Devil's advocate by Jonathan Maberry

When your father is in the United States Navy you get used to moving around, but that doesn't mean it gets easier.  For Dana Scully the move to small town Craiger, Maryland is one move of many - nothing special.  Her older sister Melissa has made herself at home in their new town, but making friends is harder for the reserved and shyer Scully sister.  Settling into routines is only part of the challenge, Dana has been having vivid and disturbing dreams, and when she sees a girl in the locker room who happens to be dead she finds herself even more on the outside looking in.  There is already a divide between the town kids and the navy kids, and being labelled a freak makes it harder for Dana to fit in.

When it becomes clear that there is a link between Dana's dreams and the teenagers who are dying, she can't resist investigating.  For someone who wants to have faith and wants to believe, it is a challenge to figure out what is real and what is not.  Her new friends may be able to help her solve the mystery, but not everyone is what they seem.  With her dreams haunted by an angel that leaves a trail of death and destruction, Dana seeks help to untangle her developing psychic gifts.  Time is running out though, the angel has plans for Dana Scully, and so does the mysterious Agent Gerlach.  Can Dana untangle the mystery before someone else dies?

I have been an X-Files fan for years, eagerly watching each episode (when it finally appeared on New Zealand television) and ordering copies of the books from the States (because you couldn't buy them here!) so when I discovered the X-Files origin books I was eager to read them to see how the younger characters were portrayed.  I read Agent of chaos first because it had Mulder as the main character, and after reading a few other books to clear the story out of my head I jumped into Devil's advocate and I have to say that after finishing it I was left with the rather unflattering impression that while Kami Garcia nailed the Fox Mulder character, Jonathan Maberry missed something when he wrote the backstory for Dana Scully.

Agent of chaos was effortless to read and I read it in a single sitting, but I had to force myself to keep reading Devil's advocate.  If I had to explain why it comes down to two things - one, the story was too in-depth and convoluted - two, the character just doesn't seem to sync perfectly with the adult version of Dana Scully that has become so familiar from the television show and other novels.  If the focus of the novel had been another character I would have enjoyed it much more, but so many little things kept bugging me.  Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book - for me it just feels like it was slightly wrong the whole way through.  Judge for yourself though as you may be able to ignore the little niggles and thoroughly enjoy the book.

If you like this book then try:

• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• The Christopher killer by Alane Ferguson
• The X-Files origins: Agent of chaos by Kami Garcia
• X-Files: Ground zero by Kevin J. Anderson
• X-Files: Ruins by Kevin J. Anderson
• X-Files: Antibodies by Kevin J. Anderson
• X-Files: Skin by Ben Mezrich
• X-Files: Whirlwind by Charles Grant
• X-Files: Goblins by Charles Grant

Reviewed by Brilla

All dressed in white by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

All dressed in white is the third book in the Under suspicion series that began with I've got you under my skin by Mary Higgins Clark.  While you can read this book on it's own, there are some ***SPOILERS*** if you have not already read I've got you under my skin.  I recommend reading the first book in the series before reading any others.

Laurie Moran is preparing to pitch the possible topics of the next Under suspicion special to her boss Brett Young, when another possible storyline appears in her office in the form of a grieving and desperate mother.  Five years ago Amanda Pierce was getting ready to marry in Florida, but on the night before her wedding she vanishes without a trace.  She was immediately dubbed the Runaway bride and her disappearance was treated as a perfunctory exercise in police work.  Years later her mother Sandra reaches out to Laurie in the desperate hope that she can revisit the case and solve the mystery of Amanda's disappearance.

When her boss agrees to do the special Laurie is a little surprised, but as the pieces fall into place for organising the venue and the rest of the people involved in the case it seems that fate is stepping in to help get the mystery solved.  It soon becomes clear to Laurie that everyone is keeping secrets, that not everyone is what they seem, and that even five years later people are still hurting from the sudden disappearance of a young woman who had everything to look forward to.  As Laurie and Alex dig deeper into the mystery and start uncovering the secrets people have kept buried, the truth is slowly revealed - but there is more than one life at stake here.

