Skin Deep ( Laura Blackstone 1) by Mark Del Franco

Happy New Year!!!!    

I wish you all the best for 2019!!

End of 2018 was hard on me so i'm kind of glad to start a new year and hope for the best!

At least on the reading part it seems promising with the first book i picked from my pile " Skin Deep" by Mark Del Marco which was a new author  for me. I won't say it was an easy read so i'm glad i read it on my day off^^ but i would definitively want more now that i have a better insight on the complex world the author created.

So let's start this year with the first book in the Laura Blackstone serie: "Skin Deep"


Happy reading!!!

Publisher: Ace

Publication: 2009

ISBN:  0441017436

Genre: Urban fantasy, mystery, paranormal suspense
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Description from goodreads :

  A THRILLING NEW URBAN FANTASY SERIES FROM THE AUTHOR OF UNFALLEN DEAD AND UNQUIET DREAMS.

She'll need to keep up appearances—if she wants to stay alive...

Being an undercover agent has its occupational hazards, but Laura Blackstone makes it look easy. As a spy for a fey intelligence agency, she uses her magical abilities to create disguises that are skin deep glamours that must never be compromised. But when Laura's worlds collide she'll have more to worry about than retiring an identity; she may just lose her life.

My opinion:

          Hard beginning for sure as we get introduced to many characters right at the beginning, some being the same one in fact, so this can lead to some confusion

However, the more you read the more you get immersed as the mystery and intrigue are really well woven and you can't stop reading to discover what lies behind all the events.

The rhythm is perfect , there are dark moments but perfectly balanced with the touch of humour and little bit of flirting from Sinclair , Saffin is a secondary character we come to really love and Terryn is one i want to learn more about ( like how he met Cress for example). We learn a lot about several kinds of fae.

It's definitively a series i want to continue reading but one that must be read at moment when interruptions are not likely to happen.

Score:  5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and i voluntary reviewed this book

Death’s Mistress ( Dorina Basarab 2) by Karen Chance

Hello!

              only 10days left before halloween, i can't wait to enjoy sometimes for me surrounded by books and candies ( and perhaps chatting with friends since i will go to bed later than usual which help with time difference^^).

 I hope to post a  review every two days until then , if no more, depending if i do read and finish my reviews on time...now i hesitated on which book to review today... until i saw that for Brenda on her Ghoulishly Good Monster Mix Mash Up it was Vampires day....so i had to share my opinion on a book which include vampires ^^ and after the review you will perhaps want to enter the link given to win some vampires books (if US/ CAN) or a book of choice ( this one?) if international^^. Good idea no?

 So when i looked at my TBR pile i saw i had several Karen Chance's books....in both her Cassandra Palmer series and her Dorina Basarab one.... i enjoy both series but since they are linked together there is a precise order to read them so i had to wait until i had everything..... which as you will learn i didn't have at the end ç_ç... You really need to follow the Timeline made by the author to fully enjoy these series. Anyway i picked Dorina Basarab book 2 and i was in for a lot of surprise.

 Happy reading!

Publisher: Onyx

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  0451412761

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Dorina Basarab is a dhampir-half-human, half-vampire. Back home in Brooklyn after the demise of her insane Uncle Dracula, Dory's hoping her life is about to calm down. But soon Dory realizes someone is killing vampire Senate members, and if she can't stop the murderer, her friends may be next...

My opinion:

          I was really happy to jump back in the universe created by Karen Chance but i got a little confused i did read book 1 and i loved it, yes it was sometimes ago but still there were part i completely missed. What i mean is that some even with impact in this book i couldn’t recall at all  it wasn’t completely dramatic, you can mostly understand everything but if you are like mean and what’s everything you know something is missing…. And that’s partly one default of this series, it’s strongly linked to the Cassandra Palmer one and thus to get a full view of the universes you need to follow both…and read them accordingly…

 I do read both series and thus i was surprised to feel so at lost not understanding where the fey came from, the relations ally/enemies etc until i remembered the novellas….Karen chance write a lot of novellas that fit in the timeline of the universe, some you can miss without worrying they are simply great bonus, others you shouldn’t, as i just discovered, miss for anything if you don’t want to get really frustrated. It’s partly my fault i do have the free novella and i noted when they needed to be read but i didn’t check the timeline Karen gently did for us and which include all novellas even those not free by in anthology (thankfully print one) and thus i completely missed the existence of “Buying Trouble” in which we discover the elves. I really need to rectify that without delay. (conclusion: Check the timeline here if you plan on following this author!)

So what can i said about this book, definitively part of a series and even a more complex world “Death’s Mistress” show us new side for characters we though to know before and introduce us to new one. Dorina is confronted to the murder of several important vampires and the prime suspect is no other than Louis-Cesare, the vampire who her heart can’t resist.  However being an dhampir, this romance is frowned upon and she isn’t even sure she would want a long lasting relationship because of her dangerous nature.  However vampire are not the only problem Dory has to face because a fey relic has disappeared and they are hard bend to retrieve it that including her fey arch nemesis : AEsubrand , who nearly managed to kill her the last time they met.

