly flaps her hands and waits to be rescued.  Olivia is a woman who knows her own mind and who is not afraid of getting her hands dirty, and there are some laugh out loud moments as Gabriel realises just how feisty she is and how well she can hold her own.  

This is an exciting series and I am looking forward to jumping into book two because this is not your average supernatural series, there is some truly original ideas here that will appeal to a wide range of readers.

 If you like this book then try:

• Night shifted by Cassie Alexander
• Dark descendant by Jenna Black
• Moon called by Patricia Briggs
• Spiders bite by Jennifer Estep
• Prowlers by Christopher Golden
• Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway
• Dead witch walking by Kim Harrison
• Blood price by Tanya Huff
• Summon the keeper by Tanya Huff
• Children of the night by Mercedes Lackey
• Cast in shadow by Michelle Sagara
• Eight million gods by Wen Spencer
• Alien taste by Wen Spencer
• Kitty and the midnight hour by Carrie Vaughn

Reviewed by Brilla

Hunting ground by Patricia Briggs

Hunting ground is the second book in the Alpha and Omega series, and the third book set in the world shared with the Mercy Thompson series.  This review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the other books and I highly recommend reading them in the correct order.  So go back and read Moon called (Mercy # 1) and Cry wolf (Alpha and Omega #!) before reading anymore of this review.

Anna is finally settling down into married life with Charles, and her wolf is very settled with her mating to Brother Wolf.  It is a precarious balance though, as echoes of Anna's brutalised past keep cropping up at unexpected times, making it difficult for her to truly relax and enjoy her new life.  Those echoes of abuse haven't put Charles off, but every time one of them withdraws it makes life challenging as they try and find their balance again.  

When Charles and Anna are sent to attend a meeting of werewolves from around the world it is guaranteed to be an interesting time.  The Marrok's plan to bring the wolves out into the world is not a popular one, even though the wolves are vulnerable to threats and blackmail as long as they are secret.  As the Marrok's enforcer Charles has power and position among the Alpha wolves - even though he is not an Alpha himself.  When Anna is attacked and almost kidnapped at the meeting it becomes clear that someone is willing to do anything to keep the wolves a secret - but there are plenty of suspects and very little time.

I have been re-reading the books in the Alpha and Omega and Mercy Thompson series in the order suggested on the Patricia Briggs's website - an order that is quite different to the published order in some cases.  I have to confess that in many ways the Alpha and Omega storylines are my favourite, partly because the weight of the story falls on Anna and Charles equally - while in Mercy's world the story falls on her shoulders with a supporting cast.  Re-reading Hunting ground was lots of fun and was over much too quickly for my liking, and I can't wait to get the next book in the recommended reading order (Blood bound) so I can keep visiting their world.

One of the interesting aspects of the Alpha and Omega novels is that Anna is a domestic violence survivor, having been abused by her former pack, but her transformation to werewolf doesn't heal the trauma overnight.  I had forgotten how damaged Anna was in these early books, and I have a great deal of respect for Briggs and the way she has handled Anna's pain and her past.  This is one of the better series for werewolves as the characters are fully formed and very "human" while at the same time they display so many of the characteristics of a real wolf pack.  This is a fantastic series that deserves to be discovered, and the Alpha and Omega novels provide a nice balance to the Mercy Thompson novels - an amazing idea to weave two separate stories together as it creates a richer world that is more rewarding for it's readers.  Hopefully there are many, many more to come.  

One of the most hysterical things for me about reading the book was not the book itself, but rather than fact that the library copy I borrowed had dog hair in the pages - real dog hair, from something like a black Labrador or German shepherd.  So either someone was reading this to their dog (which is kind of cute), or a werewolf was reading the book and shedding while they were at it!

The recommended reading order is:

• Moon called
• Cry wolf (Alpha and Omega)
• Hunting ground (Alpha and Omega)
• Blood bound
• Iron kissed
• Bone crossed
• Silver borne
• River marked
• Fair game (Alpha and Omega)
• Frost burned
• Dead heat (Alpha and Omega)
• Night broken

And to fill in the gaps there are some new (and old) short stories in:

• Shifting shadows: Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson

If you like this book then try:

• Tinker by Wen Spencer
• Night shifted by Cassie Alexander
• Kitty and the midnight hour by Carrie Vaughn
• Dark descendant by Jenna Black
• Burning water by Mercedes Lackey
• Blood price by Tanya Huff
• Urban shaman by C.E. Murphy
• Spiders bite by Jennifer Estep
• Dead witch walking by Kim Harrison
• Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

Reviewed by Brilla

Fatal fixer-upper by Jennie Bentley

Avery Baker is happy with her life in New York, working as a textile designer alongside her French boyfriend Philippe's in the incredibly competitive world of interior design - producing custom furniture of quality and taste.  She should be happy, but there is always the little niggle in the back of her mind that her life is a little too perfect, and more specifically what Philippe sees in her.  When a letter arrives from her estranged Aunt Inga inviting her to visit her in Waterfield to discuss something important, Avery somewhat reluctantly heads up to Maine - only to find her aunt died less than a week ago.  It is a huge shock, but nowhere near as shocking to learn that her aunt has made Avery her heir, and Avery is now the proud (and somewhat confused) owner of Aunt Inga's home and all her possessions.

When she returns to New York to decide what to do about the house and property she discovers that maybe she was right to worry about Philippe after all and high tails it back to Waterfield to lick her wounds in private and see out the summer while renovating the house.  It is not going to be a straight forward renovation however, as Derek Ellis the local renovations handyman has some very clear ideas about what she should be doing (and not doing) with her house.  As if having to deal with a stubborn yet attractive handyman is not enough, Avery also has to deal with some very mysterious "going on's" in her house - including missing items and near death experiences.  There is a lot of interest in Aunt Inga's house, and if Avery is not careful she could end up in the same place as Aunt Inga - or will she just vanish like the missing history professor?

I really only discovered murder mysteries last year when one of our regular library customers suggested that I try one - and I discovered that I like/love them (depending on how well they are written).  I just adore the Miranda James "Charlie and Diesel" books, and loved the three books in the Elise Hyatt series about a furniture restorer who can't help but stumble across murder mysteries.  Fatal fixer-upper falls somewhere in between the two series in terms of pace and structure, and while it took a few chapters for me to be truly hooked, I read the book in an afternoon because I didn't want to put it down.  

The underlying murder mystery here has meat and substance, a read whodunnit that will keep you guessing as you try and untangle the suspects and clues.  The human relationships took a little getting used to, as did Avery's voice, which seemed a little condescending to begin with.  This was a great little puzzle and fun to read, I can't wait for the next book to arrive so I can see if Bentley is able to keep the pace and chemistry active through more than one story (and to see what is next for Avery and Derek).

If you like this book then try:

• Murder past due by Miranda James
• Classified as murder by Miranda James
• Dipped, stripped, and dead by Elise Hyatt
• French polished murder by Elise Hyatt
• Lending a paw by Laurie Cass
• Books can be deceiving by Jenn McKinlay
• Pies and prejudice by Ellery Adams
• One for the money by Janet Evanovich
• Death of a kitchen diva by Lee Hollis
• Death of a country fried redneck by Lee Hollis

Reviewed by Brilla

Crown of midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of midnight is the second book in the Throne of glass series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first book in the series.  This series is best enjoyed in order so I suggest you read Throne of glass before you read any more of this review.

After winning the competition and becoming the King's Champion, life has become a daily challenge for Celaena.  As Champion she is the tool of her King, sent to deal with those brave or foolish enough to stand in his way.  It feels as though she is in a nightmare, with the ones she loves starting to keep their distance from her and what she represents.  The worst part is that the King seems to revel in the bloodshed, each severed head or token of identity accepted with a gloating calm.  It seems as though Celaena has settled back into her old ways, an assassin who is the perfect tool for a ruthless and blood thirsty King.

But Celaena is not the perfect tool she appears, she is quietly defying the King and everything he stands for by offering his targets a choice - give up their names and flee for their lives to a land far away, or die by her hand.  Life would be so much easier if she could tell her friends the truth, it would stop them withdrawing from her, judging her with false beliefs.  It is a delicate balancing act to maintain, treading a careful path of trust and honestly, and secrets kept to keep those she loves safe from harm.  When the unthinkable happens and one of the people she loves most is taken from her, the controlled veneer of civility and control snaps and she turns into something that none of them recognise.  With a new danger on the horizon Celaena is about to face one of the biggest challenges of all - controlling the darkness inside herself.

I first read Throne of glass over two years ago, so one of the first things I did before reading Crown of midnight was to pick up a copy of Throne of glass and read it again - and I am glad I did because part of the richness and experience of reading Crown of midnight comes from reading Throne of glass.  I was instantly captured once again buy Celaena and her world, a world that doesn't shield it's predominantly teen audience from the brutality and horrors of the world - this is a gritty and thoroughly engaging world that leaves you in no doubt that something dark and dangerous stalks the land (other than Celaena that is).  

Too many fantasy books for teens stick to a light and fluffy path, almost as if the author doesn't believe their teen audience can handle the truth, or worried that the parents will object if it is too realistic.  Maas has walked a fine line with her stories, weaving together a completely believable world of intrigue, danger, and violence that could easily have happened in the past - or could be happening right now on another world.  Her characters are richly imagined, fully formed and ready to engage fully with their world.  You soon find that each character is perfect with their imperfections, their flaws and faults are what make them perfect.  There are archetypes of characters here, but they are not what you would expect - not surprising for a series loosely based on the Cinderella story (where just happens to be an assassin rather than waiting for a fairy godmother to save her).   

I am very much looking forward to reading the next two books in the series, and I am thrilled to know she will be visiting Auckland soon and that I will get to meet her - hopefully not as a gushing fangirl!  Hopefully Maas will continue to write long after she has finished this series as she is a very talented author and is filling a much needed niche in the teens market - writing stories that talk up to teens and treat them as equals rather than talking down to teens or smothering them in written cotton wool.

If you like this book then try:

• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Ink and bone by Rachel Caine
• Arrows of the queen by Mercedes Lackey
• The kiss of deception by Mary E. Pearson
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Grave mercy by Robin LaFevers
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
• The pledge by Kimberly Derting
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
• The demon trapper's daughter by Jana Oliver

Reviewed by Brilla

Beast by Ally Kennen

Life is anything but easy for 17 year old Stephen.  As a foster kid he is living with a family that is not his own, one screw up away from a life on the street or behind bars - or at least that's what his foster family seems to think.  For the past few years his life has revolved around getting through the day and escaping the attentions of his conniving foster sister Carol, who seems to delight in making his life a confusing hell.  Stephen is honest with himself at least, he knows he isn't perfect - how can he be when he is keeping a vicious beast hidden in a cage at the local reservoir.  His life is a careful balancing act, and that balancing act is about to come crashing down through no fault of his own.

Beast is one of those rare books that was an excellent read when it was written, and has barely dated in the ten years since.  Stephen is an incredibly sympathetic character to relate to, and I find him unusual in that although he is essentially painted as a "bad apple" by his social worker, his foster family, and pretty much everyone else - he is in fact a very responsible young adult who is trying to make his way with some incredibly heavy emotional baggage and secrets.  Most teenagers struggle day-to-day because being a teenager is horrible - you are caught between being treated like a child and being expected to make grown up decisions, you are expected to make decisions about your future when you are struggling to decide who you are as a person, and you are also dealing with all the physiological changes that come on the back of hormonal and brain chemistry changes.  Stephen is not perfect, but he is the perfect character to experience this story through.

Rather unusually, Kennen has chosen not to pull a lot of punches with her story - even though it is a relatively short novel to contain all emotional baggage and social commentary it does.  In many ways this is the novel I would have craved as a teenager, hard hitting and honest about what life can be like if you don't live in a white picket fence world with both your parents.  While this story is based in the United Kingdom, it could just as easily be a story set in other parts of the world - foster children are kicked to the curb when they "age out" all over the world, expected to fend for themselves when most children are still protected and supported by their parents.  Kennen is a hard hitting author who gave me several enjoyable hours as I sank back into the story of Stephen and his monster.

A great read if you like books for teenagers about what life is really like for teenagers - rather than something light and fluffy.

If you like this book then try:

• Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
• Finding Jennifer Jones by Anne Cassidy
• Furious Jones and the assassin's secret by Tim Kehoe
• Girl, missing by Sophie McKenzie
• Nickel plated by Aric Davis
• Forbidden island by Malcolm Rose
• Burning blue by Paul Griffin
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher
• Dead to you by Lisa McMann
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Hate list by Jennifer Brown
• Living dead girl by Elizabeth Scott
• I swear by Lane Davis
• Such a pretty girl by Laura Wiess
• The mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Reviewed by Brilla

The last place by Michael Adams

The last place is the final book in the Last trilogy.  This review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first books in this trilogy.  This is one of those series where it really pays to read the books in order so stop reading this review now and read The last girl and The last shot before reading the review!

The past few months feel like years to Danby and the other survivors of the Snap.  Their once safe and comfortable world is slowly crumbling into ruin as the mighty machine starts to fall apart without the human cogs in it's machine.  A life of certainty is now a life on the run hiding from an army of Jack's that are determined to bring Danby back, determined to stop at nothing to get what he wants, and no one is safe from his far reaching mind.  Danby is determined to bring Jack down, so determined that she is finding herself increasingly isolated, her determination mistaken for a blood lust.  Her determination is what keeps her going, her determination to free her brother Evan from Jack's grasp - either by rescuing him or by releasing his soul from his body.

This is a difficult book to review, because talking about what makes the book so great would ruin the twists and turns that make it so interesting.  This has been a truly original and intriguing series, one that stands out in a field full of dystopian novels and series that seem to crop up in batches.  The concept is new and seemingly completely random, one that doesn't fit into any of the dystopian threads that seem to be so popular at the moment.  The writing style is interesting too, not light and fluffy or written at break neck speed - and at times I have to confess that I found it a little off-putting, but I persevered because the story and characters were so interesting and absorbing.  

This third book in the series brings the story of Danby and Jack to a very satisfying close - not a neat cookie cutter ending, but one that does leave you with a sense of closure (at least for now).  One of the most annoying things Adams does is jump around in time though - it took a few chapters for me to realise that he was doing a chapter in the past, then a chapter in the present, and then a chapter in the past.  It had been so long since I read the first and second books that it took a little time to dredge up all the names of the characters and how they fit into the story.  Too often books for teenagers take a "once over lightly" approach, taking an idea and watering it down for the teen audience - Adams doesn't do that, there are some very hard hitting themes in this series and The last place is no exception.  This is not a series for younger teen readers who are reading books on their own, however younger teens with a supportive adult they can talk issues through with, or older teens who like a gritty, hard hitting read should find a lot to like here.

In many ways I would describe the Last trilogy as Tomorrow, when the war began for a new generation.  Adams has brought the Australian landscape to brutal life, creating a battle field where a small guerrilla force takes on a seemingly unstoppable army.  It will be interesting to see what Adams comes up with next - and we can all hope that a world like Danby's doesn't truly lie in our future.

If you like this book then try:

• The last girl by Michael Adams
• The last shot by Michael Adams
• Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang
• The arrival by Chris Morphew
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan
• XVI by Julia Karr
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• The limit by Kristin Landon
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• Slated by Teri Terry

Reviewed by Brilla

Restoree by Anne McCaffrey

The threat came from the sky, an unknown terror that appeared from nowhere and caused Sara to faint after glimpsing a shape in the sky - a faint that transformed into a waking dream of disjointed memories of bodies and intense smells.  When she truly reawakens she discovers that she is in a strange place where she is the caregiver of a man who has been struck down by mental illness, a strange irony considering she herself has faced mental trauma.  As her nerves settle and her awareness fully returns Sara discovers that the man she cares for is not suffering from any mental illness and is instead the victim of a conspiracy that has trapped him in his own mind through the use of a powerful drug.  Because his captors think Sara is a simpleton, capable of only following the simplest of instructions, she learns more than she should and sets herself on the dangerous path of trying to free the man from his drugged stupor.

Freeing Harlan from his drug induced state is only the first step though, because once he is free of the drugs and asylum it becomes apparent that the world he left behind is greatly changed - and not for the better.  Harlan needs to return to the Palace, but he is too easily recognised, and his enemies are hunting for him.  Sara is not so easily recognised and has a greater chance, but she is ignorant about the planet she now calls home and her ignorance threatens not only her safety, but also Harlan's.  It is a race against time for Harlan to regain his place, and it seems as though the fates are playing a cruel game with their lives - one moment saving them from disaster through some weird stroke of luck, only to turn the next moment into a comedy of errors that threatens everything.  

The Restoree is one of the books that I seem to drift back to every couple of years, a book I read to reboot my reading palate before I dive into another book or series - a firm favourite I know I will enjoy reading again and again.  I am not sure what draws me back so frequently, it may be because it is a deceptively simple story wiht little twists and turns that niggle at the back of your mind, or maybe it is because so much rests on the shoulders of our heroine and we get to discover this new world through her eyes, or maybe it is just because it is a standalone book that lets you dive into the world without having to bother about when you will find time to read the rest of the series once you are hooked (yes I am looking at Dragonflight and the rest of Pern when I say this!).  

While Restoree lacks the finesse and charm of McCaffrey's later books, Sara is an engaging character in her own way - drawing you into the experience through her own eyes.  She is not a perfect character, she lacks confidence and is incredibly naive in some ways, but she is also feisty and not willing to lie down and take the hand the fates have dealt for her.  The language is a little stilted in places, but that reflects the era the book was written in and reflects a young author coming into her talent - at times the pace is a little uneven but the wealth of characters makes up for this.  Even though I have read this book countless times over the years I was still surprised by parts of the story, having forgotten in the intervening years the minutia of the story.  There are villains, there are heroes, and there are everyday people in this story - something for everyone to enjoy.  In many ways this is classic science fiction, rather than the blend of fantasy and science fiction that became McCaffrey's trademark.

If you like this book then try:

• The crystal singer by Anne McCaffrey
• Decision at Doona by Anne McCaffrey
• The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey
• Tinker by Wen Spencer
• Eight million gods by Wen Spencer
• Alien taste by Wen Spencer
• The ship who sang by Anne McCaffrey
• Werehunter by Mercedes Lackey
• Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
• Sassinak by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon
• Cast in shadow by Michelle Sagara

Reviewed by Brilla