Review: Race of Thieves

Race of Thieves by S.M. Reine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a die hard Reine fan and have read all the previous books in this world/universe/timeline/etc. That being said, I think you can pretty much dive into this world wherever as it resets and changes dynamics continually. Yes, there are references or names I caught and had a little smile or chuckle over, but it's 100% not necessary for bizarre enjoyment of this book.

This book is definitely the start of a whole new series. The feel, the amount of smut, the witty banter all combines to a bit of a new take on this post-genesis world. Shatter Cage is a shifter with delusions of being a soon-to-be hero. He's hiding his squirrel shifter heritage behind the mask of a phoenix and he's living like a millionaire in a rundown movie theater. His partner, Vex, was a highlight for me, and helped me crawl through the frustrating parts of Shatter's story. His small-time stealing ends up showing some real promise at attracting a dream job, but he isn't the only "applicant."

Brigid is a fellow thief who shared a sordid past with Shatter, complete with whips and chains. The rivalry between them is constantly escalating and it was 100% enjoyment to watch. This book read like a comedy, an action heist flick, and a paranormal romance gone awry. I'm not even sure I can sum up the actual plot, but the characters were so unique and interesting that the pages flew by. If you have any interest in any of the above genres, then this is definitely worth a read. Fair warning - there are some yucky parts, some dark parts, and some smutty parts thrown in here. If any of those things aren't for you, you've been fairly warned!

View all my reviews

Review: Kiss of the Fallen: A Sensual Urban Fantasy

Kiss of the Fallen: A Sensual Urban Fantasy by Kharma Kelley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are three secret races, vampires, werewolves, and witches, all vying for dominance in this world. At the top of all of these races is a sort of demon cop-type, called a Black Blood Slayer. Tristan is the vampire commander who is one job away from retirement. He’s tasked with keeping the companion of one of his rulers. She’s been making some headway in peace talks between the races, but with that comes death threats from those that like the status quo. Tristan selects some of the strongest fighters and is determined to survive this one last gig. It is unfortunate that he is one of the only survivors. This incident starts filling Tristan’s mind with suspicions and doubt surrounding his leaders and their ulterior motives.

Zoe is not your typical Black Blood Slayer. Instead of being a mindless killer, she actually cares about each of the races and the balance between them. Through a mysterious series of events, she ends up chained to Tristan’s bed after his horrible night of betrayal. They obviously meet one another with a great deal of skepticism, but it seems like they are on the same team. Strange things are afoot in the vampire leadership. Of course, there is attraction, smutty goodness, and twists and turns, but we ultimately end up with a satisfying ending for everyone (except the poor sacrificial lamb at the beginning).


View all my reviews

Review: The Boss

The Boss by Abigail Owen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent start to what will hopefully be a series with plenty of books! Firefighters, dragons, tough chicks, and some smutty goodness round out this fun and engaging read.

Finn is the leader of a group of elite dragon shifters, stationed and tasked with monitoring for rogue dragon fire and helping hide their race from humans. He has had a tough life, having thought he found his mate only to result in her death. Sure, he could blame the system for identifying mates (which is archaic and not always right) but instead he blames himself, swearing off women and especially any possible mates. Enter Delaney – a tough woman who has been on the run from a stalker ex who definitely has some more supernatural elements up his sleeve. She is also sort-of running from the inexplicable fires that seem to follow her during black-outs. After Finn’s people come in to fight a fire that has erupted near her, she finds herself drawn into their strangely comforting world of the unbelievable.

Obviously they immediately pin her as a possible dragon mate but things just don’t seem to add up. Either way, Finn and Delaney are drawn to one another. While there is some reluctance to give in, they ultimately make a really great team. All of the rest of the guys in the “crew” deserve a shout out, too, because I cannot wait until they all get their turn with mates. The writing was great and the world building had me begging for even more time there. This was a surprising and wonderful book that restored my faith in paranormal romance.


