Killing Rocks by D.D. Barant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


GiGi was so right! Killing Rocks was excellent! I am on a roll with good books again! This story is quite original with its own spin on alternate worlds and the supernatural. This is 3rd in the series and it just shows that the story is getting better and better as each new installment gets added.



View all my reviews

Mad Skills by Walter Greatshell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really am not just an easy grader. I tend to pass over books that I know or think I will not like. The ones that get 3's or less are the ones that surprised me somewhere after I started them. Honestly, I thought this one did that. I stopped reading it 1/3 of the way through it. I read the one review on Goodreads earlier today to see if I was just not giving it a fair shake. I saw two other numerical reviews without any data to advise why they gave it a 5. I was going to start another book after my raid on the bookstore earlier today. I also have another book going on Kindle right now. But, I gave it another try this evening just to be sure and continued where I left off and was floored. The action was there. The surprise was there and my beloved technology was in there. Great book!



View all my reviews

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel by Deborah Harkness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was lucky enough to win one of the advanced reader copy versions of Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches, to be released in 02/2011. When I completed the first chapter and woke up the next morning I decided that I had to write my thoughts for the review as they occurred. One of the things that crossed my mind when I first heard about this book was wow. This book is written by a scholar. I researched the author via her university home page because I was curious about her background. When I finished the first chapter I was still in the wow stage and my thoughts were; this is a bridge between scholars and great urban fantasy writers. I love when I get to have both! I wish as a techie scholar I could combine my two loves of computers and urban fantasy. This book was everything I hoped it would be!
I read this slowly despite how I typically devour most books. With some books I slow down intentionally because I realize that I do not want it to end quickly. A Discovery of Witches is that type of book. It is the type of book you develop a relationship with as you read it. I think that there will be people that will fall in love with it as they read it just as I did. I hope that even those that feel that it may not be for them still find something that they can take from the book. It is very intricate. The story is well developed, extremely well written and the characters are very well developed. But, it was not a quick read for me because, I did not want it go fast. For me it is a book that you spend time with and do not forget the places it takes you as the characters are being drawn. The history it discusses is thought-provoking. One of the things I liked was how Diana developed with regard to her powers and her family. Politics were a strong part of the story. With regard to the politics one of the most intriguing things I found was who is involved in the politics. I am trying to keep this review spoiler free. But, as the blurb on the back states we have multiple beings involved in this book and they have a very long history with each other. One of the things that make this book so amazing is the historical backdrop for all of the creatures. I found myself looking forward to learning more about all of the beings. I really look forward to more written by Deb Harkness. I had a hard time deciding how to end my review but it does not spoil anything to shout; “I can’t wait to see what happens next”!




View all my reviews

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I just finished this book. I thought to wait until tomorrow to give my review. But, as I was getting to the end of the book I thought about what it took for me to read it. When I read the synopsis on the back at the bookstore I thought, this is going to be good. I put it on the shelves with the hundreds of others in my to be read library and there it sat. The second in the series came out and the ratings were great and I felt like I had to move on it so I could see what the second book in the trilogy had in store. I started the first chapter and thought oh no I see where this is going and I am not in the mood for it. But, I could not have been more right and more wrong. This book is full of magic. I do not mean in the sense that the players in the book use magic. I mean in the sense that I had trouble putting it down once I put aside my fear of how it might end. I was drawn to this book every free moment. I even had to find the author on Twitter so I could see what else she was writing about. I have to say that I am glad I gave it the chance it so very much deserved and it will stay in my library.



View all my reviews

Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After reading the end of book 2 in the Jane True series I was a bit worried about how things would go. I am not a fan of the love triangle and I was worried that this was where the story was heading. I will not go any further into that so that there is no spoiler. I was happy to get a hold of the book before the official release date. It was well worth it. I loved watching Jane grow mentally and physically, though her conversations with her libido happened a bit often, they were quite humorous. There were some hard truths and painful experiences and the introduction of new characters. It was great to see growth in other characters that we have come to love and especially the chance to learn more about Julian. The action scenes were good and there were curve balls thrown in there as well. I cannot wait to see where those curve balls lead in the next book. Though I liked book 2, I was not as fond of it as I was of book 1. I can happily add that book 3 was great and I liked it more than the first 2 books showing a continual growth in the characters and the story. It is great when a storyline does not drag on for the entire series, but, there is a natural growth or progression for the story and characters.



View all my reviews

Masques (Sianim, #1) by Patricia Briggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed Masques which is saying a lot since I am new to the high fiction genre. One of the things I liked the most is the way the friendship/relationship between Wolfe and Aralorn developed. There was a pace that respected all that Wolfe had been through and it was refreshing to see it not take over the book. I also enjoyed reading about all of the mythical characters and how the author introduced her own mythical characters. I read Patricia Briggs' comment that it was her first book she ever wrote and though she polished it some without making major changes, she felt it was not as good as her more recent books. I think it is good and I would not say it is not as good as her recent works. I would say it shows that she was a gifted storyteller from the start.



View all my reviews