Web of Lies (Elemental Assassin 2) by Jennifer Estep

Hello you!

 What a busy day today was , i didn't stop or nearly. Between helping in the roleplaying game meeting, cooking for the group and all the rest i had no time to read today, not one minute but i had to a few minutes share a review with you without going to bed ( so well deserved rest), sorry if there are some typo but i can't keep my eyes open anymore.

So still in my october mood, i went to a urban series i started ( finally) not long ago and enjoyed ... i do want more of books i'm nearly sure to enjoy right now^^ . No ghosts, no shifters (at least this time) but elemental, and dwarf without forgetting several other species made this book perfect for the season^^ so here comes my opinuion on Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep: second book in teh Elemental Assassin series.

Happy reading!

Publisher: Pocket Books

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  143914799X

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

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I'm  Gin Blanco.


You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man . . . dead or alive.

My opinion:

          I loved this book, still not my favourite series but slowly it’s gaining more point to get on my list….really not far. This book takes place months after the event in book 1 “ Spider bite” and I can only recommend that you start by that one to get a better understanding of this so complex world, one very interesting but still mysterious after 2books.

I love the fact there are so many creatures: elemental, giant, dwarf, vampire… in fact so far shifters and werewolves are the only ones missing but  it’s early in the series so who know what we can discover in the future^^. The action is fast all the while the main Character “Gin” can be really patient I really love this subtle duality.  Really it’s a book that once started you want to finish without interruption because the characters are moving in their own way and the story is really captivating, you want to know how and why but Jennifer Estep distils the clue one at a time so you keep turning the pages in hope to get THE answer you are looking for.

Gin is retired or at least she thinks she is but it’s more boring that what she expected and thus when the need arise she can’t back down. And her so loved restaurant, full of Fletcher’s memories, being threatened that’s something she can’t forgive even if the culprit is the son of one acolyte to the elemental she never wanted to cross: Mab Monroe. On that side she isn’t patient as she put him in his place again and again, humiliating him time after time and thus making an enemy of him and of his father. However one good deed is never forgotten in a way or another because in doing so she saved the sister or another important man: Owen Grayson who is more than interested in our lovely student/cook/ retired and unknown assassin. It could be handy or more dangerous since important man like that have powers but also enemies so that’s for the rest of the series but so far I quite like him…; I don’t trust him really but he made me smile and gained point by being patient,  polite and useful.

Now Gin isn’t just defending the Pork Pit and his customers, when one come asking for the Tin Man, codename for Fletcher, she can’t resist and soon her knifes found back their work outside the kitchen. Because Fletcher had friends, she can’t let them down despite the risk. She is angry with him because he searched info on her and left her a file after his death without explanations, Gin is discovering that there is a large part of her mentor life she never knew about and this is a way to learn more.

Finn is helping her like his father would have done and he is still as funny and flirting with all females as before which makes is cute , smart and useful. He does care about Gin and wants to protect her like a brother; he didn’t mind one second that his father left the house, restaurant and money to her because she is part of his family. We can see how deep his bonds are this time in the way he worries and wants to help. Gin still has a little difficulty to accept that reality but she is coming to it.

Jo-Jo and Sophia the dwarves sisters are glad to continue working with her and they are more than busy this time however if they do more about Fletchers and about Gin’s powers they don’t  say anything and they are not that easy to understand. Those are complex characters but ones you are glad to find back in each book.

 I was a little disappointed in the romance part this time…. Donovan  Caine is one frustrating guy to said the least. Oh I can imagine his dilemma but I don’t think he is fair with Gin…. He doesn’t accept her for what she is and it’s the only thing she really hoped. in fact he is quite a coward: honest yes but cowards because sadly not is all black or white and he can’t accept that. So now I hope Owen will be a lot better ( and in a sense I don’t think he is so white, without skeleton in the closet than he seems to be^^)

Gin will learn more about her past but still not everything but I really hoped she came to some conclusion about herself and her life. I can only hope to read next book soon enough because I’m not addicted yet but I fear I will be soon is the writing’s quality and the plot stays at such a great level. Excellent urban fantasy series to recommend

Score:  4/5

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

Challenges:

Blood Cross ( Jane Yellowrock 2) by Faith Hunter

Good Evening ( or day or night depending where you live when you are reading this ;) )


      Fall has started full force and thus raining and harsh winds are daily and it doesn't really help my mood i admit, i can tell i was glad to have a bunch of book i wanted to read to think about something else when i wasn't working on some gifts or trying to recover.

