[Review] Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

 

Title: Nettle & Bone
Series: N/A - Standalone
Author: T. Kingfisher
Genre: adult, fantasy, magic
Format: audiobook
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Published By: Tor Publishing Group       
Source: Audible

Synopsis from Publisher

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

About T. Kingfisher

T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.

This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.

When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.

My Thoughts:

If you love fairy tales with a dark twist, Nettle & Bone is definitely worth checking out. T. Kingfisher takes familiar fantasy elements—curses, impossible tasks, and a ragtag group of misfits—and turns them into something fresh and fun. It’s a little spooky, a little funny, and full of heart.

The story follows Marra, a princess who has spent most of her life in a convent, watching from the sidelines as her older sisters are forced into political marriages. When she discovers that her sister’s husband, a powerful prince, is abusive and dangerous, she decides she won’t sit back any longer. But killing a prince isn’t exactly easy, so she sets off on a strange and magical journey to gather allies—including a necromancer (who prefers to be called a dust-wife), a reluctant knight, a fairy godmother with unreliable magic, an enchanted chicken, and her ever faithful bone dog. Along the way, Marra must complete impossible tasks, face eerie supernatural dangers, and finally find the strength to change her own fate.

This book isn’t your typical high-stakes fantasy full of battles and dramatic showdowns. Instead, it’s a quiet, creeping kind of adventure, filled with dark fairy tale elements and quirky humor. The writing is atmospheric and immersive, making you feel like you’ve stepped into a story passed down through generations—one that’s a little grim, a little odd, but ultimately hopeful.

The Pros:

• Unique Spin on Fairy Tales – This isn’t your typical “hero saves the day” story. Instead, we follow Marra, a princess who’s been mostly ignored all her life, as she decides to take matters into her own hands. The story has a slow-burn feel, but it’s packed with cool, eerie moments—like a bone dog and a fairy godmother who’s more practical than magical.
• Quirky & Likable Characters – The best part of this book is the cast. Marra is quiet and determined, the dust-wife (a necromancer) is sarcastic and awesome, and even the chicken (yes, there’s a chicken, actually, there are two!) steals the show. Their interactions bring warmth and humor to an otherwise dark story.
• Engaging & Atmospheric Writing – Kingfisher has a way of making everything feel rich and immersive. Whether it’s the creepy, cursed objects or the dangerous journey, the descriptions pull you in without being overwhelming.

The Cons:

• Slow Start – The first few chapters take their time setting things up, and it gets a little confusing between locations, which might make it hard to get hooked right away. But once Marra gets her mission, things pick up.
• Not a High-Stakes Adventure – If you’re expecting a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy, this isn’t it. The story leans more on character interactions and quiet tension rather than big battles or epic magic.
• Underwhelming Villain – The antagonist (Marra’s cruel brother-in-law) is definitely evil, but he feels more like a distant threat rather than a fully developed character. A little more depth could have made the final confrontation more intense.

Final Thoughts:

Nettle & Bone is a beautifully written fairy tale for adults, full of wit, charm, and a little bit of darkness. While it starts slow and isn’t action-heavy, it makes up for it with fantastic characters and an original, eerie vibe. If you enjoy fairy tale retellings or cozy-yet-creepy fantasy, give it a try! Do it for bone dog!

Rating:

Overall, using my rating system, this book is a 3.5 out of 5, but I rounded up to a 4 Super Splatters out of 5 for Bone Dog. 

[Review] Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Thirteen (13)
Series: Women of the Otherworld (Book 13)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Adult, fantasy, angels, demons, werewolves, vampires, etc.
Format: Hardcover, 444 pages
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
Published By: Random House Canada
Source: Received from publisher

Synopsis from Goodreads

The exciting, page-turning LAST episode of Kelley Armstrong's acclaimed, bestselling Women of the Otherworld series!

Savannah Levine, a young witch of remarkable power and a dangerous pedigree, staggers away from a bomb blast in New Orleans, glad that she's managed to rescue her half-brother Bryce from the supernatural revolutionaries who'd held him captive. But everyone and everything she holds dear is still at risk. The reveal movement has shaken the Otherworld to its core and the resulting chaos has thinned the boundaries between dimensions, allowing creatures of the deeper realms to break through and wreak havoc on supernaturals but also on innocent humans.

Although she's been temporarily stripped her of her powers, Savannah knows she has a crucial part to play in this war of survival. In fact the fate of her loved ones--of Adam, the friend she hopes will become a lover; of Paige and Lucas, her guardians; of the werewolf Pack and Jaime Vegas; of a pregnant Hope; of her brothers Sean and Bryce--and of the human world rests on her shoulders. If she can find the way and the will to defend them.

Only in the final battle will Savannah find out her true capacities, and what love will drive her to do. In 13, Kelley Armstrong brings her powerful and unique saga to a deeply satisfying end: thrilling, surprising and harrowing.


My Thoughts

This is going to be a tough review for me to write. I have been reading this series since the first book, Bitten, was published in 2001. I was immediately drawn in by Kelley Armstrong's strong writing and unique voice, specifically how it related to shifters and the whole shifting process. I have always been very fond of strong female writers in the horror industry, and specifically it they are Canadian. Kelley Armstrong not only fit this bill, but she also lived in Toronto, which was almost like being my neighbor at that time (I lived in Hamilton). I felt an immediate kindred with her before even reading her books, but her writing hooked me from the first page.

My skin stretches. The sensation deepens and I try to block the pain. Pain. What a trivial word - agony is better. One doesn't call the sensation of being flayed alive "painful".

...and that's just a taste of her descriptive and engaging writing style.

The physical appeal of this new release is amazing! The cover is a stunning black and red artistic offering with a vellum type dust jacket overlay that I couldn't keep myself from stoking continuously once it was finally in my eager hands.

I have to be honest, when I first started reading 13 I was highly disappointed...it was clear very early on (from comments direct from the author) that 13 would not be told from Elena's point of view. I was really hoping the story would return to Elena, obviously so were many others. I thought for sure I was going to hate this final book and that the whole series was going to be ruined for me. I am one of "those fans" who was annoyed early on by the swapping of character viewpoints in books 3 and 4 and so on. It took me a long time to get to know these new characters and enjoy their stories, but eventually I got used to the way it was going and I think in the future a re-read of the series will help me enjoy everything in a more fulfilling way.

But I digress...

Upon seeing Savannah was going to be the star narrator I almost didn't read the book. Of all the characters I have had a hard time getting to know Savannah. To be fair...I haven't read the last 2 books in the series because they were Savannah books. I am going to have to rectify that soon.

13 is a FABULOUS ending to this wonderful series that has been such a big part of my life for just over a decade. Even though Savannah was the main narrator in the book, almost every important character (in my opinion) made some kind of appearance, and it was more than enough to keep me happy. And I actually enjoyed reading from Savannah's perspective. It is abundantly clear that she has grown and matured and takes things much more seriously than she did when she first appeared on the scene. And in usual Kelley Armstrong fashion, this book is a complete treat to read as her writing style is just as descriptive (maybe too descriptive) and witty as ever.

It was a little overwhelming in spots, so much going on, so many characters, I sometimes felt a little lost...but i guess that is to be expected when you are trying to tie all things together.

It's been a while since I read some of Kelley's adult fiction, so I forgot how brutal and gory her scenes came sometimes be. It was shocking at first, but then I started to remember how it often goes, and as is common in final installments, blood has to be spilled, and people need to die. It's just how it goes.

If you haven't read Kelley's Women of the Otherworld books yet your are truly missing out. I suggest you dig in now, and if you do, let me know. I would love a re-reading buddy! 

Check out this informative link on reading order.

My rating?

[Review] Archon The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Benulis

Title: Archon: The Books of Raziel
Series:  Archon Series
Author:  Sabrina Benulis
Genre:  ya, supernatural, angels, demons
Format:  Trade Paperback, 385 pages
Publication Date:  December 27, 2011
Published By:  Harper Voyager
Source:  ARC received from publisher for review.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Angela Mathers is plagued by visions of angels, supernatural creatures who haunt her thoughts by day and seduce her dreams by night. Newly released from a mental institution where she was locked away for two years, she hopes that her time at the Vatican’s university, the West Wood Academy, will give her a chance at a normal life. Unlike ordinary humans, Angela is a blood head — a freak, a monster, the possible fulfillment of a terrifying prophecy of overwhelming death and destruction. Only in Luz, the Vatican’s wondrous enclave, are blood heads accepted and encouraged to discover what kind of powers or special abilities they might possess.

But within West Wood, a secret coven plots, and demons and angels roam the streets searching for the key to open Raziel’s book — a secret tome from a lost archangel. Some are determined to destroy Raziel, while others, like the beautiful Supernal Israfel, one of the highest of the high, wish to free him. And when the Archon — the human chosen to possess the spirit of a dead angel — rises as foretold, they will control the supernatural universe.

Torn between mortal love and angelic obsession, Angela holds the key to Heaven and Hell — and both will stop at nothing to possess her.

My Thoughts

I'm totally the type of person who often picks books based on cover first, and synopsis later. This stunning cover and synopsis had me hooked right from the start, I just had to read it. Unfortunately the warning "Don't judge a book by it's cover." is something that should have been considered here. The sad thing is that I really wanted to like it, I really did, but I just couldn't.

First off, the term Blood Heads really threw me off. I kept thinking back to Vampire Academy for some reason and the "feeders" that voluntarily provided blood to the vampires. It never was explained very well and I can still only assume that Blood Heads refers to the blood red hair of this specific group of students. But a little more clarification would have been nice.

One of the main reasons for my dislike of this book was the over-complication of the writing. It was heavy and often felt like work to read, and often I had to go back and re-read sections multiple times to figure out was happening (and sometimes I just gave up and moved forward unwilling to fight with the wording any longer). It was also very confusing with constantly switching viewpoints, making it hard to tell who was saying/doing what. I often just wanted to give up on the book altogether, but I pushed myself to the end hoping it would get better.

The character and world building however were magnificent! I instantly fell in love with Angela Mathers, a young woman who dreams of angels and wants to be with them so desperately she tries so hard to end her life to be with them, but someone (or something) is protecting her from succeeding. The friends Angela meets at school are also intriguing and exciting! Nina and Sophia are so unique and alive they almost jump right off the page at you. The characters are truly the crowning achievement of Sabrina's writing.

The world building is also incredible. The weather, the atmosphere, the creatures, all stunning work. At first I was put off by the unique interpretation of the angels as these evil and nasty selfish creatures, but it really worked for the book and it was mostly explained. It was nice to see the angel idea from a new angle. Also the addition of demons and jinn and other such interesting creatures really increased the excitement level of this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to put the effort into reading such a heavy piece of writing,the characters and world building really do make it worthwhile, but it just wasn't for me. I doubt I will be reading any more in the series.

My rating?

[Review] Dead Politician Society by Robin Spano

Title: Dead Politician Society
Series:  Clare Vengal Undercover Novels
Author:  Robin Spano
Genre:  murder mystery, thriller, undercover
Format:  Trade Paperback, 325 pages
Publication Date:  September 1, 2010
Published By:  ECW Press
Source:  Publisher for Blog Tour

Synopsis from Goodreads

When the mayor keels over dead in the middle of a speech, a clandestine student society immediately takes credit for his demise. Their mission is to create a perfect political system by any means at their disposal. Clare Vengel, a rookie officer fresh from the police academy and beyond bored with her routine as a beat cop, volunteers to go undercover as a student to infiltrate the secretive organization. A streetwise amateur mechanic, Clare takes a dim view of book smarts—she is of the opinion that higher education is for people who can't handle the real world. In short order, she alienates a popular professor and begins to lose the respect of her police superiors. Soon, another politician is killed, and Clare steps up her clandestine involvement with the suspect students. When two more politicians die, the race begins to apprehend the culprits before her own duplicity can be revealed.

My Thoughts

I received this book for review by Crazy Book Tours. It's not my typical kind of read, but it took place in Toronto, and I had the urge to participate in some book blog tours.

The first few chapters really confused and irritated me. So many characters were introduced and each chapter was told by a different narrator/character. It took me quite some time to get comfortable with the flow, and the characters in the story. I would say about half way through I was finally to the part where I didn't have to keep flipping back to see who was who.

I loved the setting, my current city of Toronto. It was great to recognize all the neat places and Subway stops, etc and to see them through each of the different character's eyes. I kind of want to know if the little cafe that is used in the story is a real place...because I would totally hang out there! It was also very interesting to dive into the whole University scene since I was never lucky enough to experience it first hand. It was very well done.

I found the story to be highly predictable and I knew who the murder was very early. The author gave out way too many clues, perhaps without even meaning too, simply by avoiding letting them share their voice with the reader as most of the other characters do.

I also wasn't a huge fan of most of the characters, and perhaps that is why it took me so long to differentiate between them. I found them all to be selfish, cold, and completely unlikeable. I really didn't care who the murderer was...I thought they pretty much all could rot in jail and the world would be a better place without the lot of them...but I can be harsh like that.

I think my biggest issue was with the murderer. There just didn't seem to be the amount of passion and hatred that you would expect someone to have before they run around murdering politicians (or anyone for that matter). I mean they had a story, and it was sad, but I think we all have those sad stories buried within us...but we don't all run around killing people off because of it! (And could you imagine the chaos if we did?)

It was too bad though, because even though it's not my usual type of story, the basis of the plot was highly intriguing and promising. It just didn't come together with the characters and everything else when the last page was read.

I am also on tour to read the second book in this series, Death Plays Poker. I really hope there are some stronger and more likeable characters involved, and I hope Clare "grows a pair" and becomes the true undercover cop I know she can be with a little maturity and experience.

My rating?

[Review] Monsters of L.A. by Lisa Morton

Title: Monsters of L.A.
Series:  n/a
Author:  Lisa Morton
Genre:  adult, horror, anthology
Format:  Trade paperback, 321 pages
Publication Date:  October 2011
Published By:  Bad Moon Books
Source:  Publisher for Blog Tour

Synopsis from Goodreads

In these pages you'll find the dark stars you grew up watching: Frankenstein, Dracula, Mr. Hyde, the Phantom, the Hunchback...all the silent ones and the first to find their voices are here, and they're even presented in roughly the order in which they first appeared on a silver screen. The Haunted House of the '30s gives way to the Werewolf of the '40s, the Monsters of L.A. Creature of the '50s, and so on, all the way up to our favorite modern boogeyman, the Zombie.

In some of these stories, you'll find an earthly incarnation of a famous namesake: Frankenstein is a patched-together, homeless vet, the Invisible Woman is so ordinary you'd never see her; but some of these familiar friends - Dracula, the Devil, or those seriously creepy Clowns - will be instantly recognizable.

My Thoughts

As I have mentioned before, I'm generally not a big fan of anthologies. The reason I accepted Lisa Morton's Monsters of L.A. is because since I have started reviewing I have drifted away from my horror roots and focused more on the ever popular YA novels. With this anthology I thought it would be a great way to work some horror back to my reading in bits and pieces.

There were many things that made this collection quite enjoyable. First off, some of the stories slightly overlap with each other, not enough that you have to read them all in order or miss out, but just enough to make you smile when you read about a character from another story, or an event. It was quite ingenious to weave those in. The best part of this collection is the comparison of the monsters from my childhood, to more modern stories, events and people. And the best thing about this anthology? The writing. The humour alone was enough to leave me in giggling hysterical fits as I rode home on the subway. (Especially a very awesome vampire crack...and if you read it you know exactly what I am talking about!)

I also love how the author provided background information on the stories, however I feel they should have been placed with each story individually instead of at the end as more of a reference. I think it would have made the story to read the background first and then dive in prepared, especially if you weren't familiar with the monster in a particular story.

One other little thing that bothered me was that one longer piece was included, and although I enjoyed it, I feel it should have been left as the very last story in the collection to avoid interrupting the nice flow that was going on up until then.

As usual, I feel the need to rate and review each story separately, not finding it quite fair for each story to be based on the anthology overall grade. This is very time consuming and why I don't do this very often.

Now on with the ratings!

Frankenstein - 5/5
This story fits the Frankenstein model very well. It was a good length, evoked the perfect emotions and was very well written. I loved it!
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - 3/5
I found this story too be too long and often too confusing. I think it would worked better as a longer/novella length piece at minimum. It would have been better to get inside the doctor's head a little more to find out more about the motives for what she was doing. Some parts seemed to be missing and some emotional reactions from the characters also seemed to be lacking. I was not a fan of this story.
The Phantom - 4/5
The Phantom of the Opera has been one of my favourite tales as long as I can remember, and Lisa Morton did a fabulous job with her interpretation. I love the uniqueness she has added by making the phantom a female junkie who was ruined by fame. It was lovely. My only real complaint is that is was way too short and I would have loved to read more.
The Hunchback - 5/5
I'm ashamed to say I have never read the original Hunchback story, but I know the Disney version remarkably well (thanks to having a young Disney obsessed child), so some of the story was unfamiliar to me, and kind of a spoiler at the end, but I can't blame the author for my lack of knowledge. I think it was brilliant that the author used a gay male student who was the constant target for bullies as the Hunchback character. This story was so well written that even though I saw the end coming it was still just as emotional.
Dracula - 5/5
At first I found the humour in this story to be slightly irritating, but once I figured out what was going on I realized just how perfect for this story it was. Dracula being shown as this egotistical movie star was hilarious, especially once he starts getting upstaged by his new on the scene co-star. If this story doesn't make you laugh there is something wrong with you!
The Bride - 3/5
I liked how this story tied in with Frankenstein, but that was all I really enjoyed about it. It was really too short to develop any emotional bond to the main character. The events also came off as too coincidental for me. 
The Mummy - 4/5
This story started off strong but I felt it fell apart as it approached the end. I was left confused as to the motivation for what is going on and how things will move forward from here. (Although a little more does come to light in The Zombie story, but still not enough to make me want to rate it higher.)
The Invisible Woman - 3/5
This was an interesting concept, but I don't think it came together as well as the author hoped. Part of the reason for this is it's too short length. It's always hard to make an idea clear and concise in a limited amount of words, but it's especially difficult when you tackle more difficult topics. I would love to reread this as a longer piece.
The Mad Scientist - 2/5
This story was way too short to be enjoyable. It almost felt as if it was simply thrown in to fill space and cover another monster topic. I really wanted to know more about the doctor and his work, the bond he had with his wife that would lead him to do what he did, and so much more. A little more from this story comes up in The Zombie, but still not nearly enough to make me happy.
The Werewolf - 4/5
I loved the idea of the werewolf as a famous musician who sort of "wolfs-out" on stage to make his music better. I felt really bad for his assistant though and all the stuff that nasty werewolf put him through. The ending left me highly confused as I don't understand why things didn't go another way...of course I can't say why because that would ruin it...but yeah...
The Haunted House - 5/5
I absolutely loved this story. I think it might have been my favourite of the whole collection. It tells the story of an old house and how this ghost hunter show tries to make it into a haunted house to raise their ratings. The house is so upset because all it wants is to be happy and have a family live inside to take care of it, and it feels like these ghost hunters are ruining her chances at happiness. It was fabulously written and I highly enjoyed it!
Cat People 4/5
This was an odd and quirky story. I had no background knowledge of "cat people" so I went into it completely blind. I feel in love with the main character, a young woman who feels like she has been walked all over most of her life and becomes obsessed with this female cat creature because she portrays a strong feminine role. It was quite an interesting read and I did enjoy it. I like how part of it surfaces again in another story.
The Creature 3/5
I'm not overly sure how I feel about this story. It started out very well. I liked the whole creature from the black lagoon coming out of the famous tar pits angle...and I liked everything including the creature as a whole...but once the story spun off into life with one of the characters after the event it lost me, and I started hating it. Sometimes authors just need to know when to end it. Often that is the hardest part...they either gone on too long, or not long enough.
The Alien 2/5
I actually had to go back and skim this story a second time when I came to write the review. It was spectacular, a simple story about a plant that shows up one day and seems to alter the thoughts of those who come in contact with it. The writing was good but the story itself just didn't stand out.
Kaiju (Giant Monster) 4/5
This was an interesting tale about a giant monster that comes out of the water (kind of like a Godzilla) but seems to take extreme care in not hurting anyone...ironically enough it is a human male who does most of the damage as he tries to "save" the people around him.
The Devil 4/5
I really liked this story as well. We have this poor guy who is terrified of haunted houses and he is being dragged to one of those haunted house type rides at an amusement park by a woman he really wants to impress. Obviously he can't wimp out and forces himself to "man-up" for her sake. The ending was slightly unexpected and very well done.
The Slasher 4/5
The writing in this story had a beautiful and creepy flow to it. The whole fascination with the crack in the foundation that draws the main character in is very well done. I think a little of the story that is told by the secondary character is a little over the top, but it is a horror story, so I guess it is to be expected.
The Killer Clown 4/5
This story creeped me out the most. As a small part of the story makes reference to, the clown from Stephen King's It has always scared the daylights out of me, so to me, as to the main character in this story, clowns are scary scary creatures. Add to that that this story has an "It" nightmarish kind of feel to it and you have the makings of many sleepless nights for me in the future. The one things that did bother me with this story is that if my fear of clowns was as crippling as this young woman's...I think my boyfriend would be a little more careful about not only dressing up as a clown for Halloween (that's just pure heartless) but also taking her to a location that has a giant clown as a mascot. Just saying...
The Urban Legend 4/5
I really enjoyed this story, however, due to it's more novella like length I feel like it should have been placed at the very end of the collection. I loved seeing the growth of the main character, especially through her relationships. She was a very strong woman, which was easy for us all to see, but she couldn't realize it herself until the end. I would like to read more from this story...and I actually think the author might have more coming.
The Zombie 5/5
I'm not a huge fan of zombies, but Lisa Morton wrote a fantastic zombie story in this collection. I can't say too much without ruining it, but it nicely weaves together a few of the other stories from this collection and paints a vivid picture of a post-apocalyptic world and the characters trapped within it.

Overall this was a great collection and I highly enjoyed reading it. I'm glad I took the chance on it, and it was wonderful to have a little horror thrust into my world for however short a time.

My rating?

[Review] Two Moons of Sera by Pavarti K Tyler

Title: Two Moons of Sera
Series:  Two Moons of Sera (serial format)
Author:  Pavarti K Tyler
Genre:  fantasy, romance, mermaid
Format:  Ebook, 84 pages
Publication Date:  November 1 2011
Published By:  Fighting Monkey Press
Source:  Received from Author for Review.

Synopsis from Goodreads

In a world where water and earth teem with life, Serafay is an anomaly. The result of genetic experiments on her mother's water-borne line Serafay will have to face the very people responsible to discover who she really is. But is she the only one?

All the Fun of YA written for Adults

Two Moons of Sera is a Fantasy/Romance and will be released in a serial format. The first volume is just shy of 20,000 words and will be priced at $0.99. Anyone who purchases it will receive all future volumes for free. However if you wait to get it until later, the price will go up with each addition.

My Thoughts

When I first received the email from Pavarti about possibly being part of her blog tour for the first section of Two Moons of Sera, I have to admit I was hesitant. I haven't had a lot of good luck with the the self-published, e-book only types of review requests. I often end up marking them as DNF (did not finish). But after seeing how short the story was I agreed to at least give it a chance. I am really glad I did.

Ms. Pavarti has such a wonderful lyrical flow to her writing you couldn't stop yourself from reading it even if you wanted to. The opening was so intriguing I just had to find out what was going on!

"Nilafay ran, slipping on the unfamiliar terrain, desperate to reach water. The rocks dug into the thin flesh of her webbed feet, cutting her skin. This place was so foreign despite being only miles from her home. Never had she seen the sun so bright or felt the moisture evaporate directly off her skin; she was sure she would die from the cruelty of the atmosphere."

It was so beautiful! The book whipped by so fast and effortlessly that I was saddened when I was already at the end. (And what a horrible place to leave me stranded Ms. Pavarti!) The characters were so interesting and unique, they completely made the story. Nilafay, the mixed-race Erdlander (human) - Sualwet (mermaid) and Tor, the simple-minded hermit Erdlander (I think) make such an interesting connection you can't tear your eyes away. Their interactions are so simple, yet speak such volumes. The whole world around them seems so exciting and new, you can't help but feel surrounded as you read about it.

My only complaints about the book were:

(1) It was too damn short. I want more now!

(2) I would like to know more about this "war" that is going on that Nilafay's mother makes reference too. It seems like it was spoken of often, but not explained. I hope there is more about it in future serial offerings.

 I will be waiting anxiously for the next section...

My rating?

Pavarti is running a special giveaway contest

in connection with this blog tour.

Click the image to read more about it and enter!

Review of Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

Title: Children of Paranoia
Series:  Children of Paranoia Trilogy
Author:  Trevor Shane
Genre:  genre stew (self proclaimed by author)
Format:  Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication Date:  September 8, 2011
Published By:  Penguin Group, Dutton Adult
Source:  Publisher for Blog Tour

Synopsis from Goodreads

ALL WARS HAVE RULES

Rule Number One: No killing innocent bystanders.

Rule Number Two: No killing anyone under the age of eighteen.

BREAK THE RULES, BECOME THE TARGET

Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn't fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides-one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away.

Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he's one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he's sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away.

Before Maria, Joseph's only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the War...is leaving it.

My Thoughts

I discovered this book by perusing the books being offered for review by Crazy Book Tours. I have seen many bloggers be part of tours and I was curious to see how they worked. Trevor's book was the one that piqued my interest the most. For some reason it struck me as a kind of Battle Royale, Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies kind of book from the description. It wasn't even close. It wasn't what expected at all. But that doesn't mean I didn't like it, because I did.

Children of Paranoia is an intense kind of book that immediately drags you in and pulls you along through the story, not caring as your flesh is scraped raw by the bumps and bands along the way. The writing is superbly done, especially in the beginning. The writer uses intrigue and perfectly executed foreshadowing to draw the reader deeper and deeper into the story, never giving them an excuse to close the book and walk away.

Foreshadowing is one of those techniques not a lot of writers can get right. Some never use it to its full potential, but many more overuse it so much you cringe every time it appears on the page. Mr. Shane has foreshadowing down to a science. I never cringe when it's used. It doesn't slap you in the face with its presence, but it's there just enough to know what you might expect in the following pages.

The story is very realistic. Mr. Shane writes the story to be believable. I find myself looking around wondering if the people around me could be caught up in some invisible war. It is possible. The facts add up...and I still find myself asking...who were the good guys...and who were the bad ones? What makes one side good over the other? Interesting question to ponder.

Some of the characters frustrate me at times. The main character is so smart, yet at times he doesn't see the most clear things right in front of him, and he doesn't make the choices we all know he should (and the choices he has been trained to make all his life). This seems too convenient for me and a small, yet annoying flaw in the writing. I saw things coming way before the main character did, and he should have seen them first.

The pacing slowed towards the end and I found myself tiring slightly of the story...but I pushed myself through and I was glad I made it to the end. And you will too. The ending completely shocked me. I never saw (most of it) coming. I actually might just read the next book in the series to see what Mr. Shane intends on doing next because I am intrigued, yet again...

My rating?