View all my reviews

Review: What Does This Button Do?: An Autobiography

What Does This Button Do?: An Autobiography by Bruce Dickinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this for much the reason probably everyone reads this book - I really enjoy Iron Maiden. Admittedly, I was even really aware of Iron Maiden until my husband introduced me to the band. Since then, I've gone to concerts, watched Flight 666, and suddenly found myself a big Iron Maiden fan. Bruce Dickinson has been a mystery to me, what with his interesting collection of hobbies and interests on top of being an insane heavy metal lead singer. I was happy to share this audiobook with my husband and have yet even more Iron Maiden discussions.

So, full disclaimer - I listened to this rather than regular reading it and I think that really helped. It is read by the man himself, and he is a great storyteller. You get a lot of history on his time at school, how he learned and developed his fencing skills, and (of course) how he ended up a pilot in varying degrees of certification. I did notice the lack of mention of any relationships and kids along the way (I'll have to go check the wikipedia page), but he discusses that in the afterward.

The life he has had (and he's not done yet) is amazing. I loved the stories, the history, and the passion he tells it all with. As my typical type of book is paranormal romance, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to have myself sucked into this autobiography. I'd even say that I would recommend it to non-Iron Maiden fans, if only for the interesting story that is included here.

View all my reviews

Review: Companion Pieces: Stories from the Old World and Beyond

Companion Pieces: Stories from the Old World and Beyond by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This set of short stories was a really nice mesh of stories I may not have even known I wanted. I'm familiar with this Old World (and you should be, too, if you're reading this one), but this gave some "behind the scenes" looks at some stories that either we saw from another side or beyond where the story ended.

While I've already read "Malediction" and "Sell-By Date" but the rest were so... fun. Even a story that I really thought I wouldn't enjoy - Scarlett giving birth - was silly and fun enough that I completely enjoyed it. If you are looking for a unique blend of stories that helps round out the sets of series, this is definitely worth it. You even get some bonus material at the end, if you're interested in other works by the author.

View all my reviews

Review: Bloodsick

Bloodsick by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was somewhere between a short story and a compilation of chapters. If you've read other books in this universe, this is definitely a much read. I swung back around to this short story when I was reading another anthology. I have always been interested in Will and Sashi and this gives you their full history.

I would recommend reading this at some point during your experience in the Old World, but I'm not exactly sure where it would fit best. Maybe after we meet Sashi? It would certainly help you feel a little more sympathetic for their situation. I both loved and hated that I knew where they would end up, but it was still totally worth the read.

View all my reviews

Review: Magic Triumphs

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I admittedly was dragging my feet at reading this one. I was sad to say goodbye to these characters, even if I get to see more in the Hugh universe (Hughniverse?). I love Kate for so many reasons and this book delivered.

As if Kate's life wasn't threatened enough by her own father, she has even more problems to deal with (what else is new?). Kate and Curran are now parents, and as much as I usually hate the new kid storyline, I really loved it here. Their kid is exactly what I'd expect from them - already getting into trouble and breaking through boundaries. They are both hiding things (as usual) but still in their awesome relationship. So what's the big bad? Well, here's a hint - it involves fire and lots of death. Destroying their enemy means they have to call in all their favors and create some sort of mega-alliance. It's a nice ending to the series, getting to see all the familiar faces and watching them work with (or fight) one another.

There are some twist and turns, some surprises, and some secrets around how the two sets of books work together, but all in all, exactly the type of ending this series deserves. Things are relatively wrapped up, at least for Kate, and I guess we get more books from yet another narrator? That remains to be seen. There were some characters I wish we had spent more time with, but I am still hoping we get to circle back around at some point. I was particularly bummed about a few off-screen death scenes that seemed like cheating the reader a bit, but what do I know about writing big battle scenes? I'm happy with where the pieces fell, not too sad about the body count, and looking forward to more from this author in the future (with this set of characters, probably).

View all my reviews