Today i'm sharing with you my opinion on the second book in the Jane Yellowrock series, i must say the Lousiana, New Orleans setting is starting to become a real favourite of mine;) .An addictive series, and you get addicted to Beast in priority^^. It's really a perfect series for this time of the year i think.

Happy reading!

Publisher: Roc

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  0451463072

Genre: urban fantasy,paranormal
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Jane Yellowrock is back on the prowl against the children of the night...

The vampire council has hired skinwalker Jane Yellowrock to hunt and kill one of their own who has broken sacred ancient rules — but Jane quickly realizes that in a community that is thousands of years old, loyalties run deep...


With the help of her witch best friend and local vigilantes, Jane finds herself caught between bitter rivalries — and closer than ever to the secret origin of the entire vampire race. But in a city of old grudges and dark magic, Jane will have to fight to protect both sides, even if no one will protect her.

My opinion:

          I was quite impatient to go back in New Orleans to meet Jane and of course Beast after finishing “Skinwalker” book1, it didn’t end on a cliffhanger but the tension was high and Leo passably angry ^^;; ( euphemism I know). I needed more so what a pleasure this second book has been.  Beast is acting and speaking a lot more but still with cryptic sentence, still I love her more and more and she did save Jane and helped her to overcome the compulsion. Jane has found some part of her memory back and she is still meeting with the shaman to learn more but what I really loved this time is how she was more centered, the situation was chaotic, she once again didn’t understand the insinuation, secret message behind the veiled message of a vampire (exactly like in book 1 one ask her to come but no miss Jane forget and do everything but not that.) but at the same time she was focused and even better completely in symbiosis with Beast it was more than great.

We also see how sensible and vulnerable Jane is, how she doesn’t know how to react to a napping time and how emotional she gets when Angelina dress up. I enjoyed not seeing only her warrior side but also how she could react s a woman while pampered up and flatted^^. Another positive development is that she has chosen her partner, the romance is heating up, some competition for her attention exist she is tempted but she makes a choice. ( part of me was voting for the other side but I ‘m still happy with her choice^^). Her secret is also partly revealed, not her exact nature but the shifting part is out of the bag and it does have a big impact on Leo when he think she is a were… so I’m really curious on the story behind the opposition between vampire and were in this universe.

Now back to Leo, and Bruiser^^, he is still grieving and that affects him a lot. I was mostly angry with him this time he keeps trying to kill Jane then save her then threaten her  etc  worse than a girl with big level of hormones. He couldn’t stick to his choice more than a few minutes completely crazy but he is attracted to Jane the question is he is attracted because of feeling or because she would be a good tools to use. The question is worth some thinking because we see in this book how ruthless he is despites his good look, oh he keeps some honor but he is not above using other and killing to keep his status. Bruiser had more merit this time, he do take things in hands when Leo can and he tried to help and protect Jane when it was not against a direct order ( yes that’s the problem is first loyalty is to Leo and to stay alive perhaps it’s better staying that way ( not sure if Leo wouldn’t be a jealous one)

Now what I enjoyed even more was discovering Molly finally. She is so kind and open minded I love her!. I know we got some info on how she met Jane but I wouldn’t mind reading more about that to understand how deep their bond is because let’s be honest they are more than sisters despites the lack of blood sharing…they trust each other completely and while her children are abducted, Molly doesn’t accuse Jane and trust her to set things right. It was really interesting. I have more reserve about big Evans… he is against Jane from the start and I’m not 100%sure why… he is hiding something he knows about her? Is he afraid of her?  Angelina is so cute, quite like her mother and I enjoy how Faith hunter built her personality…. But  this time we see more of her power and I’m curious about why dark is her color after all Jane said that normally it’s blue for witch… I’m guessing it will become even more interesting in future books.

Oh I was also glad to see again Rick , Jodi and some folks from book one like  some security guards^^  and Derek lee too. I loved to see they didn’t change from book 1, it’s not always easy to keep the same personality for secondary characters but the author managed perfectly well and well as keeping the Louisiana atmosphere that give this series the perfect setting.

