An omnibus of the first seven books in the USA TODAY bestselling fantasy series—collected together for the first time in one volume. Jade Crow is a sorceress hiding from the most powerful sorcerer in the world: her ex-boyfriend.Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress.Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho, hiding from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers—her ex-boyfriend Samir. Yet when dark powers threaten her friends’ lives, Jade must save them by using magic. But as soon as she does, her nemesis will find her and she won’t be able to stand up against him when he comes.This is the collection of the first seven volumes of the Hugo Award nominated series: Justice Calling; Murder of Crows; Pack of Lies; Hunting Season;Heartache; Thicker Than Blood; and Magic to the Bone. - from Netgalley.com
I received a free ARC through Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.
That being said, I requested this one without reading the description. I had started reading this series "The Twenty-Sided Sorceress" just a few weeks prior to coming across this book being available on Netgalley. Soooo, as I finished book seven, "Magic to the Bone", I was happy to see I had been approved for this book, thinking it was a new one to continue the series. Yes, I was a bit disappointed once I downloaded it, and began to read, to discover that it is an omnibus of the the series.
Needless to say, I found myself avidly reading each book of the series, and I doubt much of the story would be altered in this omnibus. I like how there is a mixture of magic and supernaturals, as well as the geek/nerd aspect of some of the characters. There is a bit of romance, but I don't think it got too overboard at anytime. Definitely awaiting further books to see how it all might end.
A powerful magician returns to New York City and reluctantly finds himself in the middle of a war between the city’s two most powerful witches.“It would help if you did not think of it as magic. M certainly had long ceased to do so.” M is an ageless drifter with a sharp tongue, few scruples, and the ability to bend reality to his will, ever so slightly. He’s come back to New York City after a long absence, and though he’d much rather spend his days drinking artisanal beer in his favorite local bar, his old friends—and his enemies—have other plans for him. One night M might find himself squaring off against the pirates who cruise the Gowanus Canal; another night sees him at a fashionable uptown charity auction where the waitstaff are all zombies. A subway ride through the inner circles of hell? In M’s world, that’s practically a pleasant diversion.Before too long, M realizes he’s landed in the middle of a power struggle between Celise, the elegant White Queen of Manhattan, and Abilene, Brooklyn’s hip, free-spirited Red Queen, a rivalry that threatens to make New York go the way of Atlantis. To stop it, M will have to call in every favor, waste every charm, and blow every spell he’s ever acquired—he might even have to get out of bed before noon.Enter a world of Wall Street wolves, slumming scenesters, desperate artists, drug-induced divinities, pocket steampunk universes, and demonic coffee shops. M’s New York, the infinite nexus of the universe, really is a city that never sleeps—but is always dreaming. - from Amazon.com
I received a free ebook ARC through Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.
I have been on a Polansky kick for awhile now, since picking up "Low Town". When I saw that this book was available through Netgalley.com, I jumped at it. However, I feel I was a bit let down. Instead of a fairly straight-forward storyline, it comes across more as a collection of happenings/events in the main character's forays through the city. I only finished the book out of determination rather than interest. I have a few other books by Polansky on my to read list, and hope they are not similar to this one.
“Don’t Breathe a Word is a haunting page-turner that kept me up, spine shivering and enthralled, way past my bedtime.”—Joshilyn Jackson, author of Gods in Alabama and Backseat Saints“Jennifer McMahon never flinches and never fails to surprise…as [she] weaves a young couple into a perverse fairyland where Rosemary’s Baby could be at home.”—Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Murderer’s DaughtersTwo young lovers find themselves ensnared in a seemingly supernatural web that ties them to a young girl’s disappearance fifteen years earlier in this dark and twisty tale from the New York Times bestselling author of Island of Lost Girls and Promise Not to Tell. Jennifer NcMahon returns with a vengeance withDon’t Breathe a Word—an absolutely chilling and ingenious combination of psychological thriller, literary suspense, and paranormal page-turner that will enthrall a wildly diverse audience including, among others, avid fans of Keith Donohue (The Stolen Child), Laura Lippman (I’d Know You Anywhere), and Tana French.(In the Woods). - from Goodreads.com
This was one heck of a creepy yet suspenseful story. Usually if I am not interested in the story within the first 50-100 pages, I won't finish it. This one started out slow, and somewhere in that page range, I was hooked. The story jumps back and forth over two summers, one at present day, the other fifteen years prior. The early one, a girl became missing: this girl was the sister and cousin of two of the characters.
I'm not going to go into detail, but that earlier summer, the sister, brother and cousin, were all mixed up in a make-believe of there being fairies. Up to the point when the girl comes up missing. Throughout the back and forth from that early summer and present day, the story goes flippin' weird. By the time I got to the last chapter, I had no idea what to think, except that this was a pretty creepy, ugly story, and certainly did not seem to have anything to do with the fantasy and fairies. Then I read that last chapter, and was like .... yeah.
Kudos to the author. I read the book in about two days because I couldn't put it down. Four stars ... only because the creep factor was too high.
These are the untold tales of Jonmarc Vahanian, hero of Gail Z. Martin’s best-selling Chronicles of the Necromancer series.Jonmarc Vahanian was just a blacksmith’s son in a small fishing village before raiders killed his family. Wounded and left for dead in the attack, Jonmarc tries to rebuild his life. But when a dangerous bargain with a shadowy stranger goes wrong, Jonmarc finds himself on the run, with nothing ahead but vengeance, and nothing behind him but blood.Soldier. Fight slave. Smuggler. Warrior. Brigand lord. If you’ve met Jonmarc Vahanian in the Chronicles of the Necromancer and Fallen Kings Cycle books, you don’t really know him until you walk in his footsteps. This is the first segment of his journey. - from Netgalley.com
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.
It has been several years since reading the Chronicles of the Necromancer, but remember Jonmarc. As I recall it, he attracted my attention more, because Martin never really got into his backstory. This collection of short stories are events in Jonmarc's history to explain some of his skills he has later in the Chronicles. For me it was pretty quick read, though I think there are about 8 of the short stories in all.
Gail Z. Martin's books have always grabbed my attention with her ability to weave together characters with a good story line, and throw in some action as well. I look forward to her 'Ascendant Kingdoms' series to grab my attention just as well.
From the New York Times bestselling author of From a Drood to a Kill comes the next Secret Histories adventure... The name is Drood, Eddie Drood, also known as Shaman Bond. My family has been safeguarding humanity for generations, facing the hidden horrors of the world so you can sleep at night and remain oblivious to the existence of the monstrous nightmares that walk and stalk among us. Speaking of predatory night terrors, there is a man who gets away with murder. A man who specializes in removing the problems from other people’s lives, by killing the people who cause those problems. He operates from the darkest shadows of the hidden world, coming and going unseen. No-one knows who he is, just his nomme du muerte. Dr. DOA. Somehow, this demented doc poisoned me. I don’t know how he did it, when or where, but whatever is coursing through my veins seems to be immune to magic cures and treatments. But that’s not going to stop me from finding him and whoever hired him and give them both a taste of their own medicine... - from Goodreads.com
I received a free ARC through Netgalley.com from the publisher, ROC, in exchange for a review.
This is book ten in the Secret Histories story, which is centered around one Eddie Drood, member of one of the most powerful, and secretive families in the world. As expected, the story is a continuation from the previous book, with just a short clip of time having passed in the story world. Eddie, and his girl, a most powerful witch, Molly, get pulled back into the family matters, only to discover that Eddie has been poisoned .... and the rest you can glean from the short synopsis above.
I have read this complete series (to-date) and though sometimes feels a bit predictable, is still entertaining to read due to the snarkiness and sarcasm the characters share with each other. Though there are links to another series by this author (Nightside) I haven't had the desire to try that series yet.I will say one spoiler ... they left a large opening for more books to follow this one.
The third stand-alone Shannara novel in the Defenders of Shannara series, following The High Druid’s Blade and The Darkling Child, easily accessible to new readers of epic fantasy.The daughter of a reviled sorcerer, Leofur is nothing like her dreaded father. When her life-partner, Paxon Leah, leaves on a dangerous mission, Leofur protects Paxon’s sister. When she is abducted Leofur is forced to choose between saving Paxon from a mission gone badly awry, or hiring the services of the best tracker in the world to go after her life-partner’s sister. - from Goodreads.com
The Shannara series of books have been in my reading lists ever since I was a young teenager. I always loved how each trilogy were connected through the characters over different spans of time, using some of the same relics. This newest trilogy, "The Defenders of Shannara" has not dropped that love of this history.
Needless to say, I jumped on this book in a hurry when I found out I was approved for an ARC. I probably should have posted a review much sooner, but had to take some time to process my feelings about the characters. I don't want to throw out spoilers, but it just took me some time to process. Obviously being a third book, it concludes the storyline for this part of the series. Though it had a truly realistic ending, it just didn't fit what seemingly happens in 'fairy-tale' stories. I felt a bit like I was left to hang. Sometimes that is good though, as it leaves a space for the author to come back and fill ... hopefully soon.
Overall the story is one of Brooks typical Shannara tales, filled with quite a bit of action, self-discovery, and changes to the world. I look forward to the next peek into the world of Shannara Brooks brings about, and hope the new television series doesn't take all of his attention away from writing.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review from the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Rey, through Netgalley.com.
Mage Alex Verus is back in the seventh in the “gorgeously realized”* urban fantasy series from the national bestselling author of Veiled.
I’m used to people wanting me dead. But, this time, I’m not the only one on the hit list—and time is running out...
Diviner Alex Verus finally made one too many enemies on the Council of Mages, and now one of them is angry enough to have him executed. Fighting for his life is nothing new, but this kill order also calls for the death of Alex’s dependents—and there’s no way that he’ll let Luna, Anne, and Vari take the heat.
With only a week before he’s history, Alex will have to figure out how to disassociate himself from his friends, scrounge up allies on the Council, and hopefully keep his head attached to his body.
But saving himself is going to bring him into direct opposition with his former master and the Dark mages surrounding him. And, this time, escaping with his life might mean losing his soul... - from Goodreads.com
I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for a review.
I was so happy to find out that Benedict Jacka had written yet another book in this series! This one continues the same time-line, putting Verus in danger, as well as his friends. I fell right into the characters easily, and devoured the book fairly quickly. I really enojoy Jacka's writing style, and story telling ability.