On the run , with the body of a master vampire on her side (the head being sometimes there in a duffle bag sometimes in the hands on someone else) She must retrieve the relic to ensure the security of her best friend Claire’ son and discover who is the culprit before Louis-Cesare   loose is how head instead ( or face eternal enslavement)…. Now that’s far from easy when said vampire is determined to find his past mistress Christine and to protect Dory  no matter the risk.

I love how the author manages to balance dramatic part with a lot of humour because that’s something really present in this book like the little checkmate pieces, stinky and his drunken habits and Dory’s usual dry humour and her bickering with Louis-Cesare I couldn’t stop smiling and that really helped to keep me entertained and immersed in the story despite my questions about the fey and what I missed.

I really recommend this universe in a whole however if you do want to enjoy it fully, remember to check the available timeline it will avoid deception and unnecessary questions.

Score:  3/5

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

Challenges:

And  If you want to get this book, the first in the series or the anthology needed ( or any other vampires romance^^) you get the opportunity to do so by checking Brenda's blog Crazy four books and entering her special giveaway. A book choice for International or several Vampires Diaries books if you are living in the US or in Canada! don't hesitate to have a look and tell her a big Thanks! ( you have until halloween to enter)

Rosemary and Rue ( October Daye1) by Seanan McGuire

Hello to all,

             Since it's the second day of the "Carnaval" in my city, i'm writing with music in the background .. i must admit i'm impressed to see how enthousiastic they are when it's minus 5 and snowing...i really prefer to stay warm with a good book and a cup of tea.

I've decided to share with you a new series that i discovered thanks to a recomendation.... it's really not what i expected, i was really surprised, but i did spend a enjoyable moment reading so if you want a book with fae and love urban fantasy you can try this one though keep in mind it's at least a little dark. I still have several books in this series to read -and some others are on my wishlist if you want to offer them to me ;) - so you will probably hear more about October Daye.. i just don't know when^^

Happy reading

Publisher: DAW BOOKS Inc

Publication: 2009

ISBN:  0756405718

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas...

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer

My opinion:

         I was quite surprised by this story….when this series was recommended to me I expected a good story of urban fantasy and something original… I wasn’t disappointed but I didn’t expect something so dark either.

Now, it’s really a good story I enjoyed the mystery and the faeries’ universe. It’s really well writing and I was captivated…however I also think it’s better to know it’s not a soft urban fantasy either… I lost count of the deaths (some completely too unfair) and the violence….faeries yes but forgot fairy tales…. They are vindictive, treacherous, deadly, arrogant and cruel … I admit I loved some of them Sylvester and Luna are good characters, loyal (at least for now) and I really loved them… but the one I preferred immediately was Tybalt, the way how he acted with October, Toby, make me think about Adam Hauptman in the mercy Thompson series and how he acted with Mercy in the beginning of the series. Pushing her buttons but never being cruel without reason and helping when needed…. The difference… if both are alpha Tybalt is a cat (with all that it includes…) and Adam a wolf ^^;;  I’m sure you understand what it means.

I was really surprised to discover such a cruel universe; the faeries do kill the children of mixed blood when they are young if they want to stay “ human”… then they treat changelings, those who choose fae’s blood over humans, like dirt. (Though that’s not the original part it something that still makes me angry) Treachery, alliance, arranged marriage, political intrigues…. Really it’s not a world I would love to life in.

 Despite being quite dark I enjoyed this read and I think I would have given an higher score if I didn’t felt lost so often. This books includes a large variety of Faeries and I’m sure they will be even more in the future books, the problem is that if you don’t have a vast knowledge of faeries before reading this you can easily becoming lost. Yes some are described, explained but not all and not in an extensive way either…. There is a pronunciation guide useful perhaps but I would have preferred a small listing with principal characteristics, or descriptions of the creatures cited it would have been more useful for me.  I hope I will learn and becoming less and less lost in the future but to start it wasn’t easy. I’m really interested in continuing this series though.

Still if you want a good urban fantasy, you don’t mind it being dark, this is a perfect reads for you!

Score:  3,5/5

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

Challenges:

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments 2) by Cassandra Clare

Hello to all,

          First sunny  (though freezing) day and that really makes me happy after so many raining , snowing, gray days finally the sun is back even if it's only for today it's good even more when you are trying to recover your health.

March paranormal romance challenge 's topic is fae/fey so i will try to read several books fitting this topic but i won't read only that i've also some sport romance reads planned and YA reads...and some books just because i want to read them and since my birthday is this month i will take at least one day of pleasure reads^^;; after all reading should always stay a pleasure when you read as an obligation you loose your passion too so better to find some balance.

That being said i will start with a YA book fitting the Fey Category..... and looks like fey are not funny, kind and beautiful creatures....quite the opposite at least in this version ( will see if they are variant in the books i will read this month.)

Here is my opinion on City of Ashes, second book of the Mortal Intruments series by Cassandra Clare.

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

Publication: 2008

ISBN:  1406307637

Genre: YA, fantasy, Paranormal, adventure,urban fantasy, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 16+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

My opinion:

          This series is really a good surprise so far even if this book captivated me a little less than City of Bones. City of ashes start just where we left Clary and Jace at the end of book 1. Valentine is still on the run, Jocelyn is in the coma and Clary’s thoughts are in turmoil.

I had hoped to have some answers but mostly i got more questions and that bothered me a little. If Cassandra Clare doesn’t make some important revelations soon i guess i will fall out of love with this series because the love triangle won’t have sense anymore. I had hoped the inquisitor was going to said something but unfortunately Jace didn’t listen. In this book, Clary and Jace discover a little more about their powers and we can see the deep relation between Jace and Alex and Isabelle as well as between Clary and Luke.

I was even more disappointed with the shadowhunters than in city of Bones, the way Maryse reacted could only have one consequence as Luke pointed it and still she took her distances and said hurtful things. I don’t like her, yes she had some reasons but still. The inquisitor was worse, true but she was deeply hurting. I don’t forgive her either but i think i can have a little compassion because of what she did after.

In city of Ashes, the murder of different kinds of creatures is creating some tensions, the vampires are accused despite the fact they claim their innocence. Unfortunately, Maryse and the inquisitor are narrow minded and doesn’t want to listen to other possibilities despites the intervention of Magnus Bane and Luke. The children and their allies are then on their own to interfere with Valentine’s plan. We also discover more about the faeries and their Queen seems to know more about everything, unfortunately the price for that knowledge is too high.

Simon takes a bigger role now, however for being a roleplaying gamer too, i don’t think his reaction was logic, when  he intervened  before yes his idea of vampires, werewolves etc wasn’t the same as Jace’s but he still knew the dangers and such. So what happens seems strange to me. ( i understand why the author found that could be interesting for the story yes but the circumstances could have been better.

Clary is even more lost than before between what she wants and what she thinks she should want, the result is that she is acting like a baby, not wanting to speak, ignoring the others etc. Jace is confronted to hard choices, he discover that the Clave isn’t as perfect as he hoped and with whet he is enduring he has some moment of doubts but he still do the right things and i  appreciated more now than before.

I recommend this book if you want some YA fantasy and love paranormal, it won’t be good to read this as a stand alone though but if you liked book one City of Bones this one should please you as well.

Score:  3,5/5

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

Challenges:

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments1) by Cassandra Clare

Hello to all,

         I'm glad i did a lot of reading this week ( relatively speaking of course)  because i'm starting to be sick again ( not a good start for 2013 but the rest will get better) and the headache is back full force. At least i had lot of pleasure before i take a little rest ^^.  There are some series that everyone seems to have read but not you. I lost count of how many time i 've read Mortal Instruments somewhere but for some reason i couldn't decide myself to try them even when i had the books on my shelves.

Why?  I'm not sure at all, perhaps it was simply not the moment because now i did read it and quickly even (if you know me you know that when i like a book i read it more quickly than those i don't like^^), perhaps i decided to read them before the release of the film so i could know what it was about  like the rest of the world? What it's sure it's that a friend really helped my decision and i don't regret it because it was also perfect for a challenge i've entered.

So here is my opinion of City of Bones first book of the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

Publication: 2007

ISBN:  1406307629

Genre: YA, fantasy, Paranormal, adventure,urban fantasy, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

My opinion:

          I heard a lot of things about this series but I was a little hesitant, reason why I must be one of the last to discover it but better late than never!

Now, this book isn’t completely original or unpredictable, some typical storylines are used in it but some part felt really new to me. I liked the idea of the marks that gave power but were also dangerous, I also really enjoyed the twists that came several time renewed the interest I had in the story. I spend a really good time with this book and I hope the rest of the series will only get better. I want to discover more about the shadowshunters, whose i don’t like that much by the way, there are a little too narrow minded to my taste and prone to treachery. I really enjoyed Luke, who is suffering more than it seems caught between two worlds and who must take actions with dire consequences. From what I’ve read of the different groups so far, I think it was always more wolf than nephilim, loyalty and force were important for him since the start.

 I loved to see several creatures in the story and not just vampires, though I kind of like this new kind of bikers vampires, and werewolves. Those are the most cited, with the nephilim, aka shadowhunters, and the demons, but we got a glimpse of several fairies and others that I would like to read more of.

The plot is interesting, to see how a group by fear of extinction become more racist than ever and start taking drastic measures is a little reminder of historical events transposed in a universes of fantasy and mystical creatures. Perhaps it will serve to open the eyes of some readers but it’s also something simply enjoyable to read, even if myself I can’t stop to see the parallelism between fiction and history.  I wasn’t completely taken by surprise by some revelations while others did surprise me.

I spend really a good time reading this and I appreciated the books being divided in distinctive parts because it will help if you need to take a break but that being said… once started I didn’t want to put it down so I didn’t put the division to use but it’s something I noted and loved. I’m really curious as how things will evolve but Valentine is a villain that I really dislike and I hope Jace and Clary will manage to create what they need, now Simon must be relieved too and he is moving character too.

I recommend this book if you want some YA fantasy and love paranormal.

Score:  4/5

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

Challenges: