Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard

… unique and very, very funny. It has the same gruesome humor as Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, but remains distinctive through the use of snappy one-liners and characters you’ll love to hate... Though Johannes Cabal the Necromancer is pitched mainly as comedic fantasy, it contains some extremely spine-tingling and creepy moments… This is the sort of book that, having finished it — even in the wee small hours of the morning — you want to wake up all your friends and insist they begin it immediately. Read the rest.

The Fire Dragon by Katharine Kerr

… In my opinion The Fire Dragon is by far the best book in the whole Deverry series. I was gripped throughout. Of necessity (considering the curse of the dweomer tablet), the first half of the story was bleak and heartbreaking. A number of my very favourite characters from this particular timeline came to fairly dire ends, which left me close to tears… The Fire Dragon had a very powerful impact, and I sense that Katharine Kerr is starting to unwind the real crux of the Deverry tale. I eagerly look forward to more… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

… The reason I was so taken by this lovely debut novel is because of the ‘surroundings’ to the plot. Rowling’s world of Hogwarts and her fantastic little twists to our familiar world are simply superb. From chocolate frogs that can actually jump to portraits from which the subjects sometimes leave — every little detail of the world is delightful!… Rowling also writes with great humour and an appreciation for the minds of children, and an understanding of what would appeal to them… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

… Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is where J.K. Rowling tightens up her act. The plot is excellently written with not too many of the loopholes that characterised the first two books… The book is sleek and not too long. I enjoy reading the Harry Potter books, but the later books definitely suffer from being longer than a few hundred pages. Here Rowling is forced to be efficient with her story, and it is all the more effective for it… this is a richly entertaining and imaginative story, in which the main characters really develop. I appreciated the strong plotline. I couldn’t wait to read the next one! Read the rest.

Johannes Cabal the Detective by Jonathan L. Howard

Johannes Cabal the Detective is the second book about the eponymous necromancer. I read the first book, Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, at the beginning of this year, and was enormously enamoured with the bitingly sarcastic gentleman in question. In fact, it has remained my number one read of 2010 despite fierce competition from other titles, and so I was almost nervous about picking up this second novel about Johannes Cabal in case it did not live up to the first. I am pleased to report that Johannes Cabal the Detective is just as darkly funny, original and snarky as the first novel in the series… Read the rest.

Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane

…Stacia Kane has written a tautly-paced, gripping and, above all, unique urban fantasy novel. The idea of a new world where ghosts can kill and where having the wrong tattoos brings a death sentence is brought to life with delicate touches in a prose that drives the story along. Her heroine, Chess, is far from the usual kick-ass know-it-all. She has many foibles, the main one being her drug dependency, which weakens her at key moments and puts her in dangerous situations. It could be all too easy to decry Chess for her stupidity, but instead Kane writes her in such a way that you are able to empathise, if not to understand. In a literary genre that is crowded with supernatural beings and heroines who are joining the monsters, Chess stands out as being all too human… Unholy Ghosts is gripping and brilliant. I can’t wait to read the next. Read the rest.

Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane

… I found Unholy Magic desperately hard to read — at the same time as I wanted to shake Chess and try to force her to find help, I also wanted to sob with her as her life came crashing down around her. There was one particular graveyard scene between Chess, Lex and Terrible that I almost had to skip past, it was so powerfully written and haunting… the plot is unpredictable and gripping, pitting Chess against an extremely chilling magic user. After reading certain scenes in Unholy Magic, I almost wanted to leave the light on at night!… Stacia Kane is writing a series that transcends the urban fantasy genre and should be read more widely. Her prose is excellent, characterisation and dialogue superb. This novel is bleaker and darker than the first, with a climax that leaves me longing to read City of Ghosts. I can’t recommend the Downside Ghosts highly enough. Read the rest.

Dragonspell: The Southern Sea (UK) or The Dragon Revenant (US) by Katharine Kerr

… certainly more groundbreaking fantasy has been produced since these. However, the Deverry books should not be dismissed lightly. Kerr’s style is warm and welcoming. The characters are well-written, and readers will care deeply about what happens to them… I think that readers of any epic fantasy would gain a great deal of enjoyment from the Deverry series… Read the rest.

The Good, the Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison

This is the second book in the series by Kim Harrison about Rachel Morgan, ex-IS runner, white witch, and now paranormal investigator… The Good, the Bad and the Undead ramps up the action, suspense, excitement, eroticism, and terror — it is a whirlwind of a story that doesn’t let you breathe until the last page has been turned… Harrison has produced a book that is heavy on the entertainment and light on any of the issues I had with the first book. The characters are intriguing, especially Al the demon and Trent, about whom we learn a great deal more in this book. In fact, a lot of the niggling little mysteries from the first novel are cleared up here in an outstanding fashion. I simply cannot wait to move onto the third Rachel Morgan book! Read the rest.

Terrier by Tamora Pierce

… Terrier is a fast-paced rollicking adventure, with both tense moments and times of comedy. Terrier could have been shorter by a few hundred pages than the 563 it clocks in at (Pierce usually writes shorter novels that are all the sharper for it) and some of Beka’s language (such as “peaches” ) doesn’t quite work, but overall this is another fine work by Tamora Pierce. It is rich with detail about the rough side of the capital city Corus, and pays homage to the crime genre in many places. Beka is another plucky heroine in the spirit of Alanna and Daine, and I’m sure she will be quickly taken to the hearts of readers. Definitely one for the girls, although boys will no doubt find much to secretly enjoy… Read the rest.

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison

For a Few Demons More is the fifth entry in Kim Harrison’s series about Rachel Morgan and the Hollows. I would say that this book is easily the best since book two — the action kicked off literally from page one and there were enough plot twists, complications, heart-pounding sex scenes, arguments, comedy moments, and terror to keep the pages turning at a vigorous pace!… For a Few Demons More was the first of the Hollows books that caused me outright emotional turmoil… this was an action-packed and exciting book and was possibly my favourite so far because I really enjoyed the new emotional punch that Harrison added… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was extremely gripping and exciting, with a great deal of plot progression. Here, Harry is dealing with the aftermath of the return of Lord Voldemort, and coping with the fact that he is kept very much in the dark about what is happening… Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts is dark, dark, DARK! … A lot of characters really develop through this book and it is fantastic to read more in-depth plotlines for Ron, Fred and George, Ginny and Snape amongst others… Two new characters really steal the show though… Read the rest.

Where Demons Dare (The Outlaw Demon Wails) by Kim Harrison

Where Demons Dare (The Outlaw Demon Wails in the US) is easily the best of the books so far in Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, featuring Rachel Morgan. I thoroughly enjoyed For A Few Demons More, but this entry into the series had me gripped from the very start… I loved the continual dropping in of secrets that have been built up from the first book of the series, and the resolution to various niggling little things that I have wondered about… I was impressed that Harrison could continue to change my opinion of characters who have been established at other points in the series… Where Demons Dare is a magnificent slice of escapism! Read the rest.

Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr

… The strength of Kerr’s writing is not so much in the story itself, but in the characters who inhabit it, and in the way she is able to tell each of the short stories about one of the lives that Brangwen lives. Her ability to get the reader invested in what is essentially a short story is exceptionally good. Read the rest.

Dawnspell: The Bristling Wood by Katharine Kerr

… All in all, Dawnspell is a great book. Because of the cliffhanger ending and the introduction of Taliesyn, readers will be desperate to read the fourth Deverry book as soon as they’re finished with Dawnspell, so have that ready! Katharine Kerr is doing a fabulous job bringing the world of Deverry alive. Read the rest.

Lex Trent versus the Gods by Alex Bell

… the best part of Lex Trent versus the Gods is the sheer imagination on display. Bell takes fairy tales, myths and exotic concepts, and weaves them into the story so that you are not surprised by wicked witches and fairy godmothers sharing the same woodland, or by griffins guarding the ladders that link Lands Above and Lands Beneath. I enjoyed the way that Bell gave us this nice mix of typical fantasy tropes, but combined them with rather more mundane settings. Even if the plot hadn’t been particularly good, Lex Trent versus the Gods would still be worth reading for this aspect alone… Read the rest.

Blood Pact by Tanya Huff

… Blood Pact is the tale of Dr. Frankenstein, brought up to date in a gruesome manner… the ending is explosive and heart-rending, and leaves plenty of questions for the next book… Blood Pact is grim and relentless, with very few moments that lighten the atmosphere. Even the humour is of the black variety. However … Huff writes this exceptionally well… Blood Pact is overwhelmingly creepy (in a good way), and definitely the best of the series. Read the rest.

The Red Wyvern by Katharine Kerr

The Red Wyvern is the first book in a new cycle of novels set in Deverry by Katharine Kerr, and as such new readers can start out at this point. I would recommend vehemently, though, that they do not since a number of storylines from prior novels come together or are referenced in this novel… The Red Wyvern is a great return to form for Kerr. I was somewhat disappointed in the last few DEVERRY novels — Kerr seemed very much to be writing by the numbers. Here her writing comes alive again — with intrigue, scheming, battle, fair maidens, dweomer mysteries, and high adventure… Read the rest.

The Black Raven by Katharine Kerr

… Kerr writes the past so beautifully. In fact, barring the few outright mentions of dweomer or Wildfolk, The Black Raven could be a strong historical novel about Celtic times. Kerr brings to life the politics, the in-fighting, the heraldry, the weaponry. It is very easy to enjoy all of the little details that she adds. One I would mention is the fact that the characters’ knowledge of medicine and surgery is limited to what was actually known at that time. So, when the princess Bellyra is suffering from postnatal depression, Nevyn talks about her humours being out of balance… Read the rest.

Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes

… if you’re looking for a a fantasy book filled with political intrigue or farmboys discovering their destiny, this might not be for you. For anyone who enjoys their fantasy daubed in blood and filled with crotch-stomping incidents, I would urge you to give Tome of the Undergates a try. The writing is demanding, breathless, and very, very aggressive — even the romance is conducted in an aggressive fashion… Tome of the Undergates is a debut novel with faults, but the faults are easy to overlook in exchange for the fun that is on offer… Read the rest.

The Spirit Stone by Katharine Kerr

The Spirit Stone is the fifth book in the Dragon Mage sequence by Katharine Kerr. The events in this book follow on directly from those in The Gold Falcon… I enjoyed The Spirit Stone, finding a number of new story strands to enjoy and seeing how Kerr is filling some of the gaps from previous stories… I cannot recommend this series highly enough. The Deverry novels are rich with details — realistic characters, political viewpoints, magic, adventure, romance, the Seelie, Elves, Dwarves, and Dragons — and truly deserves the description “epic.” Katharine Kerr is enormously underrated and has quietly put out one of the most accomplished long-running series in the field… Read the rest.

The Shadow Isle by Katherine Kerr

We’re finally reaching the end of the Deverry saga with The Shadow Isle, the penultimate book in the series. There is a sense of Katharine Kerr pulling together all those strands to finish off the series effectively, but some mysteries are still to be resolved… Once again, a solid addition to the Deverry series. In my opinion Kerr has never reached the heights of her first quartet (starting with Daggerspell). The characters and events of those four books seemed to complete the series very effectively, and everything that has come after is just adding for the sake of it. Having said that, all the Deverry books are very readable. Still filled with details of medieval life, still characters that bring the events to life, still epic events. I impatiently look forward to reading the final book. Read the rest.

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Kim Harrison introduces us to the world of the Hollows in Dead Witch Walking, a district close to Cincinnati that contains witches, weres, pixys and vampires — all those creatures that humans never realised existed until the Turn… the first hundred or so pages are a bit of a struggle as we get to know Rachel and the Hollows, while the rest of the book flies past once the plot kicks in… Dead Witch Walking has a number of laugh-out-loud moments, but there is also a warm heart to the book. The characters are people you end up caring a great deal about, and you definitely want to know more about them. I will be picking up the rest of this series! Read the rest.

Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding

… Retribution Falls is not without its issues, but the main emotion you have while reading it is pure, fist-punching-the-air fun. Frey is a rogue in the classic sense of the word, a character you just can’t help but root for, even though he is attempting to cheat and steal his way to a fortune. It is almost old-fashioned in its style, with its motley band of adventurers trading insults and banter while trying to clear their names of murder… I also appreciated the warm heart to this novel and the honest writing of some very emotional scenes… I would definitely recommend Retribution Falls to anyone who wants a light-hearted read (with a couple of darker moments!) in the company of some truly memorable and vibrantly-written characters… Read the rest.

Wolfsangel by M.D. Lachlan

… The strength of Wolfsangel lies in Lachlan’s superlative storytelling skill. He evokes the frozen wastes of the Viking kings. We feel the biting cold, see the bleak wilderness, hear the myths of the Gods. From the very first the characters are larger than life, yet still believable and easy to sympathise with… What really struck me as I read this novel, in fact, was the remarkable similarity in tone to David Gemmell’s work — and THAT is a compliment as far as I’m concerned. The historical leanings of the book coupled with some fine martial descriptions and a sprinkle of mysticism had me cheering at the idea that finally someone has taken up the mantle of our finest heroic fantasy writer!… Read the rest.

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

…The Silver Kiss is a beautiful, poetic and ephemeral little book… I am glad that in the wake of the Twilight phenomenon The Silver Kiss is seeing a wider audience, because it deserves to be read. It has two strong central characters with genuine motivations who affect each other’s lives and learn from the other. The girl does not depend solely on the vampire for succour and support; although lonely and scared, she can stand on her own two feet. The vampire is not emasculated by his love for a human girl… I would recommend it to anyone who does not like the cloying nature and poor writing of the Twilight books and their carbon copies on the market. This is the thinking girl’s Twilight… Read the rest.

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

…I enjoyed White Witch, Black Curse, but felt that there were certain elements of the plot that dragged a little bit. The whole banshee story feels tacked on… Despite this, there are some lovely moments. Everything to do with the demon Al fascinates me and he is fast becoming one of my favourite literary bad guys… Harrison has built the world of the Hollows extremely strongly, so that the reader now knows what the scent of burnt amber means, and understands the signals that can turn a vampire on… Thumbs up from me overall, though — White Witch, Black Curse is another solid addition to Harrison’s now-long-running series. Read the rest.

Cursed (UK) or Frostbite (US) by David Wellington

… In recent times many books involving werewolves have made these creatures soft and cuddly, taking away the animal quality from them. David Wellington more than makes up for this in Cursed… Cursed is a compulsive read — chilling, dark and fatalistic for much of its duration, but containing an element of hope to take onward to the second book in the series. Chey and Powell are characters that I want to journey with, and I found this ultra-realistic take on the werewolf myth a very effective addition to the canon of lycanthropy. Highly recommended. Read the rest.

City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane

…I adore this series, but I find that most series tend to have a weaker book. In my opinion, City of Ghosts is that book for Downside Ghosts… the whole plot dealing with Lauren from the Black Squad and their investigation seems unnecessarily complicated… To handle all of those plot elements in a tale that also seeks to provide a conclusion to very difficult personal relationships is a step too far, in my opinion, and the novel feels too rushed…  City of Ghosts is still a superior example of urban fantasy. Kane’s worldbuilding is without peer in this genre, presenting us with the Church and psychopomps, and then the scary Downside where Chess makes her life. The food, the markets, the characters all come to startling life. I’m thrilled that Stacia Kane is writing further books in the Downside series. The adventures of Chess are deeply satisfying, leaving you feeling real emotion about the heroine. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to read more — I will be at the front of the queue… Read the rest.

