Review: "Dark Beauty" by Taryn Browning

"Dark Beauty"

by Taryn Browning

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Vampires

Reading Grade: Young Adult (short story)

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: July 23, 2011

Source: the author for review

Age Rating: 15+ (for some profanity)

Amazon.com

For fifteen-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.

My Review

This is an unexpectedly entertaining little story. For what little there is to this very short story, there's plenty of urban fantasy-action and nefarious vampires trying to do what they do best—kill humans by feeding off their blood.

The best thing about this story is the main characters, Isabelle and Abram, who are called “Seekers,” and their job is to kill vampires before they can kill humans. Isabelle and Abram appear to be older teenagers, but apparently they're not. There's no real explanation for why they never age, and they both have to move around every four years so people don't start noticing that they look perpetually like they belong in high school.

I find both of them very charming and endearing with their abrasive interaction. Abram is a pretty-boy with a pin-up body who likes to point that out to Isabelle, but in the cutest, silliest way and always with a smile. She just rolls her eyes at him, as would anyone, but she can't help but laugh at him, too. And, she's a tough little girl who wants nothing more than to prove she doesn't need a man to help her kick some vampire-demon hybrid bootay.

The plot is very sparse, but it moves incredibly fast and I'm amazed at how well I understand the characters, despite the concise length. I'd love to see more of these two Seekers doing things together to get the friction going between them. They are super adorable when needling each other, if not outright bickering. Can't wait to read more!

I received this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Black Wood by Jayde Scott

Black Wood (A Witch Rising, #1)

by Jayde Scott

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Reading Grade: Young Adult/Middle Grade

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: July 30, 2011

Source: review copy from author

Age Rating: Children+

Amazon.com

Witches, trolls, nymphs and Silverfurs are surely the figment of one’s imagination. That’s what Emily Jones used to think until she moves to Scotland shortly before her fourteenth birthday to live in her deceased grandmother’s manor. Ravencourt Manor's just as creepy as she remembers it with plenty of creaking noises, rattling doors and a hunched shadow that roams the manor’s garden at night.

In the hope to bring her separated parents back together, Emily opens a portal to Black Wood; a world of dangerous and alluring nymphs dwelling beneath the streams ready to drown her, where the sinister guardian and keeper of the Black Heart and cursed trolls are waiting, desperate to be released. And so Emily’s long and dangerous fight against the evil Muriel begins.

Will Emily learn to use her grandmother's legacy in time before the evil Muriel regains her full powers to summon and unleash her deadly servants on the world? 

My Review

I'll start by saying that I really liked the characters in this short novel. Emily might not be one of the most interesting ones, but her older brother Sam was hilarious and breathed life into the story. I liked Aurelie and her nephew, Clifford, as they were eccentric and creepy to Emily until more was discovered about who they were.

I think this story functions really well as Middle Grade reading material and not as strictly Young Adult teen fiction. Parents could allow their young children to read this without fear of profanity, sexual situations, or violence. The protagonist is a thirteen-going-on-fourteen year old girl, and I think it's perfectly appropriate for a much younger audience, provided the younger child can read at the level of a thirteen-year-old.

I did, however, wish the scene where Emily trains as a witch, learning chants and spells, had been shown rather than quickly summed up in a few sentences. I would liked to have seen a bit of the process of her learning how to be a witch. And, it is a very quick read with a thin plot that comes to a quick resolution, although it ends right when another complication begins to develop. It feels like a cliffhanger, but the main plot does have a resolution and this new development serves to set up the beginning of the next volume that furthers Emily's overarching story goal.

I'm hoping the next installment is a bit more original, but, still, I liked the surprise twist at the end where Emily quickly glimpses someone unexpected of particular interest right before she leaves the world of Black Wood and returns home. I liked this story and would recommend it to people of all ages who like the Harry Potter series, as well as other children's adventure/fantasy fiction.

I received this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Imperium by Nicholas Olivo

Imperium (A Caulborn Novel)

by Nicholas Olivo

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Reading Grade: Adult

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: June 29, 2011

Source: e-book review copy from author

Age Rating: Teen (15+)

Amazon.com

Vincent Corinthos leads a triple life. As a secret agent, he handles paranormal threats; as a god, he protects his followers from evil forces; as a stock clerk, he keeps the back room of an antique store tidy.
 

When one of his fellow agents goes missing, Vincent begins with the usual suspects. His investigation takes him to vampire lairs, golem laboratories, and the realm of the fae. Along the way he squares off against genetically modified gremlins, virus-spawned zombies and a horseman of the Apocalypse.

But it's only when he infiltrates a private medical lab that he realizes just how big of a threat he's facing, and even being a god might not be enough of an edge... 

My Review

I received this title as a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

There are a lot of impressive things going on this story. The main character, Vincent, is a half-god and he was born with a caul, so these things give him some supernatural abilities. On top of that, he is also a god to group of people who live in another dimension, and they all have supernatural abilities that he can draw upon. Through these worshipers' faith in him, he can move things with his mind, communicate with rats and birds, and spontaneously start fires.

He honestly seems overpowered to me. I have a bit of trouble believing he has so much difficulty defeating his enemies when he has so much going for him. I suppose that's better than him easily defeating any foe, since that would be boring, but it breaks the illusion when I keep thinking that any other person in his position would just use one of his many abilities to get himself out of his predicaments.

Still, it is an interesting story with a vast array of paranormal characters, mythical gods and goddesses, and a super cute tech-savvy gremlin named Gearstripper. But, I just wasn't able to really get into this story, nor most of its characters. The plot is very confusing until you get about two-thirds of the way into it—then, it starts to make sense. It does, however, come together in the end, as all the loose and mysterious threads get tied up.

But, I feel the ending is a bit weak as it literally employs a “deus ex machina”, by which I mean an actual god-character pretty much saves the day with a simple move to end everyone's trouble for the time being. I have to admit, it sucks the energy out of the story, and it takes a long time for the plot to build up.

Overall, this is a book worth taking a chance on if you love urban fantasy that stars paranormal characters and secret agents who have to patrol them.

My score: 3 out of 5 stars.

Book Haul #6

What did I get this past week this time?

The Goddess Test (Goddess Test, #1)
by Aimee Carter

Amazon.com

Source: purchased paperback

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall. Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

I found this super cheap on Walmart.com, so I snatched it up real quick. This was getting a lot of hype prior to its release, so I hope it lives up to it somewhat when I dive into it.

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne (Steampunk Chronicles, #0.5)
by Kady Cross

Amazon.com

Source: purchase on Kindle

Finley Jayne knows she's not 'normal'. Normal girls don't lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behavior has already cost her one job, so when she's offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience. Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined…

An ebook exclusive prequel to The Steampunk Chronicles.

I've already read this short story prequel and didn't expect much, but totally loved it! I've got the first book in the Steampunk Chronicles on the way and can't wait to read that, too...

Imperium: A Caulborn Novel 
by Nicholas Olivo

Amazon.com

Source: review copy from author

Vincent Corinthos leads a triple life. As a secret agent, he handles paranormal threats; as a god, he protects his followers from evil forces; as a stock clerk, he keeps the back room of an antique store tidy.

When one of his fellow agents goes missing, Vincent begins with the usual suspects. His investigation takes him to vampire lairs, golem laboratories, and the realm of the fae. Along the way he squares off against genetically modified gremlins, virus-spawned zombies and a horseman of the Apocalypse.

But it's only when he infiltrates a private medical lab that he realizes just how big of a threat he's facing, and even being a god might not be enough of an edge...

I received this from the author when he requested that I review it. I had no knowledge of this title beforehand, but I'm glad I know now because it sounds really interesting. And, this cover... I love it!