The tension was high, the action fast packed and really I couldn’t stop turning the pages, I loved learning more about the vampires history and beliefs it made everything even more intense. So It’s really an excellent dark urban fantasy that I recommend with pleasure if you love vampires, shifters, speaking hungry but funny beast, and of course New Orleans!

Score:  4,5/5

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

Challenges:

Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson 2) by Darynda Jones

Hello to all,


                     If you remember normally this month topic, even if this time is not my top priority, is books with ghosts and if there is one series that center around that topic it's the one written by Darynda Jones. I've read book one before and it was enjoyable enough that i got all the other books released so far but i hadn't been reading them so  it's on programm for this month, among other titles that are getting a lot of attention from me lately^^.

 So today here is the second book in the Charley Davidson series: Second Grave on the Left.

Happy reading!

Publisher: Piatkus Books

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  0749956097

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

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 "If you hang around with dead people, life can deliver a whole world of trouble."

""
Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time P.I. and full-time Grim Reaper.The deceased find her very sparkly. Demons find her irresistible. And one entity in particular wants to seduce her in every way possible...

When Charley and Cookie, her best friend slash receptionist, have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally.) has left his corporeal body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.


Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?

My opinion:

          I know this series has a lot of success and I will perhaps end loving it but so far I do enjoy it but nothing more… I like it yes but I do not love it, strange as it can be. This book has action humour ( and I did smile at some part) is quite original with so many different ghosts ( some quite perverted^^;;) and I spend a good time reading it yes but  it’s not memorable either for me and I’m not feeling like jumping on book 3 without wait or rereading this one soon.

This book starts one week after the event in “First grave to the right” and the continuity is perfect..; in fact if you started reading this one without book 1 first you would probably understand it quite well since the author made quite a lot of recapitulations but still for the sake of it better to read a series in order.

This time Charley has 2 investigations going on… one about a missing person, surrounded by strange deaths,  and one about a dead man in a car…all that trying to find Reyes….the action is fast paced and she is nearly killed several time but the investigations in themselves are interesting, I really enjoy to see how she is trying to solve them. I was also surprised a little at some elements. Now I found Cookie too funny this time, the way she is loyal to her friend is cute but how she freak about the ghost in her trunk or the one of the little boy in her apartment and at the same time can’t keep her cool when interrogated or in presence of some “ strange” characters is really too funny.

I do have an idea of what are those guy ^^ but we will see if we get confirmation in the rest of the series because this time we don’t get more than some directions (those sound so evident though but I guess Charley is really obtuse) Charley is learning more about Reyes, she learn what people think he is but as to know the truth from the rumours it’s difficult even more when he drops gravely injured and then try to kill her. That’s the thing with Him … he sound in love deeply in love since he escaped hell just to be with her and he does save her again and again but at the same time he doesn’t tell her all about him or her powers, threatens to kill her numerous time and hurt her on more than one occasion. I mean how he can tell her not to care about him, not to look for him when it’s him who appears to her when he is tortured and bleeding… he saw her grow so he should know she couldn’t resist helping. I have difficulty to understand him and perhaps it’s the reason I can’t really get into the book completely.

Now I was also bothered by Charley’s father… I really didn’t like what he did and the fact she forgive so easily sound strange to me…not 100% his intents were pure even less after his question I mean he doesn’t know about Reyes so he can’t count on that and with such a risky situation…. After all she has done… he lost all my interest, I don’t care about him at all and I’m sorry she goes all family hugging . But I did enjoy the sister part.

We finish with many more questions than we started with, Charley still ignores what she can do exactly, Reyes is sulking ( oki he is always), and we have a cliffhanger… not a strong one or I guess if you are really into this series it count seem to be a big one yes but for me it just left me angry it finished like that.

So if you love urban fantasy and investigation with a romance part included but not predominant this is a good series, you could even become addicted to it but for me I need more at least until now. If you want stories with ghosts, but not horror ones or too freaky ones, then this series is for you^^.

Score:  3,5/5

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

Challenges:

White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows 7) by Kim Harrison

Hello to all,

                    First day in the Weekend and i'm still to sick to really do something except reading ( which is great because at least i progress in my TBR pile and they are books i want to read so YES!), the weather is colder, rainy and thus i needed some motivation.

