Urban Books - Page 17

Fanged & Fabulous (Immortality Bites, Book 2)

Michelle Rowen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Fanged and Fabulous 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Sarah Dearly has been a vampire for less than two months and is dating
a married, much older man with a drinking problem. At the same time
she manages to maintain her incorrigible and sassy personality. Now
the vampire hunters are intent on killing her, she is dog-sitting a
werewolf, she has agreed to investigate her best friend's husband, and
she has to let down her former friend.

Thierry de Bennicoeur is smart, sexy and rich. And thanks to his wife,
Veronique, has been a vampire for seven centuries. The years they have
spent `exclusively' together are few in number. Their official record
of vows has been lost in time. Sarah is a breath of fresh air in a
long, angst-filled life.

Thierry is perfect, minus his wife. Being hunted by the `Hunters',
having her best friend turn 30, and her bodyguards. Well, we won't go
into them. Life is not always safe, or sane.

Fanged & Fabulous is a smart, delightful tale of a new vampire
learning to deal with issues of life, love and the world. Ms. Rowan
writes with a fun style. That said, the climax of the novel was a bit
too anticlimactic for its buildup.


Barb
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Editorial Review:

My name is Sarah Dearly, and I've got major problems. Last month, I was turned into a vampire by the world's worst blind date. Then I may have, totally by accident, started a war between the mostly peaceful bloodsuckers and a bunch of sociopathic vamp hunters who have nicknamed me the Slayer of Slayers. Now I'm being used as bait to draw out the hunters' bad-ass leader, while my gorgeous 600-year-old boyfriend Thierry seems to be blowing me off, and my sizzle-hot, fanged friend Quinn is trying to turn my self-defense lessons into make-out sessions. So you know what? I'm done. I've had it. There comes a time when a vamp has to just suck it up and go after what she wants. And as soon as I figure out what that is, that's exactly what I'll do...

Coyote Dreams (The Walker Papers, Book 3)

C.E. Murphy

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Big yawn 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This book was BORING, I made it almost half way & gave up. The best thing about this book was the book cover, which was excellent.

A Good book, Bad ending... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I was so excited when this book came out! Urban Shaman wet my thirst and geared me up for the long haul, but Thunderbird Falls was a bit of a let down. Coyote Dreams started out great and kept me reading. It definitely made up for any dislike I had for book two. This book dug so much deeper in to the characters we've all come to love or hate - I no longer wanted to reach in to the pages and shake some sense (or nonsense) in to Joanne! I gobbled up this book and couldn't wait for the next!

...but the series ended there.

Fellow readers may agree that the series didn't feel "complete." I, for one, have unanswered questions. Great read, but if you're expecting more to come then prepare yourself for disappointment. Oh well, that's what the imagination is for.

Editorial Review:

Much of the city can't wake up. And more are dozing off each day.

Instead of powerful forces storming Seattle, a more insidious invasion is happening. Most of Joanne Walker's fellow cops are down with the blue flu—or rather the blue sleep. Yet there's no physical cause anyone can point to—and it keeps spreading.

It has to be magical, Joanne figures. But what's up with the crazy dreams that hit her every time she closes her eyes? Are they being sent by Coyote, her still-missing spirit guide? The messages just aren't clear.

Somehow Joanne has to wake up her sleeping friends while protecting those still awake, figure out her inner-spirit dream life and, yeah, come to terms with these other dreams she's having about her boss...

Valentine's Exile (Vampire Earth, Book 5)

E.E. Knight

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

valentine's discovery... 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

this is book 5 in the series...all of them have been a progressive discovery of how one discovers what one is made of, i.e., "the right stuff". David Valentine is a man for all times, a philosopher and a man of action and justice. He is challenged by an invasion of earth and the devistation of civilization as we know it, yet he must find a way through it and, at the same time, remain human in the ideal sense of the word...he is judge, jury, and executioner all in one...not only of the "enemy" that has invaded earth, but of his fellow humans who are not up to the challenge of preserving liberty, freedom, and the "American" way of life...this series continues to inspire, impress, and challenge the reader to put him/herself in the position of david valentine and look at today's reality and "what if's". It is an excellent series to share with your children when they are old enough to grasp the philosophical principles involved. I can't wait for book 6 due out in july of '07...thank you e. e. knight

Editorial Review:

David Valentine is revered as a hero for his part in fighting to regain Earth's freedom. When a former Quisling traitor is badly wounded, he asks Valentine to find his wife, who has vanished into the darkness of the Kurian Order. With the help of old friends and new allies, Valentine traces her to a mysterious, heavily guarded compound in Ohio. And what Valentine finds within will shake his sanity to its very core.

Into the Darkness (Avon Red)

Delilah Devlin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

After arriving in New Orleans—escaping from a tragic past—the virginal beauty falls victim to a series of strange, unearthly attacks. And for the first time in her life, she aches with sexual desire. Now Natalie is confused, frightened, out of control—desperately struggling to understand a world that is transforming around her. But soon she will be powerful and magnificent in ways she could never have imagined . . .

Detective Rene Broussard knows the hot young woman in despair is trouble. But something about Natalie intrigues and intoxicates the ruggedly handsome Cajun policeman who has come to her rescue in her time of greatest need. And when he inexplicably wakes in bed beside her—both burning with a lust impossible to deny—he doesn't care that a dark and vengeful enemy has brought them to this moment. All that matters is the irresistible curve of her body, the heat of her passion . . . and the forbidden pleasures the night promises.

With one sharp, sensuous, biting kiss, he will be hers for life . . . and beyond.

Blood and Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age

Elizabeth Bear

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

You'll love it or hate it. 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Elizabeth Bear, Blood and Iron (Roc, 2006)

Oh, Bear, you've done it again. And once again, I came along helpless for the ride.

I talk a lot about how, at times, a whole lot of wrong things come together and make something wonderfully right. My classic example of this is the band Better than Ezra, whose stuff contains everything one can possibly do wrong in crafting a pop song, and yet "One More Murder" and "In the Blood" and "A Lifetime" and a host of others are perfect little pieces of popcraft. I get that same feeling a lot when I read Elizabeth Bear's stuff. There are rules to this writing gig, you know. (If I'm letting out trade secrets, stuff it; I was never a novelist anyway.) There are about as many books of little silly things as there are volumes in the... erm, wherever they keep lawbooks about this stuff... about the importation of lettuce. (For those of you outside the U.S. who want a good laugh, the last time I stumbled across that statistic, there were 13,500 pages of laws relating to the importation of lettuce. That was a few years ago, so the number has likely doubled by now.) But then there's that holy, scroll-like document that all novelists must bow and pray to five times a day that has a title like STUFF YOU ARE NEVER, NEVER, EVER SUPPOSED TO DO IN A NOVEL, FOR EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL LAUGH AT YOU UNTIL THEIR SIDES BLEED. And, you know, I think in every single piece of Bear's writing I've read, she takes a rugbeater and whacks that document hard enough that one of those strictures falls to the ground, stunned just long enough for her to crush it with a (very fashionable, mind you) boot.

Now, after all that buildup, I'm not going to tell you which one she beats the tar out of in this book, because you will encounter it yourself if you read this book (on page 275 in the Roc trade paper edition), and you will either love it or you will hate it. I talked to Bear about this briefly, and I got the feeling that most people hate it. Well, bub, I am not most people. I am all for rule-breaking, as long as you provide ample evidence elsewhere in your body of work that you know the rule exists, so we readers have evidence that you are breaking the rule because you're conscious of it and you're saying "stuff it" to the rules. (Because, unlike me, you ARE a novelist.) Suffice to say I have never seen this rule broken in this particular way, in this particular place, in a professionally-published novel before. So there's a bit of culture shock involved. But if you ken what the Bear is cookin', you may end up getting as much of a kick out of it as I did.

Not that there's anything really conventional about Blood and Iron, which posits a world in which modern-day human society and Faerie live side by side in alternate planes of existence. There are paths between the two, but most humans have long forgotten that Faerie exists. Those who haven't, in general, want to make sure that Faerie and Earth never come into constant contact again. They're called the Prometheus Club, and while we don't get too much information on the higher-ups, we get the feeling that they are not terribly nice individuals. We do get to know one very well, though. His name is Matthew Szczgielniak (and forgive me, Bear, for mangling the spelling). He and his brethren (and sistren) aren't fond or Faerie because, in this world, all the stuff you've heard is true, including that whole baby-changeling thing.

Which brings us to our main character, Seeker, formerly known as Elaine Andraste, formerly human, now a hunter in the court of Faerie. Her quarry, in this book, is a Merlin-- a human, for all intents and purposes, made of magic (for you Forgotten Realms geeks, think "capable of altering the weave"). Both the Seelie and Unseelie courts of Faerie, as well as the Prometheans, are very interested in swaying the Merlin to their side of the uneasy truce that exists between all three, for the presence of a Merlin can disrupt the balance that has existed between the sides for centuries.