Darkspell by Katharine Kerr

Darkspell is the second Deverry book and it proves to be just as gripping as the first. Here we are dealing with a present time storyline of Jill and Rhodry’s life on the road as silver daggers, and the danger they face from masters of dark dweomer. Jill discovers more about dweomer from Nevyn as he tries to gently encourage her to fulfill her Wyrd (destiny). Read the rest.

Blood Price by Tanya Huff

Blood Price, the first of Tanya Huff’s Blood Books, is about Vicki Nelson, a private investigator, and Henry Fitzroy, a five hundred year old vampire and illegitimate son of Henry VIII. Clichéd urban romance story, right? Well, there are a few things about this novel that piqued my interest and guaranteed I’ll be reading the rest of the Blood Books… Read the rest.

Blood Debt by Tanya Huff

Blood Debt is the fifth and last book in the Blood Books series by Tanya Huff featuring Vicki Nelson, Henry Fitzroy and Mike Celluci. We pick up the tale as Henry finds himself haunted by a tormented ghost and realizes he needs Vicki’s help. It’s hard to review Blood Debt completely without spoiling the events at the end of Blood Pact, but I shall attempt it!.. Read the rest.

The Portable Door by Tom Holt

I’ve come late to the Tom Holt party, but I’m glad I finally made it. The Portable Door is the first book of his that I have read and I definitely intend to try more. The Portable Door is the story of Paul Carpenter, who takes a mysterious job in a mysterious firm where mysterious goings-on occur. I found it always interesting, a nice quick read, and lightly humourous. I wouldn’t say there were many laugh-out-loud moments, but I chuckled more than once or twice!… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

… Once again, the characters are fleshed out fantastically, even minor characters… The little details also charmed me. I love the fact that the students have to turn in essays of a certain length in inches on their rolled parchment, rather than word count or pages. I enjoy the Dickensian element of the story — the quills, the clothes, and the robes. The descriptions of the feasts are unbelievable — they make you wish you could be transported to eat there. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is not my favourite Harry Potter book, but it is still a great read! Read the rest.

The Initiation by L.J. Smith

…  in 1992 when LJ Smith first wrote The Secret Circle trilogy it was something fresh and new — and should be reviewed with that in mind. LJ Smith was producing well-written compulsive novels about teenagers in love LONG before Edward Cullen was even a glint in Stephenie Meyer‘s eye… Anyone who has come to the YA paranormal romance genre recently should definitely check out this opening novel in a classic trilogy. I adore all three books beyond reason and very nostalgically. LJ Smith has a fine ability to write characters you will end up caring deeply about, and her prose is magnificent… Read the rest.

Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison

I sped from The Good, the Bad and the Undead (which I thoroughly enjoyed) straight into Every Which Way But Dead, and was a little disappointed. I genuinely loved the second book in the Hollows series… Every Which Way But Dead was a little different. Many of the good qualities of the second book remained. I loved the characters, the action was gripping, and I loved learning more about the history of Harrison’s alternate reality… Rachel is continually growing and changing as a character and, even though this novel missed in a few places, I still very much want to go on the journey with her. Read the rest.

A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison

… There is a lot going on in this book, and it rapidly became my least favourite so far. I enjoyed the interaction between Rachel and Jenks, particularly because his presence was so missed in the previous book and because of the uniqueness of his situation in this book. However, there were many things I disliked or got tired of…  Still, with all that said, The Hollows is still a great series and it sounds like there are explosive events ahead of Rachel, especially now that she has more of a handle on what makes her tick… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

The one where Harry takes part in the Tri-wizard Tournament. The one where hormones start flying. The one where Voldemort grows ever stronger. The one where J. K. Rowling decided everyone needed more doorstops… I want it said right from the beginning of this review that I adore the Harry Potter series in its entirety, but I do feel that some books are stronger than others. And this is one of the weakest in the series in my opinion… the Harry Potter series is a tour de force and a marvel to read, but sometimes you have to slog a little, and this book is one of the slogs. It has moments of brilliance as usual, but also contains some rather laboured writing and wouldn’t have suffered from being a couple of hundred pages shorter… Read the rest.

The Power by L.J. Smith

… L J Smith writes perfect teenage escapist fiction — as long as you suspend your disbelief and don’t look for the plot holes… I read this trilogy with great nostalgia and fondness for characters that I first discovered in my teens, and I was pleasantly surprised to realise that the books stand up to both adult eyes and a second read. They give a lesson to any YA authors who wish to write strong female characters and genuinely gorgeous male characters. The Secret Circle is recommended as a trilogy, despite the fact that the third book is not as strong… Read the rest.

A Time of Exile by Katharine Kerr

… In general, A Time of Exile is disappointing in comparison to the first four Deverry books — mainly because of pacing and characterization issues… However… the final paragraph of A Time of Exile was extremely intriguing and will guarantee that I read further! All in all, the poorer elements of A Time of Exile are not enough to discourage me from reading on, and I look forward to the next Deverry novel… Read the rest.

Blood Trail by Tanya Huff

Blood Trail is the second in Tanya Huff’s Blood Books series featuring Vicki Nelson, private investigator, and Henry Fitzroy, vampire and illegitimate son of Henry VIII. The novel opens with Vicki accepting an invitation to Henry’s place to talk about a possible new case. It’s been a few months since the events of Blood Price, and the flirtation between Vicki and Henry is ramped up a notch. Their new case involves a pack of werewolves living near London, Canada, who are being picked off one by one by a talented marksman. Like Blood Price, Blood Trail is a mixed bag… Read the rest.

BattleAxe (aka The Wayfarer Redemption)  by Sara Douglass

… On the one hand, I don’t want to read any more of the books because there’s so much clichéd nonsense; on the other hand I am compelled to find out what happens next! So I award BattleAxe three stars; the two-dimensional characters and bad writing on one side balance out the fantastic pacing and imagination to make this a distinctly average fantasy novel. Read the rest.

Enchanter by Sara Douglass

Enchanter … follows the same path as many middle novels in trilogies: lots of events occur, but the main focus is getting all the main players into place for the big wrap-up in book three… I’ve awarded Enchanter three stars because, despite its many faults, I felt compelled to constantly read just one more chapter. Sara Douglass whips through events at a mind-boggling pace and delivers these events with a smooth narrative. However, I don’t quite know why I wanted to keep reading!.. Read the rest.

Blood Lines by Tanya Huff

… this was my least favourite of the books so far… I enjoyed parts of Blood Lines, and some moments were incredibly tense, but I found the overall plot less than entertaining and the relationships between the characters annoying. I’ll read on to book four, but I’m definitely less enamoured with this series than I once was… Read the rest.

StarMan by Sara Douglass

Sara Douglass has managed to churn out a fairly effective fantasy trilogy. The world building is top-notch, and the character development has been vigorous — especially when thinking back to the first book. These characters have definitely come a long way! I was unable to resist finding out what happened to Axis, Azhure, and Faraday, which I guess is most of what can be asked from a novel. But while I felt compelled to finish this trilogy, I am not desperate to read the next trilogy which is also set in the world of Tencendor. In fact, I could manage if I never picked up another of this fairly prolific author’s work… Read the rest.

Days of Air and Darkness (A Time of Justice) by Katharine Kerr

With Days of Air and Darkness / A Time of Justice, Katharine Kerr wraps up The Westlands Cycle. It is a fairly decent final book, bringing a number of ongoing stories together and finishing things decently. With that said, it felt a little soulless to me — with her first four books, Kerr made the characters come alive and I had a lot of interest in their doings. Gradually I am losing interest in Rhodry and co… Read the rest.

The Gold Falcon by Katharine Kerr

With The Gold Falcon, Katharine Kerr is starting a new phase in the Deverry series. We move on fifty years or so from the climactic ending of The Fire Dragon, and times have changed. The Horsekin have started marauding the Deverry border, killing the men and enslaving the women. There is a fragile alliance between the Deverry folk, the Rhiddaer, and the West Folk… The Gold Falcon fits well into the overall sequence of Deverry novels, but on its own is not that entertaining, since it is mostly setting up future events and giving us hints of the doom that waits if the Horsekin cannot be stopped… Read the rest.

The Captive by L.J. Smith

… L.J. Smith has written a number of trilogies in the YA paranormal arena, and excels at the format. The middle book of her trilogies draws upon and builds the characters introduced in the first novel, while laying the groundwork for the main thrust of the plot that will be delivered in the final book. There is little overall resolution to any of the plotlines in The Captive. In fact, it ends on something of a cliffhanger, so you might like to have the third book to hand prior to starting, or else risk frustration at wanting to know what happens!… You want to read about these characters; you care about what happens to them… Recommended for anyone who is currently enjoying the explosion of fiction in the YA arena on the back of the Twilight craze. Read the rest.

The Vampire Diaries 1: The Awakening & The Struggle by L.J. Smith

… I am a big fan of L.J. Smith‘s writing, and have enjoyed a number of her books. I did enjoy both The Awakening and The Struggle, but felt that they suffered due to an unlikable main character… Some of the plot devices are less than realistic and some of the subplots become extremely tired, but at the heart of this book is a great love story and its quality shines through. Of all the teen writers, I believe that L.J. Smith captures best how utterly and sweetly in thrall one can be when falling in love for the first time… The Vampire Diaries has some major faults but I couldn’t help but love the central romance. Elena and Stefan are Romeo and Juliet for the MTV generation! Read the rest.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury & The Reunion by L.J. Smith

… I enjoyed Volume 1 of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES well enough, my biggest complaint being that the heroine Elena was very hard to take to. I had little sympathy for her plight, feeling that she brought a great deal of her troubles on herself. In The Fury and The Reunion, Elena is a far more well-rounded character — someone I delighted in spending time with… In fact, all of the characters are stronger and more developed in these two novels… anyone who has tried and enjoyed Twilight will gain a great measure of satisfaction from the writing of L.J. Smith and her version of the vampire with the tortured soul. Read the rest.

Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw

… Wintercraft is a really mixed bag. At times the writing is excellent, demonstrating real skill in keeping the pages turning and the tension ratcheted up to the maximum. Yet, especially towards the end of the novel, when you would have expected Jenna Burtenshaw to utilize the best of her writing in the climactic finale, everything falls rather flat and left me feeling disappointed… I enjoyed Wintercraft to a point, but, with so much truly excellent YA fantasy fiction being published right now, it feels mediocre in comparison. Overall, it’s ordinary, but with occasional flashes of brilliance. I think Burtenshaw has more (and better) to come… Read the rest.

A Time of Omens by Katharine Kerr

A Time of Omens, the second book of the second Deverry quartet, is no more than a competent entry… it took me days to get through and I really struggled at times to muster much interest in the doings of Rhodry… The ending of A Time of Omens is abrupt and, up to that point, not a great deal really happens! As the title suggests, this novel is about omens and bad tidings coming together. I’m sure they are a huge foretelling for the next couple of novels, but we seem to be treading water while Kerr puts everything in place… Read the rest.

A Time of War (UK) or Days of Blood and Fire (US) by Katharine Kerr

… I was disappointed in A Time of War — I feel as though Kerr has lost her way a little. One of the high points of her first quartet is the fact that the storyline flits back and forth in time, deepening your affection for various characters in the different lives they have lived. Here, when she moves to a more linear storyline, I find myself less entranced. Part of the problem is that I’m finding it hard now to care about any of the characters… Read the rest.

King Maker by Maurice Broaddus

…Maurice Broaddus’ writing creates a dangerous and authentic mood. The language is fierce and evokes the gritty realism of life on the streets. When the supernatural elements are introduced, they drift through the novel like smoke, leaving the reader gradually horrified as the end game is reached. Broaddus’ horror background is evident; some of the events in King Maker sent chills down my spine. With all that said, I didn’t enjoy King Maker, for a number of reasons… Read the rest.

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

… I found myself compulsively turning the pages and read Blue Bloods in two brief sittings, but it was rather akin to reading a trashy gossip magazine or eating a meal from MacDonald’s rather than a three course meal. I enjoyed it well enough as a piece of disposable entertainment and would likely read the sequels as well, but I certainly won’t be rushing out to pick them up… Blue Bloods is entertaining enough — but distinctly forgettable… Read the rest.

The Silver Mage by Katharine Kerr

In The Silver Mage, the fifteenth book in the very long-running Deverry series, Katharine Kerr seeks to wrap up those last few plot points and bring the sequence to a resounding end… I’ve followed this series faithfully, to the extent of doing a full re-read in preparation of the release of this final book, and I am more than disappointed with the way Kerr has finished things off… To be perfectly honest, I feel extremely dissatisfied and short-changed by this effort — especially after the long wait for the series to end… Read the rest.

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I didn’t like Infinity. There were parts that I quite enjoyed, but the majority I found tedious and vaguely confusing… I was of the belief that the Chronicles of Nick series would lead handily into Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter adult series, and that you didn’t need to have read any of the Dark-Hunter novels to understand what was going on here. Either I was wrong or I am pretty dense… I spent half of the novel going ‘huh?’ which I don’t believe is the desired effect… Ultimately, Infinity is a disappointing mess of different themes and subplots that required a stronger hand to sort it into a fun book. I doubt I’ll be following any more of Nick’s adventures. What is sadder is that I probably won’t try the Dark-Hunter series either, thanks to this poorly-written novel. Read the rest.

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall by L.J. Smith

… Unfortunately, The Return: Nightfall is a horrific mess of a story. It is a long rambling book and seems to leap from event to event without any obvious connection. Some of the writing is terrible, and disappointed me greatly because usually Smith’s prose is so very good… It felt as though Smith was never in control of this story — that she was throwing ideas at the pages and hoping they would stick to create a coherent whole. None of her characters are consistent with how they are written in the four previous novels… Some authors need to learn to quit while they’re ahead. I recommend pretending that this book doesn’t exist. Read the rest.

By Midnight by Mia James

… There are a lot of vampire stories around now, mostly thanks to the massive success of Twilight, and I have read a number of them. Some are definitely better than others. I regret to say that this is one of the worst that I have read… I found this novel dull and unimaginative, with very few redeeming features. At my most cynical, I would say it is a blatant cash-in on the success of the Twilight novels, and that it fails on every level. There is plenty of very good YA fiction out there, some of which includes vampires. Please try something else rather than spend any time on By Midnight. Read the rest.

The Turning: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis

The Turning: What Curiosity Kills is the tale of Mary Richards, a girl adopted from foster care into a plush life in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. When strange events begin taking place, Mary struggles to comprehend the idea that she is one of those who Turn — from human to cat… There was very little that I enjoyed about this book — except maybe the length. At just over 200 pages, it was at least quick to read! What Curiosity Kills is told from a first person perspective, but Mary’s voice is shaky and never comes across as particularly well developed… I found the pacing of the novel unbearably slow… We crawled at snail’s pace to the point where Mary Turns, then we crawl a little further to a lacklustre end. What Curiosity Kills is the opening to a series. You can bet good money that I will not be picking up any of the others to be published. I would encourage you to avoid at all costs… Read the rest.

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich is the well-known author of the Stephanie Plum mystery series, and here she begins another series that edges firmly into the paranormal arena… I was really looking forward to Wicked Appetite when I first heard about it; I thought it sounded amusing and exciting. Disappointingly, the reverse is true. It is often extremely unfunny and there is not a hint of excitement to be found within the pages… Reading Wicked Appetite can be equated to eating candy floss — it seems like a good idea at the time, but leaves you unfulfilled and with a great sense of disappointment. Read the rest.