Incarnation by Emma Cornwall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was able to receive a Netgalley e-Arc of Incarnation. One of the things that drew me to this book is the cover. The colors are great. I also like the slightly different terms for vampire lore. This story especially is an old one and takes on the Bram Stroker tale of vampires focusing on the incarnation of Lucy Weston who was turned by Dracula. In this story Lucy Weston or Westenra seek's out Bram Stroker to determine why he wrote lies about her life and she finds out more than she anticipated. When she approaches him he has more information about vampires then she does and Bram Stroker tells her some things that are the catalyst for the rest of the story.

I like the focus of Incarnation and how it puts the bulk of the vampire tale in London instead of what we normally expect with Dracula and having the story focused in Eastern Europe or the Carpathian Mountains. I am an avid fan of urban fantasy and historical fantasy in London, England settings which also makes me a huge fan of Steampunk which typically is focused in London, England. Since I just returned from London some of the streets and locations resonated with me especially the areas described as what is probably the Hyde Park area now where there is are several wonderful dedications to Prince Albert.

It was great reading about Victoria's devotion to him though sad that she mourned him for so long to the point where she withdrew from society. This book demonstrates her strength and love for "the realm" as well as the dedication of Bram Stoker and even some of the vampires to London. I also liked the divergence from the "traditional" Dracula story that Bram Stoker wrote and the tie in to medieval England and some of its powerful characters.

I tried to find an author website for Emma Cornwall because it felt like there would be a continuation to this story and I'm interested see where this goes.

Review can also be seen at LadyTechies Book Musing http://LadyTechiesBookMusings.blogspo...

Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is always something so good about a Kate Daniels book, even when she is not the full focus of the story. This one focused on Andrea and continued a novella that was released a few months ago where Andrea and Raphael see each other for the first time after the huge fight with Kate's aunt Era. Things were on the outs for them at that time and they did not fare much better in the novella, Magic Mourns. We get the resolution to that story in Gunmetal Magic. Most of the story focuses on Andrea and Raphael, but, the mystery they are working to solve brings the entire pack into the frame. I love pack politics and Curran never disappoints. He is the ultimate of ultimate leaders and shifters. Regardless to how many books I read with male leads he almost always comes out on top. I have to preface that because when I am in the thick of a book I might be totally enamored of a great male character while reading that book.

I loved the similarities between how Ascanio imitates Raphael to how Derek used to imitate Curran, though Derek has come into his own after his ordeal in Magic Strikes. Julie has a small role in this story though I am curious about what happens to her after Magic Bleeds, which was a pivotal book in the series. Roman, why can’t I remember Roman in a previous book? I loved him. He is this dark character, well from 9 to 5, then he has this light, funny personality that draws everyone to him, well everyone but Raphael. There are some great youth characters in this series and they really add to the stories. Another great thing was to learn more about the boudas, the hilarious giggling they do is classic. One thing I love is the cool clan names. For some reason my favorite clan name is Clan Nimble.

This book really adds to the series. Ilona Andrews does a great job of relating all the books to each other and delving into the characters and their backgrounds. It is great that they collaborate to write the stories and seeing how the stories are still so seamlessly written. I really look forward to the next Kate Daniels book! What’s this about a Roman Novella? Yes!

Fathom by Merrie Destefano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an early release copy of Fathom as an e-Arc this week. The synopsis on Goodreads really drew my attention. I will have to admit that when I began reading the book it had a bit of a dark feel to it and I wondered if I would like it. It was a book about two teens, but, it was also a story about a family struggling to overcome a tragedy and not just how it affected them emotionally, but, also how it affected their relationships with their peers. Kira turns 16 at the beginning of the book and we see how she is affected in school and in her small ocean side community. Kira's dad and her grandmother have more information about the past than Kira is privy too and it wreaks havoc on upcoming events.

Caleb is the other side of the coin. I was having trouble understanding where he and his family and friends lived but, the contrast between his journey and Kira's journey is one of the things that make this story so interesting. It felt like they were in the past or right out of a fairytale. That is one of the impressions I had while reading Fathom. It read like a dark fairytale. Caleb and his friends also suffered tragedies throughout their travels but, you don't get a feel for who and what everyone is until later in the book and that might be a great tie-in to the title. Nothing is at it seems. There are surprises and twists everywhere. This book fits right in with Merrie Destefano's past books that tend to swim in their own lane. She has a great imagination and does a wonderful job with imagery and characterization.

Review can also be seen at LadyTechie's Book Musings: http://LadyTechiesBookmusings.blogspo...