All of this is just scratching the surface of this deep, rich novel, which abounds in subplots, trickery, strategizing, bloodshed, mayhem, historical and mythical figures, and all the other things that make a fantasy novel with a military flavor such a good read. Oh, and there's a dragon, for there must always be a dragon. But there's not usually a battle in Times Square.

Wonderful book, this. If you like your fantasy novels with a twist, Blood and Iron is definitely one to check out. ****

Editorial Review:

Spellbound by the Faerie Queen, the woman known as Seeker has abducted human children for her mistress's pleasure for nearly an eternity, unable to free herself from her servitude and reclaim her own humanity.

Seeker's latest prey is a Merlin. Named after the legendary wizard of Camelot, Merlins are not simply those who wield magic, they are magic. Now, with rival mages also vying for the favor of this being of limitless magic to tip the balance of power, Seeker must persuade the Merlin to join her cause-or else risk losing something even more precious to her than the fate of humankind.

Dog Days (Ace Fantasy Book)

John Levitt

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A good beginning, but I'm not sure if I want to stick around ... 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I picked this up on a whim and was pleasantly surprised at how well-written the story was. It has a slower pacing to it that I'm used to, but as I read through it, the book worked.

However, as intriguing as Mason, Louie and this world are, I have to confess I came away not really knowing anything concrete about Mason other than he's lazy and isn't really interested about learning anything more (about magic) than he already as (perhaps it's because it's the first novel so much has to be ignored in favor of quickly establishing a world?). Which, maybe it will lead to something more in the next book, but I'll wait to see how the reviews for that pan out first.

My other issue with this is that it seems to set up a revolving door of female characters in Mason's story. Campbell, for instance, intrigued me enough to want to know more about her and how Mason will deal with her, but she was quite throughly dismissed by the end. I guess the jazz player magician moving from female to female etc is a trope that's familiar to people and works, but I have no desire to get invested in a series where Mason doesn't seem to want to grow (unless a case comes his way and he's forced to do something) or the male characters are treated with care, while the females ones are shoved off at the end. Rob Thurman does this to an extent with Promise, who barely has a presence it seems in her book beyond being furniture for a scene. Again, maybe this will change in the next book, who knows.

All in all, for me it's probably best to think of this as a stand-alone book. If the reviews for the next one are good, I'll probably pick it up, but this isn't something I'll go looking for.

Editorial Review:

First in a new urban fantasy series-with a bite as magical as its bark.

Mason used to be an enforcer, ensuring that suspect magic practitioners stayed in line. But now he scrapes out a living playing guitar. Good thing he has Louie, his magical...well, let's call him a dog. But there are some kinds of evil thateven Louie can't sniff out. And when Mason is attacked by a supernatural assailant, he'll have to fall back on the one skill he's mastered in music and magic-improvisation.

Blue Moon (Nightcreature, Book 1)

Lori Handeland

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 35 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Miniwa, Wisconsin is under siege, but not by the usual summer tourists. The area's normally shy wolf population has begun stalking human prey, and their victims have been disappearing...or worse. Something is happening in the woods. Something brutal and primitive...

Officer Jessie McQuade has seen plenty in her years on the force-but nothing as intriguing as the gorgeous, naked man she encounters while tracking a rogue wolf. Professor Will Cadotte is a Native American activist. He's also the only man capable of distracting Jessie from her work. And for a cop, distraction-no matter how pleasurable-can be deadly. It's against Jessie's better judgment to accept Will's help in her investigation, yet she soon finds herself doing exactly that-and more. Will's dark, penetrating eyes see into a part of Jessie's soul she never knew existed. It's exhilarating...and terrifying.
Now, as a town's deepest secrets come to light, no one is safe: not friends, lovers, or strangers. And as Jessie follows a bloody trail to the shocking truth, she'll have to decide who she can trust when the moon is full...

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats: A Novel

Mario Acevedo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Too Bad the Book Wasn't as Good as the Title. 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The story reads like a Sci-Fi Channel original movie. Take that how you will.

Personally, I was looking for a light-hearted read when I picked this book up - which it certainly delivered upon. My only issue is that the author didn't trust his readers to remember earlier, major details and would often overexplain/simplify what was going on.

I, for one, like the title...in and of itself. However, it has little to do with the overall story and I'm sure it's misled legions of people expecting...something...different.

Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read, but I'm not sure I'll be buying any of Mario's other books.

Recommended for fans of Sci-Fi's Saturday afternoon programming who are looking for a predictable vampire story that intertwines a few different genres to create some mildly interesting twists and turns along the way.

Editorial Review:

The first and only vampire book to be declassified
by the federal government . . .

Felix Gomez went to Iraq a soldier. He came back a vampire.

Now he finds himself pulled into a web of intrigue when an old friend prompts him to investigate an outbreak of nymphomania at the secret government facilities in Rocky Flats. He'll find out the cause of all these horny women or die trying! But first he must contend with shadowy government agents, Eastern European vampire hunters, and women who just want his body . . .

Skewering sexual myths, conspiracy fables, and government bureaucracy, The Nymphos of Rocky Flats reveals the bizarre world of the undead with a humorous slant and a fresh twist.

Thunder Moon (Nightcreature, Book 8)

Lori Handeland

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Another opportunity to visit Lake Bluff, Georgia! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I love Lori Handleland's Nightcreature novels. I especially enjoyed visiting Lake Bluff, Georgia (small human population, large paranormal population) again. In this installation, Grace (the sheriff) is trying to figure out who or what is killing the dying residents, and evetually the not-so-dying residents of the town. With her handy assistant, Cal (ex-Marine and Chuck Norris Fan), and Doc (who knows all about the paranormal), Grace sets out to discover what is amist in her small town. Of course, in comes a handsome Doctor Ian, who not only seems to know a little about her Cherokee heritage, but also knows about the paranormal. Grace can only turn to her friend Claire, the Mayor, who in the last installment fought werewolves and found love, for understanding as she both accepts her heritage and finds what she has always been searching for, LOVE. I loved this novel and can't wait for the next. It is easy to read (2 days tops) and filled with humor and a decent story. Enjoy.

Editorial Review:

Practical, skeptical Grace McDaniel was not looking for romance. The Sheriff of Lake Bluff, Georgia, and the granddaughter of a Cherokee doctor, Grace’s hands are full with the daily trouble of small-town life. Arriving in the wake of a freak storm is Ian Walker, a mysterious stranger who blends modern medicine and traditional Native American cures. Even though she is wary of his ideas, Grace cannot resist what his touch awakens in her. But Ian is hiding a terrifying secret. And only he knows the truth about a creature stalking the citizens of Lake Bluff. A creature who preys on the dying…and then on the young, the living, the vibrant…Now, to save her people, Grace must put her faith in Ian’s haunting power and succumb to her wildest passions—before the rumble of thunder fills the air, and a relentless evil strikes again…

Dark Moon (Nightcreature, Book 3)

Lori Handeland

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Dark Romance to Howl About 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Dr. Elise Hanover works alone. Secluded deep in the wilderness, she searches for a cure to her condition. As a werewolf and researcher, her rare ability to resist killing is all that keeps her alive. She was getting close to a breakthrough when the man she once loved shows up in her office. Nic Franklin is with the FBI now, and a double threat-to her safety, and to her heart.

When the hidden lab is firebombed, Elise and Nic are thrown together on a wild ride where the rules of normalcy are abandoned. More frightening to Elise is the increasing power of her werewolf influence, which could earn her a silver bullet from her boss. Somehow, Elise must survive the two biggest challenges of her life: facing what she is, and facing a forbidden love.

The writing is wonderfully descriptive, bringing the reader deeply into each scene. While Elise possesses a great deal of strength, her employer's promise to kill her if she loses control is a huge onus, which undermines her confidence and strength until she grows into her role.

The only thing that detracts from the reading is Elise's tendency to turn tail and run in the direction her boss tells her to go. Even though she's under his ruthless thumb, it's a turn-off for readers who expect a strong, no-excuses heroine.

Overall, fans of paranormal, specifically werewolf, romance, will enjoy this novel, the third installment of Handeland's series.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
5-11-2006

Editorial Review:

Elise Hanover feels the pull of the moon--even in its dark phase. She is a werewolf who feels nothing but disgust for the bloodlust and violent tendencies inside her. Nick Franklin is the man she met and fell in love with in college, and the man whose touch first awakened her beast. When she realized that her lust for him inspired the wolf inside her, she ran as far and as fast as she could. To defeat her furry side, she has spent the last five years in a secret location in Montana, trying to find a cure for lycanthropy. Just as she feels she's at the edge of a breakthrough, her research is interrupted. Nick is now an FBI agent--and he's standing in her lab. Minutes after they leave the building, it explodes, destroying all of Elise's research and the serum she needs to fight her bloodlust. Together, Nick and Elise must race to find a cure for before the next full moon rises. Dark Moon is full of dry wit, steamy chemistry, and truly scary villians.