Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Blood Bound (Mercy Thomson #2)
by Patricia Briggs

Paranormal
304 pages, softcover
Target reader: Adult

Ace
978-0441014736
Release date: January 2007



From the publisher:

"Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return, the average law-abiding, solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen..."

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places—and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary—and neither is the demon inside of him.

Read Chapter 1

Series book: Moon Called (book 1)

About that cover: Once again, I read the e-book and I didn't see this cover until months later. I used my Photoshop skills to blur the image.

Mercy accompanies Stefan to meet with a visiting vampire that is causing trouble in the Tri-Cities. They discover a sorcerer possessed by a demon. On a rampage, he kidnaps Stefan, Adam, Samuel and others in the werewolf pack. Mercy must help rescue them, contain or kill the sorcerer, and do so without offending the vampire mistress and causing all out war within the paranormal community.

Like Moon Called (book 1), I love the characters. Mercy continues to be one of my favorite paranormal heroines. We learn more about her past and life with werewolves. The plot and pacing are riveting.

The language and violence bothered me. This book was more brutal than the first one—vampires eating, the demon torturing and killing people. It was pretty disturbing. Most of the time I'd stop reading (like I did with the Vicki Nelson series and the Dresden File books), but the graphic gruesomeness is balanced by the other fascinating creatures and characters and the world they live in.

Plot:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover: Too sexy. I'd be embarrassed for anyone to see me reading it.



Content Ratings

Language: Quite a bit of swearing; some of it strong.

Violence: A vicious demon attack. Vampire attack, werewolf fights.

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality: Sensuality, but no overt physical acts.

Values/Themes: It's vampires and werewolves.

Age Appropriate: Teens are reading this, but I think it's definitely for adults.

Writing Mechanics:


© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called (Mercy Thomson #1)
by Patricia Briggs

Paranormal
304 pages, softcover
Target reader: Adult

Ace
978-0441013814
Release date: January 2006



From the publisher:

"Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too."

Mercy Thompson's next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

Her former boss is a gremlin.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson isn't exactly normal herself...and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Read Chapter 1

About that cover: First, let me say that I read Moon Called as an e-book and I didn't see any of the Mercy Thompson covers until the fifth book was out. I was shocked to find out that she is so scantily clad. Nothing in the books led me to believe that she would dress that way. Had I seen the covers, I probably would not have read the book—and that's too bad because it's really very good. So I used my Photoshop skills to blur the cover.

Mercy Thompson is a skinwalker; she can turn into a coyote at will. She was raised as part of a werewolf pack. She left the pack in her teens and never went back. But Samuel, her former werewolf boyfriend from Montana, has shown up in her life again and he's at potential odds with her werewolf neighbor, Adam, the pack leader in the tri-cities area of Washington state. In this book, Mercy is caught between werewolf/vampire politics as they try to discover and control a group of rogue werewolves.

I love the character of Mercy. She's strong and independent, smart, stubborn—but she's also vulnerable. All of the characters in the book are well crafted and believable. The plot is unique and captivating. It's fast-paced, enthralling, complex and very well written.

I was a little uncomfortable with the amount of swearing and the sensualness of the vampires, but other than that, it's a great urban fantasy. I highly recommend it.

Plot:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover: Too sexy. I'd be embarrassed for anyone to see me reading it.



Content Ratings

Language: Quite a bit of swearing; some of it strong.

Violence: A werewolf attack. Most of the violence is not in real time.

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality: Sensuality, but no overt physical acts.

Values/Themes: It's vampires and werewolves.

Age Appropriate: Teens are reading this, but I think it's definitely for adults.

Writing Mechanics:



© 2010 It's a Book Affair

English Trifle by Josi S. Kilpack

English Trifle (Sadie Hoffmiller, book #2)
by Josi S. Kilpack

Culinary Mystery
362 pages, softcover
Target Reader: Adult

Deseret Book
978-1606411216
Release Date: July 11, 2009



From the publisher:

Things to Do in England:

• Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo
  

• Take the Jack the Ripper tour (creepy!)

• Sample authentic English scones and crumpets
  

• Discover a dead body

What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery when they discover a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor.

Breanna's boyfriend, Liam, is heir to both the family title and the family estate of Southgate, where everyone seems to have a secret . . . or two. When the body in the sitting room disappears, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave.

With their departure delayed, they might as well solve the murder. Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But as Sadie uncovers layer after layer of misdirection, secrets, and outright lies, she wonders if anyone is telling the truth or if the case is really as hopeless as it appears to be.

Take a missing family history, toss in a secret romance, mix with a mysterious murder, and this is one vacation Sadie will never forget.

Read Chapter 1.

Series book: Lemon Tart

I absolutely loved Lemon Tart (Sadie Hoffmiller, book #1), so I was thrilled when English Trifle hit the shelves. It was a great read and only pales by comparison to book 1. I'm going to get my negativity out first.

In English Trifle, Sadie travels to England with her semi-estranged daughter. It was great to see their relationship develop and start to heal, but I missed Sadie's interaction with Pete. She just didn't seem to be the same perkie, busy-body that I'd come to love in Lemon Tart.

Not that she was hugely different. Not that the writing was bad. It just didn't grab me as much as the first book. That's all I'm saying. I mean, obviously, I liked it. I'm giving it a 4.0. And several of my friends liked this one even better than Lemon Tart.

There are twists and turns in the plot. I wasn't quite sure who the bad guy was until the reveal. Some of the characters were great fun—and funny. I enjoyed the read, but I'm excited to see Sadie get back home to Pete, to see where that relationship goes.

Plot:

Characters:

Ending:


Cover:



Content Ratings

Language: No swearing.

Violence: There's a murder and some mild violence, but it does not occur in "real time".

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality:

Values/Themes:

Age Appropriate: For adults—the main character is older—but some teens will like it as well.

Writing Mechanics:


© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Bone Warriors by Bron Bahlmann

Bone Warriors
by Bron Bahlmann

Middle Grade/YA Fantasy
278 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 11-15

Sweetwater Books
978-1599553221
Release Date: May 15, 2009



From the publisher:

Craving power and lusting for human souls, the wicked necromancer sweeps the land, leaving behind nothing but death and devastation. Returning home, fifteen-year-old Derrik and his friend Tweaks find their homes burning and families missing. They immediately embark on a rescue quest for redemption and retaliation. Such evil cannot be allowed to roam exempt.

Sinister Giants, colossal green jungle cats, and undead monsters confront them as Derrik and Tweaks encounter inconceivable threats in the forbidden woods, as well as gain unlikely allies. The boys soon realize that their only hope to save their families comes from the very creature they cannot trust. But they re running out of time. How can they put an end to the necromancer's terrifying reign?

Read the first two chapters HERE.

Derrik and Tweaks—best friends since children—are out in the fields when their village is destroyed and their parents and neighbors are taken hostage by the necromancer. The two boys set out on a long journey to rescue their families. Along the way, they meet Ssaska (a reptile man), Clatterin (a set of reanimated bones), a group of giants, "scales" and "furries" (man-like reptiles and mammals), boar-men, old men that turn to stone, and a whole host of other intriguing creatures—born from the imagination of Bron Bahlmann.

Derrik and Tweaks, the two main characters, were well developed. They grow and change, and become prepared to make the final battle when they stand against the necromancer and his army of bone warriors. I loved Tweaks (almost cried at the end). I wasn't quite as fond of Derrik, but that's probably because he behaved more like a typical 15-year-old boy. They gain a couple of traveling companions on their journey to save their family. I liked Ssaska; I wish Clatterin had been a little better developed.

I was amazed at the unique characterizations of the various groups of "people" Derrik and Tweaks encountered—the giants, the boars, the bird people, the alligator pirate, and more. Bahlmann gave them very distinct voices and personalities. I also thought the various fauna and flora in this world were ingenious and very clever.

The storyline was complex and kept me interested. However, as a hero's journey, I felt there needed to be a little more change and growth in Derrik's character. I also thought we needed a little more foreshadowing of the eventual demise of the necromancer and his bone warriors.

The writing was pretty good, with just a few exceptions (a couple of story holes, like how did they know Clatterin was female?). The plot and dialogue were good and tight. My biggest complaint about this book is the overuse of adjectives. It was sometimes too distracting. I'd recommend that on his next book, Bahlmann pull out half of them. And I do hope there is a next book. Bahlmann's book was good, regardless of his age. Overall, I really liked the book and read it in two days.

Oh, and one more thing—the author, Bron Bahlmann, is only 15! Yes. Remember when Eragon came out? And everyone was raving over what a wonderful book it was and that a 15-year-old was capable of writing such a great story? Personally, I didn't like it. I didn't think it was a wonderful book. The writing was weak. Good for a 15-year-old, perhaps, but not good enough to stand against other books in the genre. But guess what? Bone Warriors really is good.

If you like fantasy, I think you'll enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what this young man will come up with next.



Plot:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:




Content Ratings

Language:

Violence: The necromancer is evil. His army slaughters people in real time, but it's not gorey. The main characters fight various "people" and get hurt. Some of the good guys die.

Drugs/Alcohol: The alligator pirate, an adult, drinks something that is similar to ale.

Immorality: No romance.

Values/Themes: Good wins; evil loses. Selfless acts save the day.

Age Appropriate: Pre-teens, teens.

Writing Mechanics: A few typos; adjectives run amok. Other than that, pretty good.



© 2010 It's a Book Affair