Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Discount Armageddon. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Discount Armageddon. Afficher tous les articles

mercredi 30 octobre 2013

Midnight Blue-Light Special ( InCryptid 2) by Seanan McGuire

Hello to all!

            i hope you have a better weather than us because here it's so cold ( and rain...) ....oki an excellent time to stay near the fire with a good book and a cup of tea but sadly it's not on my list for today, the special event at the roleplaying club is only a few hours away so we must do the shopping, finish decorating and a lot of other details ^^ busy day.

Busy yes.. enough that i don't participate in Brenda's event The Ghoulishly Good Monster Mash Mix up? No ^^ and today is about dragon so it will the next thing i do... but first like promised i continue to share with you my october reading discoveries....and  Brenda planned well because this book does have dragons too so...
 Happy reading!

Publisher: DAW
Publication: 2013
ISBN:  0756407923
Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong

Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+
Source: won (thanks Brenda!!!)

Short description from goodreads :

 Cryptid, noun:
1. Any creature whose existence has been suggested but not proven scientifically. Term officially coined by cryptozoologist John E. Wall in 1983.
2. That thing that's getting ready to eat your head.
3. See also: "monster."

The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity--and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and when her work with the cryptid community took her to Manhattan, she thought she would finally be free to pursue competition-level dance in earnest. It didn't quite work out that way...

But now, with the snake cult that was killing virgins all over Manhattan finally taken care of, Verity is ready to settle down for some serious ballroom dancing—until her on-again, off-again, semi-boyfriend Dominic De Luca, a member of the monster-hunting Covenant of St. George, informs her that the Covenant is on their way to assess the city's readiness for a cryptid purge. With everything and everyone she loves on the line, there's no way Verity can take that lying down.


Alliances will be tested, allies will be questioned, lives will be lost, and the talking mice in Verity's apartment will immortalize everything as holy writ--assuming there's anyone left standing when all is said and done. It's a midnight blue-light special, and the sale of the day is on betrayal, deceit...and carnage.

My opinion:
          After reading Discount Armageddon, I couldn’t wait to get more of Verity and Dominic as well as the Aeslin Mice.  If I could have rushed my precedent reads to get to this one earlier I would have done it but it’s not my style so I had to be patient and it was more than, worth it! I really enjoyed this book, I’m not giving it an higher score though and I can’t really tell you what I found missing even if I will try .

So first this story takes place some weeks after the events in book 1 and Dominic and Verity are still not sure where they stand together. Trust isn’t completely there but they do have a sort of relationship. Dominic isn’t trusted by the cryptids but he does prove to be concerned for some and trying to adapt to Verity’s company which can be really confusing, not every one would be comfortable with speaking mice or a telepath you can’t remember.
He has reason to be perturbed by all this new knowledge since it’s the completely opposite of how he was raised but he is trying for the sake of Verity and she is not making things easy for him. To be honest I really enjoyed how his personality was constructed because a sudden change wouldn’t feel right and how the author managed to make him sound is just the right one. I love him, he is so human and trying to do things right I couldn’t be angry with him for his hesitations and doubts.

Verity is also trying to adjust to having someone other than family to trust and she is really difficult about it, she keeps fighting Dominic and trying to put him ill at ease. I had a little difficulty to understand that since she was the one to make the relationship move to the next level and I don’t like the idea she could make love to him without any trust or love soothe fact that after she acts like it’s nothing bothered me.  At the first occasion she doubt him. She is at a time of her life when she must decide what really counts for her and that’s her primary focus and as often if facing adversary that you can really discover yourself and what is important for you. I enjoyed seeing her determined, trying to help the majority and how she was persevering the torture was really interesting. She isn’t a super woman, yes she had a special training, yes she has some abilities but  no super powers at the end she is still a young woman who doesn’t like suffering, who can be terrified… so human but it’s her humanity that make her want to fight for the cryptid population despite the risk, she could flee but she stays and do what she believe in even if it means sacrificing herself, and not without thinking about other solution. She isn’t a coward, she wants to life but she can see farther than herself and it’s what makes her a Heroine. ..; at that time I was really admiring her.

Another part that interested me was the way the cryptid community acted after learning the danger….it was so natural in a sense some afraid run away some want to fight to protect what is their. It was something I could understand perfectly and I loved to see some wanting to stay and trust Verity… I mean they have some doubt about her because she is a Price but they can admit what she has done for them and trust her when necessary. Kitty is a good example at a time she sound like against Verity at all, selfish to the worst levels but she is the one taking a stand to protect the community and offer refuge, helping in negotiations and such. It’s when facing difficulties that you discover your true friends and allies…. And here it’s really a good example. Istas and Ryan as well as the dragons are there, some with a little persuasion but there are there.

 We also see more member of the Price family and learn about their history, I can tell you I was probably more disappointed with that part ^^, her parents send to Verity uncle Mike as backup but the way he nearly gave up at a time had me frustrated and angry. He should have been the one to believe ion verity but no. Sarah did all the work and for a normally peaceful character it was really something. 

 I still enjoyed as much as before the little advices or proverb from Verity‘s ancestry, there are ringing so well^^ and never miss to make me smile, like the way Seanan McGuire at the beginning of each chapter put in bold the place where the action takes place…it could seem to be a detail but can’t recommend enough to pay attention to them.


The romance is there and not just in a few pages, action is gripping and  non stop so you are really left wanting to keep reading until the last page  but perhaps what make me sad is that you feel it’s the last book on Verity adventures. I don’t mean she will never appear again in the series but the next two book will focus on her brother not her and  I wanted more, a lot more of Verity and Dominic and the mice ( as well as Sarah of course).. it’s hard to explain without giving too much info… there is a ending, a happy one but it’s kind of an open ending set in a proper place yes just I wanted more ^^;; I can only hope we get what happen after last page in a novella because it could be so fun that I don’t want to miss that^^

 In resume, it an excellent book full of humour, tension and romance, that will catch you in the story and not to let you go until you have finished it. I enjoyed it a lot, I even loved it but it could have been even better I think ( how I absolutely can’t tell^^;;) and I will read the rest of the series hoping for more Verity ( and I can’t wait to meet Antimony^^) a must read if you love urban fantasy with humour and original creatures

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:
Ramblings of a Daydreamer
Page Count Contest


                                            ********************************
Brenda's halloween contests

Do you want more Dragon reads? Then check Brenda's giveaway for today ^^ you can win either "How to date a Dragon" or an ebook in the DragonFury series. Enter here before 2d november. Good luck

dimanche 27 octobre 2013

One Hell of a Ride ( Incryptid 0.2) by Seanan McGuire

Happy Sunday to all,


         i'm planning on enjoying this day and read a little more, i think i really deserve it after such a busy week ( and with the one coming better to rest a little bit^^) . Lots of contests to enter too^^ as the daily one on Brenda's Blog, today is for aquactic beings and you can win an ebook ( 2 winners) so remember to check it out^^. i must confess i'm still a lot behind in my reading about books with these kinds of creatures, i've read but so few and there are so many more i want to read even if it's far from my favourites species.

However today won't be for that kind of story.....or not directly, like i told you already i've become really addicted to Seanan McGuire series, which includes both aquatics beings even if they are not always cited though in October daye one you have the selkie and the Luidaeg and you learn about other in Midinight blue-light Special second book in her other series Incryptid.....being addicted i couldn't way to read more about her work and thus i jumped on her novellas....

Today  On Hell of a Ride, incryptid series' novella. Happy reading!

Publisher: seanan Mcguire
Publication: 2011
ISBN:  0373277210
Genre: paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Violence: mild

Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+
Source: free novella on the author’s website


Short description from goodreads :

 After a rather...eventful...visit to Tempe, Arizona, Jonathan Healy wants nothing more than to return to his home in Buckley Township, Michigan, where at least the threats are generally familiar ones. With the last of the blood mopped up and the locals none the wiser, it seems he's just a train ride away from getting his wish.

Of course, there are a few small complications. Like the lovely and occasionally violent Miss Frances Brown, former star of the Campbell Family Circus, who seems to have become his new traveling companion. And then there's the matter of the train having driven through a dimensional gateway into Hell...


Maybe Jonathan shouldn't be quite so worried about getting back to Michigan. Maybe his time would be better spent in worrying about how to get off the train while he, and Fran, are still among the living.

My opinion:
          It was a good short novella but you shouldn’t think of it as stand alone… now you could read it first but then you will be missing too much to fully enjoy it. If you have read Discount Armageddon, book 1, you are free to read this one…i admit i’m still missing some part because i learned that a prequel to this one exist in an anthology (which i must get now!!)  It’s still understandable even if we don’t know all the background the author gives us enough hints to immerse us in the story and forget about the rest ( even if i did went back to check the genealogy list in book 1)

We get to see another branch of the family and several generations ago but we have the same humour and action level than the actual inCryptid series. We focus here on Jonathan Healy and Fran…is Jonathan is a cryptologist; Fran is completely new to it. In fact if they are together it’s because Jonathan came to take care of  a cryptid in the circus she worked… with the consequences she is left without a job.  However, Fran is far from a naive damsel in distress ^^, she is quite armed with knifes and she can use them.
When she suddenly find herself in a parallel world with the train, with several casualties she asks for answers but don’t hesitate to fight with Jonathan…which must keep his mind on the job not on his cute companion.

It’s really to short but i was really glad to have it to read while waiting for book2 and it made me want to learn more about Jonathan and Frances so i need to get the rest of the novella and perhaps i will learn even more about the universe Seanan McGuire has created.

This is really a must read if you are following the Incryptid series, if you haven’t started it yet i can only recommend you to get this novella but wait before reading it to savour it  at its best. I only regret the mice didn’t appear more.


Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:
Ramblings of a Daydreamer
Page Count Contest



*******************************

Win some aquatic fun? Sexy mermen? Cute Selkie? or mysterious siren? Then go here before the 31st and enter to win the ebook of your choice, 2winners and INT what could you want more?  Don't forget to thanks Brenda for her generosity too!  Good Luck


dimanche 15 septembre 2013

Discount Armageddon ( InCryptid 1) by Seanan Mcguire

Hello to all,

 This week has been quite busy so i'm posting this later than when i hoped but at least you get it ^^. I started this book during the last bout of books read a thon and i had to postpone my reading when after a few pages i checked the back cover and saw the world "dragon"... it has been hard because i was really addicted to the story but the rules are the rules and to enter the dragon reading challenge this month i had to wait.... now i can't wait for book 2 to arrive  but at least while waiting i can enjoy some free stories that the authors has on her website so don't hesitate to  have a look^^


Now without more delay here is my opinion on a paranormal story including dragon(s), from an auithor i've come to appreciate more and more.... Discount Armageddon by Seana McGuire!

Happy reading!
Publisher: DAW
Publication: 2012
ISBN:  0756407133
Genre: urban fantasy, romance, dragons, shifters, others
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+
Source: won


Short description from goodreads :


 Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night... The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...


My opinion:
          This series was recommended to me and I really don’t regret to have listened and gotten book 1. I really love this author’s writing more and more.

Discount Armageddon is the first book in the InCryptid series, by  cryptid you can understand  monsters or mysterious creatures because that include a really large range like gargoyles, dragon, gorgon, but also some less known ones like madhura, Johrlac and numerous others…. That’s really a particularity I appreciate,   I love reading about different kinds of mythological or fantasy creatures so I was really in paradise…. For example there was shifters too… but tanuki one! What a pleasure!! Oki, I admit I was relieved to get a index of sort at the end of the books to keep track of those I’ve just learned because there are so many than once you turn the last page you can be a little confused. However, during the course of the story, Verity is a great teacher and you are not lost at all.

This story has a lot of action, Verity love to dance, would like to have such a career yes but deep down she is a fighter and quite an impulsive one. She comes from a family of specialists, one with a long history of fighting then protecting creatures, so that means hard training since little.  All the family members have their own specialisation…like poison, guns and such and they do have a sort of job/hobby: her mother is like a doctor while her father is more of an historian….In fact we only get to know them by the calls Verity is making and by what she is telling Dominic so I really would like to meet them in future adventure, it could be really fun. The only member we really see and learn about is Sarah, she is not family by blood but you wouldn’t doubt the loyalty even for a second. Sara is a Johrlac…so it’s an humanoid creature with telepathic powers but I won’t say more to let you learn about it yourself, it’s really too good to miss it.

Now aside from the action part, there is some investigation, a little predictable since I guessed one of the villains’identity but still an excellent once and I wasn’t bothered for a minute. There are also romance, no matter how Dominic tries to avoid it at first he can’t resist Verity, the strange fascinating and irritating traitor girl…in fact she is even starting to counter his learning because let’s face it… yes he is covenant and send to the city to kill creatures but in fact he knows nothing about them, can’t recognize some and even has problem to blend in the humans population….each time Verity speaks aloud he nearly has a heart attack ^^ that’s too cute and funny. Yes, humour is a full component of this series from Verity’s actions, in her relation with Dominic, the exchange with Sarah and the most important part the Aeslin Mice….yes a colony of creatures looking like mice but speaking and really religious creatures (in their own way of course)…with them everything is topic for a celebration, with songs and all and they do have a calendar filled with them so you can’t resist them

If you want a funny urban fantasy, with some violence yes but really a lot of humour, wants to discover creatures not than often introduced but so well described in a complex universe with a great setting, this is the book for you! It should at least make you smile more than once.



Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges: