*headdesk*

I’m going on vacation out of town for a bit with almost no connection to the outside world.  But while I’m gone, I will be doing plenty of writing and reading so I will have more reviews up my sleeve when I get back.

Ciao for nao!

SEABORN

Book 1

Juno Books [July, 2008]

Seaborn is an epic fantasy tale of a hidden undersea world that is told from three points of view. Kassandra, who is the daughter of the current king of the realm who has banished her to live in exile on the surface. Through her bleeds, which access family member’s magic, she is preparing to go to war with her grandfather. She will stop at nothing to restore her family’s rightful place within the hierarchy of the Seaborn.

Corina is a college student who loves to scuba dive. While exploring, she accidentally sets Aleximor free and loses control of her body in the process. What ensues once she gets her bearings is the clash and battle of two minds contained in the same body. Can she assert herself and regain control of her body from the sorcerer?

And Aleximor, a sorcerer who controls the dead and has been in an undersea prison for four hundred years. Now that he has been freed, he can finally exact his revenge on those who imprisoned him. It is inevitable that his path will also cross Kassandra’s as they both muster their regiments to fight.

Seaborn is well written with dense prose and excellent description. It is also downright creepy in spots. The scene where we are introduced to Aleximor’s familiar was a prime example of this. I admit I was somewhat squicked out while reading it and that doesn’t happen to me very often. Mr. Howard’s description of both surface life and the expansive undersea world were detailed and vivid. His knowledge of greek mythology and battle lore are formidable. The scenes with Corina and Aleximor are particularly interesting as control shifts back and forth between them.

The pacing was a bit slow in places, mostly because of the extensive description. There was also a lot of history and backstory to introduce the complexities of the world of the Seaborn.

Rating: A-

Mr. Howard has created an epic fantasy world and story in his debut novel Seaborn. The second in the Series, Sea Throne, will be released in 2009.

Chris Howard’s Website

Chris Howard’s Blog

Also posted to Urban Fantasy Land

Today’s Werd Count: 2086
Total Werd Count: 28497
Kickassery: 20 pissed off sprite mistresses.
Jackassery: Nothing I can think of but will probably find something on review.
Fave Werdz:   A faint clicking against wood sounded at the door. A small, shrill voice said, “Open the door, you half-breed slut! You kidnapping demon whore! We aren’t leaving without him and we’re prepared to take him by force!”

Oh lord. I should never have wondered if things could get worse. Now, there are twenty pissed off magic-wielding sprites outside my door prepared to do battle for their man. This so has not been a good day.

28,497 / 85,000 (33.5%)

Today’s Werd Count: 1243
Total Werd Count: 25341
Kickassery: Lots of tension.
Jackassery: Me and choreographing a fight in water.
Fave Werdz: Actually, I’d prefer we stop meeting this way. It means one of us is working hard at not being killed. We’d probably never, ever have to see each other again if they’d just stop trying to kill us.

25,347 / 85,000 (29.8%)

Hi there - I went on an unexpected hiatus due to my husband’s health.  As of today, things are back to regularly scheduled programming.

Thanks for your patience.

FEAST OF FOOLS

Rachel Caine

Series: Morganville Vampires, Book 4 (Young Adult)

NAL Jam (Penguin Books) [June 3, 2008]

Claire Danvers is a 17 year-old college student who lives and goes to school in Morganville, a small town where vampires and humans coexist.  Feast of Fools opens with a group of vampires invading the Glass House where Claire lives with her boyfriend Shane, her friend Eve and Eve’s newly turned vampire boyfriend Michael.

Among this group of new vampires is Mr. Bishop, who is Amelie’s father.  Amelie is Claire’s sponsor and the Founder of Morganville.  Just the mere mention of Bishop’s name sets all of the other vampires on edge.  Shortly after his arrival, invitations for a masked ball are delivered and it would seem almost everyone in Morganville except Claire was invited, including her boyfriend Shane.

Claire is also an apprentice to a vampire named Myrnin who is one of a group of vampires that are kept in cells because they are for all intents and purposes insane.  She is helping out with drug research to correct the problem with these vamps.  The effects of the current drug are temporary and once it wears off, the insanity returns.  But it would seem since everyone she cares about is already going to the ball that Myrnin is the only one left to help her save her friends from Mr. Bishop.  But is he someone she can rely on?

Even though I haven’t read the previous three installments of the Morganville Vampire series, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it can be read as a stand alone.  Ms. Caine provides enough back-story and information that you understand the how the story reached its current place and the relationships of the characters without being pulled out of the current story with info-dump.

RATING A- The characters are all well-drawn and believable.  The plot is fast paced with twists and turns you do not expect that should keep young adults and adults alike entertained.  I liked this book well enough that I am going to look into picking up the previous three installments and would definitely read it again.

Feast of Fools is available now.  The next installment in the Morganville Vampire series, Lord of Misrule, will be released January 6, 2009.

Ms. Caine’s Myspace

Ms. Caine’s Website

Also posted at Urban Fantasy Land

Lisa Trevethan, *headdesk*

Today’s Werd Count: 1025
Total Werd Count: 23838
Kickassery:  I got her to the door.
Jackassery: Fighting my demons.
Fave Werdz: I could very well be the cat with no more lives left living on borrowed time.

23,838 / 85,000 (28.0%)

Today’s Werd Count: 1075
Total Werd Count: 22702
Kickassery: Firewasps, Killer Jasmine Flowers and a Glaistig..
Jackassery: Trying not to drive myself crazy overthinking my description at this point
Fave Werdz: biohazard green

22,702 / 85,000 (26.7%)

As of Monday, June 2, I am no longer contributing to Urban Fantasy Land.  It was a decision that I wrestled with and agonized over and I wish it could have ended differently.  I am, however, now reviewing for Bitten By Books, so some of my reviews will be cross-posted here and there.

Unfortunately, I do not know what the fate of UFL is as I don’t own the blog.  I truly hope that all is well with the owner.

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE

Jeaniene Frost

Series: Night Huntress, Book 2
Avon [April 29, 2008]

One Foot in the Grave, the second installment of the Night Huntress series, starts four years after Halfway to the Grave left off. Cat is now a special agent, has a team of her own and is not just slaying vampires for vengeance but for the government.

Cat’s first assignment is to kill a vamp named Liam Flannery. Turns out this particular vamp is special to Bones and because sentiment stops her from killing him, the huntress becomes the hunted. It’s a decision she may not live to regret.

At a most unexpected time and place, Bones reenters her life and is single-minded in his determination to have her back. Cat struggles with her feelings for Bones, ghosts from both of their pasts and revelations from the present as danger mounts and the clock ticks.

One Foot in the Grave is fast-paced and well-plotted with the snappy dialog and combustible chemistry we expect between Cat and Bones. The revelations from Cat’s past aren’t just for shock value, they make sense and move the storyline forward while putting an exclamation point on some past events in Halfway to the Grave.

I need to say that I expected Bones to be a lot more pissed off when he caught up with Cat after four years, especially with the way the first book ended. But, that said, his lack of reaction wasn’t enough to make me dislike the book, it was simply too much fun. One Foot in the Grave and Halfway to the Grave are in stores now. The third installment of the Night Huntress series, At Grave’s End will be released January 29, 2009.

Rating: B+

Jeaniene’s Blog

Jeaniene’s Website

Lisa Trevethan, *headdesk*

Also posted to Urban Fantasy Land