 To tell you everything this book has been on my pile for at least 2years if no more..... oh it's not i wasn't interested quite the opposite. You see i started this series in french and i loved it so much that when i saw only 3 books were translated at the time (4?) and in english there was already 7/8 i couldn't wait i managed to order them in a shop in the capital paying an exhorbitant price ( i didn't know the bookdepository then). I started rereading the series in english starting with book 1 and i enjoyed them so much that i read them back to back ( no review because it was before the existence of the blog) ...and i came to book 7....i was devouring these books so it didn't take me long to reach it but then the disaster happened.... White Witch, Black Curse, book7 in the Hollows series was ill printed.... oh i don't mean just a word cut or a stain ... of course i wouldn't have liked that but  it was so much worse you see i had more than 100 pages in double and thus the same amount missing...- i don't remember exactly the number but an example while arriving at page 149 i jump to page 266 ( then 267 etc) and after page 304 i start again at page 266...but pages 150-265 were simply not there... -in such a series it complety impossible and i found myself unable to continue reading.. after a lot of tears, a letter to the editor ( Harper voyager) i managed to get a new perfect copy but the wait and perhaps this error yes had stopped my interest for a moment... i wanted to continue teh series but i was afraid to be interrupted again perhaps and the books started pilling up in my pile.

Until this month... i decided, like i told you earlier this month, to simply read books i wanted to or at least give them priority to help my motivation and since i fell sick it also helped the mood ...i couln't let this series wait any longer and i devoured this book once again from page one to the last and even with the time aside i still remembered the series perfectly and got immersed immediately!

So now you can hope to get several reviews for this series this october to make it up for the wait ^^starting with White Witch, Black Curse!

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication: 2009

ISBN:  0007311273

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

Source: bought
 

Short description from the publisher Harper and Collins:

 Kick-ass bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan has crossed forbidden lines, taken demonic hits, and still stands. But the death of her lover struck her harder than she ever thought possible. She won't rest until his murder is solved . . . and avenged.

But a new predator is moving to the apex of the Inderlander food chain—and now Rachel's past is coming back to haunt her.


Literally.

My opinion:

          After such a long time after having read the precedent books, I greatly enjoyed the fact I could easily immersed myself again in The Hollows series. I’m not saying this book could be read out of order… I don’t think it would be possible because Kim Harrison adds more information in each book and the story is going to an upper level nearly each time but logically if you must make a break in the series for a reason or another it would be great before this one. White Witch, Black Curse has enough past references in the story to make you remember what happened before and to put you back on track without being a transitional story far from it in fact.

This book is full of action but also high on emotions, Rachel and Ivy are working on finding who killed Kisten and I was on the verge of crying several times even if I wasn’t a real fan of the couple Kisten- Rachel. On the emotional part, we also have some action with Marshall who I liked yes but if I do understand him part of me pities him too, I guess he would have gained more points if he fought for her instead of letting things happen and see.  We have some family drama too and it was interesting to see the dynamic of the Morgan Family

I was both happy and anxious to see was Pierce, the ghost. I read the novella about the first encounter between him and Rachel and I wanted more. He is quite enigmatic though and Al seems to think he could endanger our favourite witch but I love how chivalrous he is. He loves Rachel but to which level and is it without ulterior motives I can’t say. I’m learned with this author that I can’t really have a strict idea, the character can be good but do evil things ( like Trent he does want to help his people but for that he kills etc but deep inside I’m sure he isn’t bad and he stays my favourite potential suitor for Rachel^^)

Al is still there too but mostly he is busy with Pierce so nothing really special to say about him this time, he is still the same he is motivated by selfish reasons but he is attracted to Rachel so he protect her in a way while still using her….double standards for sure…but I was smiling at the butterflies and the chrysalis…I can’t wait to learn more.

Trent also appears but not a lot, still angry at Rachel for what happened before, afraid to be discovered and not knowing where to stand with Ceri he was really subdued and i guess it will mean we will have more of him later and that’s something I want!

Now to go back on the central team: Jenks is anti Pierce from the start and very loud about it but his main concern is his dying wife…I really felt for him like Rachel and Ivy who have to watch and can’t do anything about it. Useful as always, I can’t imagine a book without him. Ivy is ready to explode; she is feeling guilty over Kisten death and didn’t dare to look for the culprit immediately and then she add that to her guilt. She is helping our witch as always and works a lot with Edden the chief of the FIB (human police force).

Our witch is greatly in needs of help because she is now facing a real force in a banshee mother, and banshee are not easy to take care of. Nearly killed several time, she wants to help but for that she must accept who she is completely and she doubts her ability to make spells now. Worse she is shunned, witches consider her black so evil and wants nothing to do with her meaning she can’t buy anything nor sell things, is not allowed everywhere anymore and sadly that extend to her family. Jenks, ivy but also Edden and Glenn don’t care but will it be enough in the long run, we will have to see.

Rynn Cormel , master vampire, did explain to her so far her allies are few because she is unbalancing the power statut quo to which the Inderlanders are used. The witches fear her and edict a shunning, the vampires could go against her if she is a danger and can’t do anything for her,elven just want her destroyed,  the humans are a worst danger if they get panicked…only the weres could be on her side and still on condition. But for Rachel politics are out of question, she is doing what she does only to help others…yes she does some black magic but she is a white witch …not a demon even if she can speak to them and even is the student to Al it was to save Trent. It’s true she is suffering a long and not for her but she is slowly adjusting I think, not fully yet but she improves.

This story was really captivating with the perfect balance action/emotion, a great rhythm not to fast but not slow either simply perfect; I can only regret to have waited so long before continuing this series. So if you want a great, one of my favourite even, series of urban fantasy: the Hollows is for you and you should get addicted quickly!

Score:  4/5

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

Challenges:

Have you already had to put a series on hold for a reason other than the wait for a new release?

Vampire City : tome 1 Bienvenue en Enfer par Rachel Caine

Bonsoir à tous!,

 Il était temps que je vous livre un nouvel avis, en français cela va de soit, et pour une fois je voulais changer et ne pas vous présenter un titre du même éditeur car certes j'adore Milady et ma bibliothèque en recèle une majorité mais ce n'est pas la seule maison d'édition française et  comme un titre était particulièrement adapté à ce mois-ci je n'ai pu résister.

En effet, ce mois d'octobre a pour sujet, du challenge de romance paranormales, les fantômes mais  même si je vais essayer d'en lire plusieurs correspondant à ce thème j'ai surtout envie de me faire plaisir et de simplement lire quelques romans d'urban fantasy or romance paranormale qui me font envie parfois depuis très longtemps et qui sait cela voudra peut-être dire plus d'un avis en français ce mois-ci.

En attendant commençons par celui-ci, Rachel Caine est uen auteur assez connue et la série " morganville" a un certain succès aussi je me suis laissée tenter...et le premier tome étant disponible chez le livre de poche section jeunesse l'affaire a été vite conclue et je l'ai lu rapidement mais malheureusement je suis restée sur ma faim mais je vous laisse en découvrir plus.

Bonne Lecture

Editeur VF: Le Livre de Poche, col. Jeunesse 2013
Titre original:Glass Houses ( edited 2010)
Genre: paranormal romance, bit lit, YA
Violence: élevée
Langage: normal
sexe: aucun
Public: 16ans+

Prix : 7,75euro

Obtenu par achat

Quatrième de couverture de l'éditeur Le Livre de Poche Jeunesse: 

Claire Danvers est une étudiante de génie. Ses parents l’envoient pourtant s’enterrer à Morganville, dans une université au fin fond du Texas. Très vite, elle devient le souffre-douleur de la « mafia manucurée » du campus. Claire trouve alors refuge dans la maison de ses rêves. Elle se lie bientôt d’amitié avec ses trois colocataires, Eve la gothique, Shane le rebelle et Michael, musicien prodige qui ne sort qu’après le coucher du soleil. Mais Claire n’est pas encore tirée d’affaire. Car à Morganville, certaines personnes ont les dents longues et, la nuit, les ombres sont habitées.

Avis:

          Je suis assez perplexe après ce premier tome qui, autant prévenir dès à présent, se termine par un cliffhanger. Ce n’est pas que ce soit mal écrit mais je n’aime pas trop passé d’un récit  à la première personne à un à la troisième….je n ‘ai rien contre chacun de ces points de vue narratif mais je n’apprécie pas trop le mélange. D’autre part,  j’avais plutôt l’impression que cela s’adressait à de jeunes adolescents, j’aime lire les récits YA et même pour un public encore plus jeune mais j’ai rarement eu un sentiment aussi fort d’inadéquation avec l’histoire, l’histoire manquait pour moi de profondeur et les personnages étaient un peu trop superficiels à mon sens.

Oh l’écriture n’est pas mauvaise loin de là et l’histoire a du potentiel mais je n’ai pas vraiment accroché à ce premier tome, en fait c’est limite si je ne regrette pas la dépense. L’histoire est plus que facile à lire et est assez  prévisible mais agréable à suivre mais plus de 7euro pour ça c’est trop à mon goût, il y a des séries beaucoup plus captivantes et à moindre coût..

J’ai apprécié cependant que chacun reste comme il est  au moins dans ce premier volume mais c’est loin d’être acquis pour le reste de la série qui en version originale est bien plus longue déjà que ce qui a été traduit à ce jour. Une partie de moi était intéressée de découvrir le personnage de Claire avec lequel je partage plusieurs points communs mais après quelques pages l’intérêt s’est dissipé. Claire est intelligente certes, elle a du mal a être acceptée car son objectif est d’étudier pas de faire la fête, très bien mais dans le même temps elle m’a paru molle.  Eve la met au courant pour les vampires, elle a des doutes c’est logiques mais même après avoir eu plusieurs preuves elle fait encore des bêtises mettant tout le monde en danger.  Pas vraiment cohérent avec une jeune fille très intelligente et mature. De même sa réaction quand elle découvre la nature de Michael est trop calme, le «  on en discutera plus tard » n’est pas logique au vu de son comportement au préalable. J’ai trouvé que Rachel Caine manquait de cohérence  dans la personnalité de ses personnages comme si elle n’était pas encore certaine de leur image. Michael est intéressant mais la fin du livre me laisse perplexe,  son impuissance est alors des plus troublante. Au final le personnage que j’ai le plus apprécié, sans l’avoir adoré, c’est Shane car sa personnalité est la plus cohérente, on est assez surpris à la fin certes mais si on réfléchis c’est  parfaitement en lien avec son histoire et son comportement.

 Je vais probablement essayer de continuer la série si je la trouve en promotion par exemple mais c’est loin d’être une de mes priorités en ce moment. Si vous aimez les histoires sans trop de complications mais avec cliffhangers, les vampires, fantômes etc. si vous souhaitez une lecture assez rapide ne nécessitant pas trop de réflexion, c’est un livre pour vous. (intéressant quand vous avez une pause à l’école ou entre deux devoirs quoi^^)

Score:  2,5/5

Disclaimer: Toutes les opinions exprimées ici sont les miennes, il s’agit de d’un avis honnête et personnel. Aucune compensation n’a été fournie en échange de ce dernier.

Challenges:

Late Eclipses (October Daye 4) by Seanan McGuire

Hello to all,

                  I wanted to post this yesterday buit i've come down with a new infection so yesterday i was mostly off but then i will try to post more  often at least this month ( and that's an advantage of the infection... after sleeping i do have time to read^^)

I decided to stay with things i love or i will probably love and jumped on the next book by Seanan McGuire i had in my pile and now it's definitive, i'm really addicted to this series!!

Happy reading!

Publisher: DAW

Publication: 2011

ISBN:  0756406668

Genre: dark urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: mild
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 October "Toby" Daye is half-human, half-fae-the only changeling who's earned knighthood. But when someone begins targeting her nearest and dearest, it becomes clear that Toby is being set up to take the fall for everything that's happening.

My opinion:

          This series is really one I’ve come to love more after each book; the author manages each time to create a wonderful story with a great investigation that even if you guess the culprit you can’t put down since there are many twists and such to keep you completely immersed in the story and on edge. Each time we discover something about Toby too and at the same time we wonder even more. I love this!

However it’s still dark urban fantasy so sadly it also means that each time we loose characters we have come to love and this book doesn’t make an exception.  Some part are really emotional like when Tybalt cradling the little kitten ( a cait sidhe) and it wasn’t easy not to shed a tear from time to time. I was also terribly angered by the Queen of Mist  such a conniving little b**** we finally learn why she is so furious about October, Toby, and that’s so futile, so petty…she can hold the title of queen , a secondary one too, in the faeries kingdom but she doesn’t care a little bit about her subjects, not once!  She does grant  Toby a county but it’s not a favour at all fortunately our dear hero will have a use for it even if she isn’t countess stuff even less when someone is killing all she hold dear.

Lily has been targeted and ask Toby to take care of her subjects (see the difference with the stupid queen?!), then is Luna and finally Tybalt is seeing his owns dying one by one… but even if his has a lot on his plate right now he still jump at Toby ‘s rescue when she needs it and he does show her he cares even if he won’t say the words (that kiss^^ and how affected he can be  when she is suffering I’m definitively a fan of his) I was happy to see Raj again even if it was only for a short time.

The one who surprised me the most was Connor, the seal, normally he look so mild and a little coward because he can’t fight and is quite not at ease on ground but this time. What a change ^^ he became one of Toby Knight in  shining armor and did a lot to help. He is growing on me even if my preference stays for Tybalt ^^. Luidaeg does appears, still as irate as ever, but only for a short time and a role this time is really reduced but her behaviour does let think about possible problem to come in future books.

I can’t said a lot about the investigation itself or the info we get  since it could constitute huge spoiler but what I can say is that the romance is building up; the action just what I hoped it would be and the info about Toby just gives me more questions ( really what role has Sylvester? If Toby’s status changes what of her girl, part human?) Amandine makes an intervention but I still can decide if I like her or not in fact I have even more questions about her than before ^^;;

The ending was simply perfect except for 2 details: 1 °normally something should have happened to Sylvester but we get no word about it and then I would have wanted more Tybalt!!! What he is thinking now about Toby, what are the rules now ( at least what are the faery’s laws that apply  to this case?).  But rest assured the investigation comes to a conclusion and at least a temporary happy end. Seanan does make us want more of this fabulous horde of characters though. So I would recommend this series if you love dark urban fantasy and are looking for a great on going series.

Score:  4,5/5

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

Challenges:

Demon Hunting in the Deep South (Demon Hunting 2) by Lexi George

Hello to all!


           New month, so full of promises.... i'm not really fond of Fall or i wasn't until i discovered it means paranormal reads and contest in the blogosphere ^^ it really makes up for the rain and the cold . However this time it's starting great, cold yes but some good days to ( 20°c) and sun! yes we got sunny days so i'm smiling, i'm happy -a lot thanks to Felicia who didn't hesitate to send me a box of books overseas THANK YOU!- and i want to read.

I do hope October will be less busy than september for me but on that side it's not as promising as the weather but i won't give up my reading time and i will put more time in my creative activity too to make up for when i couldn't.

Now back to the reading part, since it's october i will indulge and read mostly what i want since paranormal is my favourite genre. For the monthly paranormal topic: Ghost, i will see if i do read some books that include one ( already started one)but i won't put that as a priority since it worked against my motivation for the dragon, this time will be pleasure reads not must read. I still should read for the sport challenge to and i will if i feel like it if i don't it will just be posponed to next month^^.

 I started my month with a series i discovered a few months ago the Demon hunting one by Lexi George, the first book made me laugh  and i loved it so much that  i did everything to get all the rest already published so i could  read them when i want....that was the plan at least but i managed to forget the existence of a novella that i had more than a lot difficulty to get ( thanks Brenda for saving me!) ...so i read book 2 without reading first the story 1.5 and that was quite a mistake. i will read it now but i can't recommend you enough in this case to read it before book 2... more explanations in my actual review

 Happy reading and Happy October^^

Publisher: Kensington

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  0758263112

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

Source: won

description from goodreads :

 The warrior and the wallflower . . .

Shy, self-conscious Evie Douglass tries to stay under the radar, especially when her nemesis Meredith Peterson, aka The Death Starr, is anywhere around. Meredith and her bitch posse of skinny girlfriends have tormented Evie since the seventh grade, calling her names like The Whale and Thunder Thighs.

Evie tries to stay invisible, but that’s not an easy thing for a plus-sized gal to do in a small town like Hannah, Alabama. She finds it doubly hard to avoid Meredith’s wrath once she takes a job at the lumber mill. You see, Meredith’s husband is Evie’s new boss. Translation: more torture time for The Death Starr.
Evie thinks things couldn’t get much worse until the morning she finds Meredith’s bloody body sprawled across her desk. Typical Meredith, she gets herself dead mere days after a very public scene in which Meredith accuses Evie of having an affair with her husband. Worse, the murder weapon is found in Evie’s car.

Suddenly, Evie is the Number One suspect in a sensational murder case. But she’s got bigger problems. Hannah is infested with demons—soul sucking, body snatching creatures of evil—and, for some reason, they want Evie. The only thing standing between Evie and death or possible possession is a hunky blond demon slayer named Ansgar.

Ansgar is a Dalvahni warrior, a supernaturally gorgeous race whose sole purpose is to hunt down and capture rogue demons.

Evie could almost swear that Ansgar is interested in more than demons. He seems interested in her. Ridiculous, of course, because he’s sex on two legs and she’s…

Well, she’s Whaley Douglass.

To add to Evie’s troubles, Meredith doesn’t even have the decency to stay dead. She shows back up as a ghost and she’s more of a beyotch than ever. Meredith has deathnesia—she can’t remember who killed her—leaving Evie to solve the mystery herself, or go to jail for a murder she didn’t commit.

My opinion:

          This book was more than good and it would have gotten probably an higher score if I had read the novella that comes just before this one…yes Lexi George did write a novella but she put some allusions to it in this book and thus if you haven’t read it you have questions, and some details are annoying because you see you are missing something… I like novellas in a universe I love but I prefer when they are not a necessarily read, when if you don’t know they exist you don’t feel like you are missing something reading the main books, when they just bonus in a sense…. And this is not the case here.

Now like I said this book was good really and it made me laugh, just I couldn’t dive completely dive into it… You find the same elements that made book one a fabulous read: action, romance, sexy possessive warrior, women who know, humor and funny animals you can only want more of.  From book 1 we see Dooley, unfortunately not as much as I would have loved, fluffy is cited but we don’t see the fairy cat…no this time we get a demon possessed Chihuahua named Frodo, really I don’t want to meet him, which by the way is attracted by the mayor’s opossum….strange combination but love knows no boundaries I guess^^;;

I was really happy to see Evie, or Evangeline to sexy Viking looking warrior, this book take place months after “ Demon hunting in Dixie, and we can observe the result of the events that happened then… thankfully  her best friend Addy and her own Dalvahni kept looking over her because she really needed it. Evie is a gentle soul, too gentle in fact and also quite naïve… persecuted for her physical differences, she is not a skeleton, she has curves since little she believe to be fat and horrible… for her no man can be attracted to her….even if Trey the richer man of the city, after his father, and her boss keep making advances on her.

She is feeling something is missing in her life and something more than the fact she can’t see fairies anymore, though they still make her understand they are there.

I can understand Evie really well, when you hear something all your life it’s hard to think differently and I admire the fact she managed to stay so kind despite all her suffering…. She is a character I would like to have as a friend.

Ansgar left but he returned… staying invisible and trying to make sure Evie was okay without some else noticing his behaviour… he is quite lost and what is happening to him. For millennia he was a warrior with a simple life: hunt and kill..; nothing else but coming to Hannah he met Evie and his life changed drastically.. he can’t think of someone else, he want to touch her, to hear her and at the same time he is feeling so guilty about what happened that he think he doesn’t deserve her….he was so arrogant when that happened to Brand that it’s really funny to see things inversed, brand staying way too kind and polite with his” brother”.

However when she is danger Ansgar act without thinking and come back in her life determined to protect her and perhaps have a new relation with her despite the loss of her memories and for that he treads carefully.

 The investigation is interesting and the culprit is well thought…I loved to see the new sheriff… a kind of shifter, and Meredith is really an annoying ghost… I pity those who can see her… but it was also humorous to see some of her reactions.

 Now what was really interesting in this book was that we learn more about the demonoïd, the children of djerali, .. so far we knew djerali or the demons Dalvahni are fighting and we learned in book 1 that some of them  managed to have children while possessing humans, Hannah being the place were  a huge number of them  regroup. But since it’s the first time it’s heard of, Dalvahni don’t know what to make of them classifying them as “evil” simply because of their ancestor….  We also discover Connall chief of the Dalvahni In this book, Lexi George shows us a more complex situation, with secret revealed, new enemies but also some new allies… and a new range of possibilities and danger to come.. so it promising for the rest of the series even if it also means that the end was an open one, not a cliffhanger.

 So I would recommend this book if you love paranormal romance with a lot of humour in it but if you want to enjoy it to the fullest you should read the series in order and that include the novella ( in so I married a demon slayer) before starting on this one.

Score:  3,5/5

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

Challenges: