Review: Archangel’s Storm by Nalini Singh

Star Rating:

Date released: 13th September 2012

Publisher: Berkeley Sensation

Author’s website: http://nalinisingh.com/

My source: Amazon Kindle Store

Part of a series: #5 in Guild Hunter series

Find it at: GoodReads | Amazon | B&N

GoodReads Synopsis

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha’s consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha’s trust comes at a price—Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare… and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

What I loved:

• Jason. He’s always been one of my favourites among the Seven (scratch that, they’re all pretty fantastic) and this story highlighted his awesome factor. There’s just something so forbidden about him and that level of intelligence paired with the stealth that he carries like an extension of his body is very alluring.
• The wedding and subsequent scenes with Honor and Dmitri. It was a great to come almost full-circle and see the continuation of their story, considering that at the end of Archangel’s Blade (Dmitri’s story) it felt like it was cut off abruptly – happily, but abruptly.
• The level of intrigue in Neha’s court.
• Nalini Singh can write. Her language is beautiful, lyrical and so bittersweet at times. I see Singh as the cook who can make creme brulee out of egg shells, she’s magical.
  

What didn’t work for me:

• Mahiya. Sorry girlfriend, I may be the possessive book-girl/fan-friend of Jason, but I thought his love would be extraordinary.
• The plotline and ‘twist’ with Mahiya’s family. I can’t say I didn’t expect it because I saw it coming a mile away. Also, after the epic battle between the sisters, I fully expected something tremendous to happen, but all the story details after that point is Mayiha’s getaway to New York. I mean… I felt like the story was cut short, and that it spent too much time laying foundation rather than having things happen.
• Jason and Mahiya’s romance and relationship. For some reason, I felt it was very… sterilized, like I was touching with gloves. I didn’t feel the same amount of ebb-and-flow surges of passion like I did with the other Guild Hunter books.

Other Thoughts:

… Particularly with the continuation of the series. I think Singh made it very easy for herself to continue writing books in the Guild Hunter series because this particular installment leaves more questions than those answered. What will become of Nivriti and Neha? Will Lijuan play a part in the next book and how will her incorporeal manifestation adapt? What will the Archangels do with the emergence of their new powers, and what will they be?

I can already see power balances shifting with the new powers the Archangels are getting, and I predict that the next book will center on this particular aspect of the books. There will be discontent within the Cadre and I’m sure one Archangel or other will feel slighted, and boom! Out come the powers of epic destruction.

I wonder whose story will be next, however? I’m thinking it’ll either be Illium and a newfound love or the next Raphael and Elena installment. Aodhan seems unlikely, but I would love read Venom’s story.

Overall, a fantastic book that I did not love as expected, but enjoyed all the same. Solid 4 stars!

Review: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price

Star Rating:

Date released: 3rd July 2012

Publisher: ROC

Author’s website: www. kalayna.com

My source: Amazon Kindle Store

Part of a series: Yes, #3 Alex Craft series

Find it at: GoodReads | Amazon | B&N

Official blurb:

When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicide occurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raises has no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the very public apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

What worked for me:

• This plot. How amazing was it? The mystery behind the ‘apparent suicides’ was fantastic, the big reveal of the murderer being the grave-entity of the ‘rider’ and how they managed to contain him in the end? Absolutely riveting. I was hooked.
• Death (the character). My opinion and love for Death still stands. Smoking. Hot. Absolutely tender, masculine and totally amazing, my hopeless romantic heart practically flip flopped in my chest when I realized they had a chance.
• That sex scene. Nowhere 50 Shades material, but come on, it was still hot. And it was so affectionate and warm between them! And the morning after? Sheesh. I wonder what we would have been reading had Tamara not interrupted. I also found it amusing that Alex has known Death since she was 5 years old, hopped into bed with him, and doesn’t even know his real name.
• A deeper understanding of the mechanics behind being a soul collector. I have been dying to know more about Death’s contextual construct and Price managed to give me a scrap without making me angry and demanding more. And I love how she never really confirmed or denied that the ‘mender’ Alex met is or isn’t ‘god’. Pretty obvious though, right? I like that Price doesn’t treat her readers like they’re idiots.
• The exploration of faerie politics during the faerie revelry celebration. How interesting is it! Usually, as I’ve mentioned before, I hate reading books about fae because most of the authors do a fantastic job of describing Faerie and its occupants and it creeps me out to the max, but this was well written. Had me shivering and cringing, to be honest, especially whenever the Winter Queen made an appearance. Heinous bitch.

What didn’t work for me:

• Falin. Seriously, get out already. Okay, fine, I’m sorry for being harsh – I know you’re only doing the bidding of your bitch-queen, but seriously. Alex can’t trust you and your boss is plotting her demise. Guilty by association, I know, but Alex needs to trash your toothbrush and make some space for Death’s.
• This love triangle! Come on Alex! Stop being a typical indecisive lover and just choose one (preferably Death, thank you). I’d like you a lot more as a character if you stopped dancing between Falin and Death and just make a decision. I know you’re heartbroken but you’re a glutton for punishment what with the way you’ve been carrying on. Again, like I’ve previously mentioned, I abhor stories that have love triangles without a clear ‘winner’.

Other thoughts:

Caleb and Holly: totally saw that coming, and I think it’s hella cute.

My thoughts for the next installment (can’t believe it’s coming out August in 2013!!) is that Alex chooses a lover (preferably Death, thank you) and that her powers manifest even further, or even better, she understands and is at least able to control her planeweaving. Remember the Shadow King’s Changeling? Perhaps she meets him again and learns some valuable lessons from him. And maybe a plotline that involves something perhaps with Alex’s faerie power inheritance, and perhaps some more secrets her darling of a father has been keeping? I’m curious if the ‘mender’ will also make an appearance. His parting words of definitely seeing Alex again sounded ominous!

Adored the third installment to this series and cannot wait till August 2013 for Grave Vision!

A solid 4.5 Stars.

[ Alex Craft Book 1 review | Alex Craft Book 2 Review ]

Review: Crow’s Row by Julie Hockley

Rating: 4 Stars

Crow’s Row by Julie Hockley is a contemporary romance story about Emily and Cameron, who from the outset seem as if they’ve been thrust together out of coincidence and that their magnetism towards one another builds up into a beautiful love. It’s a nice ride of a story, with thrills and spills and some deeply emotional decision making.

Love is excruciating, especially when you can feel it slipping through your fingers and there is nothing you can do about it. Like someone was playing tug-of-war with my limbs, ripping to shreds whatever was left behind.

Enter Emily Sheppard, your average college student living off take-out, once a month laundry days and sleeping in a broom cupboard big enough to fit a single bed. She’s perennially poor, but this doesn’t mean she doesn’t come from money – oh no. Her parents are jaded blue bloods with enough money that covering up the not-so-legal antics of their eldest son from the media was no problem.

Enter Cameron Hillard, the top dog for the local drug lords. Broody and timid, he is a force to behold and it’s obvious the kind of authority he wields when his colleagues treat him with such fear and deference.

Hockley’s writing style is elegant. It borders at times on more “telling” than “showing”, but she paces well and is big on environmental descriptors. Her characterisation is fair, as is her storytelling.

One thing is for sure in this novel: nothing is what it seems.

Spoilers under the Read More!

Review: Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 4 Stars

Normally I don’t enjoy multiple-POV novels, simply because I like discovering surprises from one person’s perspective but Shiver did a good job of it.

And look at that book cover! If you could describe the environmental setting where Shiver takes place, that book cover says it all.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is a supernatural teen romance fantasy story that has a very small scope in relation to its genre and centers on the story of Grace and Sam. Grace and Sam share a bond that was borne on a fateful day that Grace nearly loses her life and since then, Sam has been watching from the woods.

Spoilers under the Read More!