After very carefully trying to read this series in order, I managed to pick up book three (All dressed in white) before picking up book two (The Cinderella killer) - but I don't think I ruined any surprises for myself.  This series is engaging because not only does it rely on cold cases (which adds distance from the cases) but also because it has rapidly switching chapters which mean you get to see what is happening from different points of view.  Some of the chapters are very short, which maybe a distraction from some readers, but I am used to it having read countless James Patterson books and I tend to like that style as the story keeps moving at a decent pace. 

This is a very good series if you enjoy modern whodunnits - Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke have a well blended writing style and they seamlessly present the story as one voice.  The cold case may be the centre of the story, but the people and their stories are woven around the centre so that you are left knowing them and why the case unfolded the way it did.  I am looking forward to getting my hands on The Cinderella killer so I can see how their second case ended - and it looks like the fourth book (The sleeping beauty killer) will have more about the core cast of characters which is something to look forward to as well.

 If you like this book then try:

• I've got you under my skin by Mary Higgins Clark
• The Cinderella murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
• City of fear by Alafair Burke
• Now you see her by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Behind closed doors by B.A. Paris
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• One step too far by Tina Seskis
• City of the lost by Kelley Armstrong

Reviewed by Brilla

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Specials is the third book in the Uglies series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** about what happens in Uglies and Pretties - and this is a series where you really need to read the books in order for maximum understanding and enjoyment.

Tally Youngblood is part of Special Circumstances, the secret policing force that keeps the Pretties in line and under control.  But even in Special Circumstances there are the elite, and Tally and her fellow Cutters are that elite - pushing themselves to the limit to root out the Uglies and Pretties working with the New Smoke.  It is a never ending task, and it soon becomes clear that Tally and Shay are going to have to take matters into their own hands to stop the New Smoke once and for all - without the knowledge of their commanding officer Doctor Cable.  Tally is determined to bring down the New Smoke and their leaders, because they cost her, and they are going to pay.

Specials in the last book in the original Uglies series, and brings to a close the story arc that started in Uglies.  As I have said before this series is a great read, but rather difficult to review well as the twists and turns are what makes it such a great read (and I don't want to risk spoilers).  Binge reading this series is definitely the way to go, as it keeps the events fresh in your mind and makes it easier to connect all the dots together.  Tally is an interesting character to see the world through as although she is often a pawn in other peoples games, she shows amazing resilience and adaptability - she is also flawed and human which makes her the imperfectly perfect hero. 

There are a lot of themes across these novels that are interesting to explore and question.  As one of the earliest examples of a dystopian series, Westerfeld has created a world where everyone is perfect and happy as adults so there is no war, serious disease, or poverty - but there is also no freedom, no real individuality, and everyone is kept under control in a somewhat sinister way (because everyone willingly submits to it).  There are times when I wish there had been a little more *pow* with the writing itself, but the characters make up for that over the course of the series. 

This series would work well for a class reading with themes around social control, friendship, and the implications of making everyone the same.  It is also a series that you can enjoy for it's own merits.  While this is officially the last book in the series, there is a fourth book (in the trilogy) called Extras which is set in another city and continues with some of the same themes and characters.

If you like this book then try:

• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• Slated by Teri Terry
• Renegade by J.A. Souders
• XVI by Julia Karr
• Partials by Dan Wells
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• Proxy by Alex London
• Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• ACID by Emma Pass
• Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• The scorpion rules by Erin Bow
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• Variant by Robison Wells
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Sister assassin by Kiersten White
• The declaration by Gemma Malley
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan
• Inside out by Maria V. Snyder

Reviewed by Brilla

Agent of chaos by Kami Garcia

Life hasn't been the same for Fox Mulder since his sister Samantha disappeared when she was 8 years old.  His parents have separated and live separate lives - his mother stayed in the family home in Martha's Vineyard, but his father has moved to Washington, DC to be closer to his work.  At seventeen years old Mulder leads an independent but lonely existence, his father is often gone for days at a time and he left behind his friends in Martha's Vineyard.  It's not all bad in DC though, for the first time in years he doesn't have to worry about the whispers about his missing sister, he has been able to start his senior year of high school without the past hanging over him. 

His weird factor is not completely gone though, the other students and teachers know about his photographic memory - and they would think he was even weirder if they knew about his interest (his father calls it his obsession) with serial killers and abnormal psychology.  When he stumbles across a crime scene where a child's body has been discovered, Mulder is the only one who makes the connection between the body and a missing girl.  The children are both 8 years old, and he can't help but make the leap that it might have something to do with his sister Samantha.  As Mulder digs into the case he takes his new bestfriend Gimble and his bestfriend from back home, Phoebe, along for the ride.

I am an undeniable fan of the X-Files and own six books that tie into the original television series and I was a little dubious about picking up Agent of chaos and Devil's advocate because I was more than a little worried that they might mess with the characters or be too different - so I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that I got completely lost in the story.  The expected X-Files moments are there (the CSM, Agent X, sunflower seeds, insomnia, sleeping on the couch) but there was so much more which makes it appeal to a wider audience. 

Even if you haven't seen a single episode of the X-Files this book makes sense and is a thoroughly engaging crime thriller.  There are passing moments that hint at the future to come, but predominantly this book is about a brilliant teenager who tackles a serial killer.  Adults and teenagers alike will enjoy this book, and it adds nicely to the mythology of Fox Mulder and why he is the way he is!  If you read this and want more X-Files novels then try hunting around at your local library or bookstore, or jump online and see if you can find the books written in the 1990's.

If you like this book then try:

• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• The Christopher killer by Alane Ferguson
• The X-Files origins: Devil's advocate by Jonathan Maberry
• X-Files: Ground zero by Kevin J. Anderson
• X-Files: Ruins by Kevin J. Anderson
• X-Files: Antibodies by Kevin J. Anderson
• X-Files: Skin by Ben Mezrich
• X-Files: Whirlwind by Charles Grant
• X-Files: Goblins by Charles Grant

Reviewed by Brilla

Ever the hunted by Erin Summerill

Life has never been easy, or kind, to Britta Flannery.  Her mother was from the neighbouring kingdom of Shaerdan, and she can not hide her mixed heritage - and the people in her village make no secret of their distrust and outright hatred of Britta.  The only saving grace was her father, who taught her all the skills she needs to survive in the woods.  Britta can track men and animals and can shoot a bow and arrow with deadly accuracy - skills that come in handy when you are trying to feed yourself or track down a criminal as the King's bounty hunter.  For years it has been Britta and her father Saul, but when Cohen apprentices to her father to become a bounty hunter their small family grows, but then Cohen walked out of their lives.

When Saul is murdered Britta must follow the custom of spending two months of mourning in the family cottage, and she nearly starves to death because none of the villagers follow the custom of bringing food to the grieving family.  When her mourning is up Britta makes the decision to poach in the King's forest to feed herself - a decision that leads to her making a terrible bargain to save her life.  She the choice of death by hanging for poaching, or tracking down Cohen - who is accused of killing her father.  Determined to live, Britta takes the deal and begins a game of cat and mouse with the student who learned alongside her.  It will be a brutal journey with many challenges, and Britta will have to face physical and emotional challenges if she is to unwrap the mystery of her father's death.

Like quite a few of my books recently, I found Ever the hunted on Instagram and was drawn in by the brief description and amazing cover art.  Reading the blurb was also tantalising - it promised so much and in some ways I was almost afraid to pick the book up in case it failed to meet my expectations - but I needn't have worried!  Britta is a strong female lead in the tradition of many fantasy series for young people, she is perfectly flawed and grows as she travels on her quest and learns some of the hard adult lessons we all learn as we grow older.  There are some of the traditional fantasy archetypes here and they are well executed - the villain, the young adventurer, the wise woman, and the first love. 

This is a fantasy novel that will appeal to older readers as well as younger teens with an older reading age - there is no gratuitous violence or sex, but there is strong character development and a believable world.  Summerill has created one of the rare straddling series, one that can be enjoyed by younger and older teens alike.  I particularly liked the fact that she didn't try and burden you down with too much detail, she allowed her world to expand over time - and her characters also expand in this way, allowing you to settle into the story without having to spend time untangling characters and what was important.  Some readers may feel that she is a little light on detail at the start, but I strongly recommend reading the book all the way through before you make any decisions as it is well written and answered all my questions by the end.  Now we just have to wait a year for the next book in the series.

If you like this book then try:

• Walk on Earth a stranger by Rae Carson
• Heart's blood by Jane Yolen
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Soundless by Richelle Mead
• Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• Dragon's keep by Janet Lee Carey
• Alanna the first adventure by Tamora Pierce
• The Safe-Keepers secret by Sharon Shinn
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Crown duel by Sherwood Smith
• The halfmen of O by Maurice Gee
• Winter of fire by Sherryl Jordan
• Dealing with dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
• Court of fives by Kate Elliott

Reviewed by Brilla

The house husband by James Patterson and Duane Swierczynski

Teaghan Beaumont has just started back at work after spending six weeks at home with her beautiful new baby boy Christopher - difficult for any mother, but when you are a homicide detective conning back to a hot case, and you have a fresh c-section scar it goes from difficult to challenging.  

An entire family has been found dead in their home and it soon becomes clear to Detective Beaumont and her partner Detective Diaz that it was a murder.  The weird thing is that it's not the first murder involving a whole family.  There have been other cases, and if they are not able to stop the killer then there could be many more to come.

Bookshots have a wide variety of books in the series - some tie in with other full novel series, while others are stand alone novellas.  The house husband is a stand alone novella which means you can dive in with no background and enjoy with no strings attached!  

I have read quite a few Bookshots and this has been one of my favourite so far and I think that is partly because of the darker edge that Duane Swierczynski brings (he has proven to be somewhat twisted with his other books).  There is a lot to like here, and it was really challenging (in a good way) to try and figure out what was happening - and the ending is just *wow*.

If you like this book then try:

• Private Royals by James Patterson and Rees Jones
• Zoo 2 by James Patterson and Max DiLallo
• The hostage by James Patterson and Robert Gold
• Black and Blue by James Patterson and Candice Fox
• Chase by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Airport code red by James Patterson and Michael White
• Level 26: Dark origins by Anthony E. Zuiker & Duane Swierczynski

Reviewed by Brilla

Bad blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Bad blood is the fourth book in The naturals series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first books in the series.  This is one series where you really need to read the books in order so make sure you read The naturals, Killer instinct and All in before you read Bad blood.

Life is never straight forward for Cassie Hobbes and the other members of the Naturals programme.  Their natural talents make them assets for the FBI, but because of the very nature of their programme they are forced to work under the radar and keep secrets from the people around them.  In many respects Cassie has had it easy compared to the rest of the Naturals but that is starting to change, as the serial killer society they have unwittingly been hunting has plans for Cassie and her friends.  

It all starts with a high profile missing person case that Michael's father decides to use as an excuse to get Michael to visit - just days before he turns eighteen and can legally cut all ties with his family.  It also starts when Cassie visits Dean's father in prison and leaves her vulnerable to his careful manipulations and carefully sown doubts - a bad place to be for a profiler of any age.  A perfect storm is brewing, one that will bring the Naturals head-to-head with a group of killers that will stop at nothing to keep their legacy alive for generations to come.

When I started reading Bad blood I didn't realise that it was the last book in the series which was kind of nice - it meant I didn't go into the book with any real expectations.  What I got was another excellent thriller about a group of young people who tackle cases that would leave adults baffled.  There have been little secrets and little hidden messages throughout the series, and with this final book those secrets are revealed and the little messages finally make some sense.  

Moving parallel to the crime/thriller/mystery aspect of the story is the human story, aspects of the past that have made all the characters who they are (love them or loath them).  As the story unfolds we come to understand more about Michael and his childhood, and Lia and her childhood - cookie crumbs that help round them out further from cliche to relateable and human.  There are some hard hitting emotional moments, and there are some thrilling/edge of your seat moments.  This has been an excellent series and is one that deserves to be discovered and read by teenagers and adults alike.  Barnes has an amazing understanding of human nature and the criminal behaviour which creates a thoroughly believable world that sucks you in and doesn't spit you out again until the ride is over.

If you like this book then try:

• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Acceleration by Graham McNamee
• Hate list by Jennifer Brown
• Guy Langman, crime scene procrastinator by Josh Berk
• A girl named Digit by Annabel Monahgan
• The Christopher killer by Alane Ferguson
• Nickel plated by Aric Davis
• Dead to you by Lisa McMann
• Crime seen by Jenny Pausacker
• Burning blue by Paul Griffin
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Such a pretty girl by Laura Wiess
• Living dead girl by Elizabeth Scott

Reviewed by Brilla

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Pretties is the second book in the Uglies series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** about what happens in Uglies and this is a series where you really need to read the books in order for maximum understanding and enjoyment.

Life in New Pretty Town is pretty bubbly for Tally Youngblood and her friends.  Every night is full of amazing parties and outrageous stunts - and an amazing sense of belonging with the hottest clique in town, the Crims.  The Crims always come up with the trickiest tricks and being among them makes Tally feel alive.  One night an Ugly crashes one of the parties and Tally's bubbly world comes crashing down because he has a letter for Tally - a letter that she wrote to herself, warning her about what being a Pretty really means and offering her a cure. When Tally takes the offered cure she discovers more about the way her city works, and her only hope for a future is to fight the system and escape into the wilds again.

This is one of those series that is amazing to read but more than a little difficult to review - because a long and lengthy review spoils the surprises and twists that make the book so amazing.  At the start of Pretties we have no real sense of time about how long Tally has been Pretty, but we know that it is long enough for her to have settled down into the decadent and self centered lifestyle of New Pretty Town.  Having read Uglies so recently the events were fresh in my mind and it was easy to drop back into the story, and easy to reconnect to Tally and her friends.  Like with Uglies there is a subtle building of story within Pretties that lets you ease into the story and reconnect with the characters before the story builds to the action and finale of the story.  

For some readers the story arc from Uglies to Pretties and then Specials may be too slow, but Westerfeld has done an amazing job of world building and character building across the series - a skill that some authors lack.  You care about Tally, and through Tally you grow to care about her friends, and by association you care about what happens to her world.  There are some amazing theses here that would work well with class readings - social control, government control, societal norms, the implications of surgery and genetics, self discovery, and coming of age.  A great older series that still has a lot of relevance today.

If you like this book then try:

• Renegade by J.A. Souders
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• XVI by Julia Karr
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
• Proxy by Alex London
• Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• ACID by Emma Pass
• Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• The scorpion rules by Erin Bow
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• Variant by Robison Wells
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Sister assassin by Kiersten White

Reviewed by Brilla

Magic's price by Mercedes Lackey

Magic's price is the final book in The last Herald mage series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** about what happens in Magic's pawn and Magic's promise and while you can read this story independently you will enjoy it more if you read the series in order.

The last few years have been hard on Herald mage Vanyel - the land of Valdemar is facing challenges from all sides and it is only his powerful combination of gifts that keeps the enemies at bay (or so it seems).  To ordinary people and Heralds alike he is a living legend, someone they look upon with awe and more than a little fear.  Luckily his Companion Yfandes helps him keep his feet on the ground, otherwise all the attention might go to his head.   Each year there are fewer and fewer Herald Mages to protect the borders of Valdemar and the lands of their allies, it is a troubling trend that has Vanyel worried on multiple levels.  His magic and skills, alongside those of the other Herald mages can only protect them all so far, and with other Heralds feeling like they are less because they are not mage Gifted it is a real concern. 

The rapid decline of his friend and King only adds to the stress - for Vanyel, the other Heralds, and the King's family.  King Randale is in constant pain from a mysterious illness that is slowly draining his life away, and it seems like a miracle when Vanyel's nephew Medren introduces him to Stefen another Bardic trainee.  Stefen has the near magical Gift of being able to relieve pain while he is playing.  With Stefen in attendance Randale is better able to cope with the challenges of his illness and running a kingdom, but that still leaves plenty of work for Vanyel.  As one by one his friends and fellow Heralds fall it falls on him to face his fears and face the dreams that Foresight have shown him - but he will not be alone in his fight.  Evil is stalking the land of Valdemar and one man must pay magic's price.

I knew (absolutely knew) how Magic's price was going to end as this is not the first time I have read the trilogy - but I still, still got tangled up in the story and got emotionally involved with the characters and the sacrifices they all faced.  I feel a little sheepish admitting to tears in my eyes at certain parts, but it is very hard not to get involved in Vanyel and his story - especially knowing that he walks into the events of the story with the knowledge that something bad is going to happen because of his Gifts. 

This is a bitter sweet finale for a trilogy that gets me every single time I read it, not just because it is a well written fantasy series, but also because of the circumstances and choices the characters have to make.  No one is perfect, no one is on a pedestal, and even though people in later years sing songs about the great legend of Vanyel, the reality is a man who is fragile, fallible, and very tragic in his loves and losses.  Some people I know didn't like this particular series that much because the romance was shaych (gay) and that is their choice, but one of the things I have always admired about Mercedes Lackey (and her Valdemar series in particular) is that relationships are treated equally whether they are man-woman, woman-woman or man-man.  I read a lot of Lackey novels as a teenager and I would credit the Valdemar series in particular with making me less judgemental of people because of who they were destined to love, or because they have different religious views.

It may be too late, but if you get emotionally involved with your characters I suggest you have tissues handy for certain parts of this story because you will most likely need them!

If you like this book then try:

• Magic's pawn by Mercedes Lackey
• Magic's promise by Mercedes Lackey
• Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
• Burning brightly by Mercedes Lackey
• Sing the four quarters by Tanya Huff
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
• Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
• The diamond throne by David Eddings
• Cast in shadow by Michelle Sagara

Reviewed by Brilla

Magic's promise by Mercedes Lackey

Magic's promise is the second book in The last Herald mage series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** about what happens in Magic's pawn and while you can read this story independently you will enjoy it more if you read the series in order.

Herald Mage Vanyel is exhausted - body and soul.  As the most powerful Herald mage left in Valdemar he has been deployed to the battlefront to take the place of not one, not two, but five Herald mages in their war with Karse.  He is worn away to nothing and being on the battlefield for a year has left him hypersensitive and with a hair trigger.  The worse thing is that his King has no choice but to deploy him to battlefields as he is literally the only person with the power and skill to do what is needed.  To save his friend the King has prodded Vanyel to take leave far away from Haven, which means he is making a much overdue long visit to his family holding - after all, the King can not call on his services if he is nowhere to be found!

The trip home is a dreaded pilgrimage, because although he is the most powerful Herald mage in Valdemar, and a high ranking Herald he always feels like a disappointment to his family.  It doesn't help that his mother refuses to accept that he is shaych and throws every eligible woman (young and old) in his direction in the hopes that he will change his mind and start a family of his own.  His Aunt Savil offers to accompany him as she is also overdue for an extended visit and the promise of support at home is almost too good to believe.  The rest will do Vanyel and Yfandes some good - but only if they actually get to rest.

A scream for help from a Companion and their new Chosen draws Vanyel, Yfandes and the rest of the family into a complicated mess over the border.  Tashir, heir to the throne has been accused of murdering his entire family and his people are baying for his blood.  Spiriting Tashir and his Companion across the border into the family home leaves Vanyel and his family vulnerable - because the killer has big plans and a couple of Heralds and their Companions are not going to stop them.  Something is coming, something that reeks of power and danger.  A storm is coming, and everything and everyone Vanyel loves is in danger.

After finishing Magic's pawn I jumped straight into Magic's promise - with the story picking up roughly ten years after the events in Magic's pawn.  I was once again dragged into the emotionally draining story of Vanyel and his path to becoming a living legend, and a legend that will be remembered for many years to come.  The Vanyel we see now is older and wiser than his younger self, someone who is able to look at the bigger picture and push aside emotion to deal with the things that must be dealt with.  His ability to compartmentalise the different parts of his life is one of his greatest skills - and probably one of the few things that stop him from going over the edge.  The legends talk about his power, but not about the little things and big things he has to deal with.  

Through the events in Magic's promise we see some of the reasons that he isolates himself and holds himself apart from others - it is difficult to lose people and have them used as pawns in power games if you don't make deep connections with other people.  Once again we also see some characters that bear the scars of emotional and physical abuse - the kind of characters that Mercedes Lackey has a knack for creating and making you care about.  This is a middle book - it builds on the story in the first book and sets the stage for what is to come in the last book - but it is a very good middle book.  I have already started reading Magic's price and the tears are already prickling knowing what comes next (not just because I have read it before, but also because the story of Vanyel is well known in later times).  

If you like this book then try:

• Magic's pawn by Mercedes Lackey
• Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
• Burning brightly by Mercedes Lackey
• Sing the four quarters by Tanya Huff
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
• Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
• The diamond throne by David Eddings
• Cast in shadow by Michelle Sagara

Reviewed by Brilla

Magic's pawn by Mercedes Lackey

Vanyel Ashkevron is the oldest son, the heir to the family holding - and a constant disappointment to his Lord father.  His father is a force of nature, huge and powerful, a man who has literally and figuratively fought for the family holding.  In contrast Vanyel is slight and pretty, more interested in music and scholarship than fighting, a masculine version of his lady mother.  The only person who seems to understand him is his older sister Lissa, and she can do nothing against their Lord father, she can only be there to pick up the pieces when things go badly.  When his arm is broken by the brutal arms master intent on moulding Vanyel into a man, it is the start of a downward spiral that see's Vanyel exiled to the tender care of his Aunt Savil in Haven.

On the journey to Haven Vanyel closes himself off from his emotions, determined to be made of ice and stone so nothing can ever hurt again.  When he arrives in the capital he is cold and distant from his Aunt and her students, protected from the pain of human contact, but also cut off from any chance of human warmth and companionship.  As time goes on Vanyel finds himself forming a relationship with Savil's student, a young man named Tylendel who is fighting demons of his own.  When a single moment of madness leads to Vanyel's gifts being violently awoken everyone is at risk unless Vanyel can see through the pain and the loss and find a way to tame the magic and power that is coursing through him - because without control his power could destroy him and everyone around him.

The last Herald mage series is one of the most important series to read in the Valdemar universe as it provides a lot of the background for the future series - both in terms of the events that echo from this time, but also because it is one of the series that shows the amazing depths of the lifebond relationships.  Through Magic's pawn we are introduced to Vanyel, the damaged and lonely boy who will become one of the most famous Heralds of all time.  As with many of Mercedes Lackey's young characters he is damaged and more than a little broken by his upbringing - an abrupt and dominating father who tries to force him into this own image, and a self centred mother who is as damaging with her demanding neediness and lack of concern for Vanyel's needs.  While they are not outwardly violent and physically abusive, anyone who has dealt with damaged teens knows that words and isolation are as damaging as weapons and physical violence.

It is has been a few years since I last read this series and I had forgotten how emotionally draining it is to read this early part of his life, the lack of love and isolation right through to the incredible sense of loss and wish to die.  I read this series for the first time as a teenager, and while I would class this series as adult fantasy now, there are a number of teenagers who would be able to cope with the emotional baggage that comes along with this series.  I am about to jump straight into book two to continue to story while it is still fresh in my mind - and as this is one of the series I own I don't have to wait for a library copy to appear. 

This is a highly recommended series, but just be warned that you are in for an emotional roller coaster ride with this most famous of Heralds.

If you like this book then try:

• Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
• Burning brightly by Mercedes Lackey
• Sing the four quarters by Tanya Huff
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
• Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
• The diamond throne by David Eddings
• Cast in shadow by Michelle Sagara

Reviewed by Brilla

The stranger game by Cylin Busby

It has been four years since Sarah, Nico's older sister, rode her bike away from the family home and disappeared.  Sarah was supposed to stay home and look after Nico, but she chose to sneak off and meet with her boyfriend instead.  In the weeks that followed everyone rallied around the family, the press conferences and missing persons posters a neon sign that screamed to the world the pain their family was in.  Over the years, the reports of possible sightings has drifted off, life drifting into a new kind of normal as everyone goes back to their lives - everyone except for the remains of their family, a threesome that was meant to be a quartet. 

Life can never truly go back to normal though, and while they may look like a family they are really three people living separate lives in the same space.  Nico may have returned to a somewhat normal routine of after school activities and having friends, but she is always aware that her mother is watching and waiting, holding her tight and keeping her too close.  That starts to change when the unexpected happens and Sarah is found - alive and suffering from amnesia.  Nico should be happy, it is a miracle that Sarah was found alive, but she keeps waiting for things to go back to normal.  She is waiting for the whispered jibes, the sarcastic biting comments, and disgusted looks.  The Sarah who comes home is strangely different though, she seems kind and more than a little lost, wanting to connect with the family she left behind.

I wasn't sure what to expect from The stranger game, but what I got was a well written novel with surprising depth and understanding of human nature in a relatively light and easy to read format (and yes I realise that sounds like a contradiction).  Through Nico's eyes and memories we gain a picture of an older sister that was cruel and abusive, physically and emotionally dominating over a younger and easily intimidated sister.  Her words and actions were calculated and cold, robbing a young Nico of her self confidence and self belief.  The Sarah that returns is changed by her own experiences and leaves Nico confused and on edge, waiting for the physical and verbal blows that never seem to come.  Over time Nico realises that the Sarah that has returned is not the same as the Sarah who left, and when a new threat arises for their family Nico must find a way to come to terms with the fact that things have changed and it is up to her to find acceptance with what was and what is.

This book is highly recommended for teens, and other readers, who enjoy books that have strong characters that you can connect with and see from the inside out.  There is a strong storyline that is easy to connect with, and more than once left me feeling an intense sense of empathy for the characters and what they are going through.  This may be a relatively short and lightly written book, but that makes it accessible to readers who enjoy character driven stories with depth, but who may not have strong reading skills.  Thoroughly satisfying and enjoyable, an emotional roller coaster that was totally worth the ride.

If you like this book then try:

• The face on the milk carton by Caroline B. Cooney
• I swear by Lane Davis
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
• Thousand words by Jennifer Brown
• You are my only by Beth Kephart
• The mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
• Girl, missing by Sophie McKenzie
• The way I used to be by Amber Smith
• Speechless by Hannah Harrington
• Lies we tell ourselves by Robin Talley
• Hate list by Jennifer Brown
• Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher

Reviewed by Brilla

Kill again by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene

Kill again is the sequel to Kill switch, and while the books can be read independently there are ***SPOILERS*** in this review if you have not already read Kill switch.  I highly recommend reading the series in order.

Having picked up the pieces of her life as best she can, Claire Waters has returned to treating patients as part of the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship that she almost walked away from.  It is not the same as before though, she is keeping her distance and keeping barriers in place after the events of the year before.  She can't keep those barriers up with Rosa though, one of her patients and a woman that seems to have been dealt bitter blow after bitter blow.  She lost her job, her husband, and her freedom - and then lost even more in prison to a guard who took advantage of the situation.  Freed from prison under the Fellowship programme, Rosa is making positive changes in her life and making progress - and then Claire sees a police man leading Rosa away in hand cuffs into an unmarked car. 

That moment is the start of a nightmare for Claire, because no one knows where Rosa is and no one seems to care apart from Claire.  When official channels can't or wont help Claire she reaches out to Detective Nick Lawler - the only cop that Claire thinks will help her.  Working together is risky for both of them, but for Nick it could mean the immediate end to a career that is almost over anyway.  His rapidly diminishing eye sight has him confined to a desk, stripped of his weapon and most of his self respect, but something about Claire's story pulls him into a mystery that they have to solve before there are more victims.

Reading Kill again took a little more effort than I usually like to spend on a book, partly because at times it felt like the pace was a little slow.  As with the first book in the series you can pick up on the television background for the writers, as some of the storyline lacked a consistent level of pace and punch - but on the screen it would have been fine.  I did like the challenge of trying to figure out what was going on, and that was the saving grace for this book.  I am not sure if I would pick up more books in the series, if there are more, but it was a good mental workout trying to figure out what was going on. 

I prefer books that have punch and a fast pace so some of the negativity would purely be my reading preferences and there will be plenty of readers out there who prefer a slower burn and more background building who will no doubt eagerly lap the story up and want more.  This is definitely a series that you have to try to see if it is your taste.

If you like this book then try:

• Kill switch by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene
• The devil's cure by Kenneth Oppel
• Catch me by Lisa Gardner
• Taken by Robert Crais
• The surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
• Heat wave by Richard Castle
• Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs

Reviewed by Brilla