Book Review: "Gunmetal Gods" by Zamil Akhtar

 

They took his daughter, so Micah comes to take their kingdom. Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers.

Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and poetry. 

To save the kingdom, Kevah must conquer his grief and become the legend he once was. But Micah writes his own legend in blood, and his righteous conquest will stop at nothing. 

When the gods choose sides, a legend will be etched upon the stars. - from Netgalley.com

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review through Netgalley.com.

The story description drew me in for this one, even though I had mixed feelings about the length of the book. The story started off being told from the POV of two characters, and slowly their backgrounds and the worldbuilding picked up. About a third of the way through the story, I started to lose some interest. I stumbled through a section that seemed very slow, and I didn't see much in the way of why it was needed. At this point I admit I started skimming more that reading. Then I started skipping whole pages. Finally I did read the last 20 pages or so, and of course, by that time I had lost much of the details of who was where, and what was going on. I tried to go back a bit to recapture some of it, but I just couldn't.

I did enjoy the early part of the story, the character and world building. Definitely was the stereo-typical characters, each with their flaws and strengths. I would recommended this to anyone that does enjoy a longer, slow to build story line.

Book Review: "A Gilded Cage" by Auburn Tempest and Michael Anderle

 

This is the first book in 'An Urban Druid' story series.

I wasn't able to find a book description for this one... so will try to summarize. Fionna is girl around 18-25 that lives in Toronto, Canada with her father and several siblings, whom all of are officers. One night she is in an altercation and a tattoo starts appearing on her back. Wanting to know more about it, she ends up running to Ireland (their home country) to seek family to help explain what is going on. While there she learns she is a druid, and of an important line. She does some training, then runs home to Canada, to try to prove she can be an urban druid.

That pretty much sums it up. The book reads about that fast as well. Like many other books I have read from Anderle, there is no thick and heavy plot to tediously read through and decipher to figure out what is happening, or going to happen. There is not much of anything "deep" at all. Characters have very little of background, except when something has to be explained that was 'thought', or 'acted on' by a character. No descriptions really of characters or the world around them, unless it is a pertinent detail tot he story.

I picked this one up as I do like druid stories, urban or otherwise, and thought maybe it would have a little twist in the story. As stated before, I wasn't expecting a heavy story, and it does read nice and fast. I did like the basic storyline, of how she finds out about being a druid, and some of the other stuff. But at other times, I felt the story was being rushed, and they were trying to cram too many events into one book. I don't know if it was for word count purposes, or actual detail that is going to be important later. Some of the events were just..."What? Why'd that happen? Oh, for that...". Like many of Anderle's books, everything happens to the main character...good or bad... and they always win their way through it with minimal injury, or it miraculously (or magically) is healed.

I will admit that regardless how I feel about the writing technique, I did enjoy the story and will be watching for the next book in the series.

Book Review: "Nightshifted" by Cassie Alexander

 

Nursing school prepared Edie Spence for a lot of things. Burn victims? No problem. Severed limbs? Piece of cake. Vampires? No way in hell. But as the newest nurse on Y4, the secret ward hidden in the bowels of County Hospital, Edie has her hands full with every paranormal patient you can imagine—from vamps and were-things to zombies and beyond...

Edie’s just trying to learn the ropes so she can get through her latest shift unscathed.  But when a vampire servant turns to dust under her watch, all hell breaks loose. Now she’s haunted by the man’s dying words—Save Anna—and before she knows it, she’s on a mission to rescue some poor girl from the undead. Which involves crashing a vampire den, falling for a zombie, and fighting for her soul. Grey’s Anatomy was never like this ... - from Goodreads.com

This is the first book in the Edie Spence series.

This looks to be a decent series that I could get into reading. The MC is just been introduced to the "other" world out there, working the night shift at the county hospital. She hasn't been there long when a patient dies under her watch, and leads here to "Save Anna" but she has to figure out who that is and where she is. Once she does, there is a short fight where she kills a vampire. Now the 'council' is taking her to trial for that death, which will mean her death unless she can find Anna and save them both. Add in the beings called the Shadows that govern the hospital and other things that go wrong, and a mission they force on the MC as well.

Definitely had some nice twist and turns I wasn't expecting. World build was nice, and the introduction of those that we don't want to know about, and those that we just don't want to meet. Throw in some romance scenes - because we all need that - though not long and steamy, somewhat straight to the descriptive sex (in my opinion). The book could be read as a stand-alone, and I feel like each book in this series may be the same. Definitely will be reading the next one.

Book Review: "Next to Last Stand" by Craig Johnson

 

The new novel in the beloved New York Times bestselling Longmire series.

One of the most viewed paintings in American history, Custer's Last Fight, copied and distributed by Anheuser-Busch at a rate of over two million copies a year, was destroyed in a fire at the 7th Cavalry Headquarters in Fort Bliss, Texas, in 1946. Or was it? When Charley Lee Stillwater dies of an apparent heart attack at the Wyoming Home for Soldiers & Sailors, Walt Longmire is called in to try and make sense of a piece of a painting and a Florsheim shoebox containing a million dollars, sending the good sheriff on the trail of a dangerous art heist.  - from Goodreads.com

This is book #16 in the Walt Longmire series.

A famous painting was destroyed and now resurfaces in a very unlikely place. Walt doing the due diligence he feels the office of Sheriff is required, as well as his sense of moral obligation, goes in search of answers - is it truly the real deal? As answers are found out, he goes against not only some seedy characters, but even the Russians.

I started this series many moons ago, prior to the television show being released, and have truly enjoyed it. Though being set in a fictional place, Johnson brings out a very realistic feel about the beauty of Wyoming, and the 'cowboy-type' attitude of the main character. When I read of this story being released, I was a bit hesitant. Due to the ongoing story line, each of the last books have made me wonder how much further will this series continue, at least with the main character. His age, and thoughts of retirement, bring these to mind, as well.

Book Review: "Master of None" by Sonya Bateman

 

ONE UNLUCKY THIEF. ONE UNLIKELY GENIE. ONE VERY ODD COUPLE.

Gavyn Donatti is the world's unluckiest thief. Just ask all the partners he's lost over the years. And when he misplaces an irreplaceable item he was hired to steal for his ruthless employer, Trevor—well, his latest bungle just might be his last. But then his luck finally turns: right when Trevor's thugs have him cornered, a djinn, otherwise known as a genie, appears to save him.

Unfortunately, this genie—who goes by the very non-magical name of "Ian"—is more Hellboy than dream girl. An overgrown and extremely surly man who seems to hate Donatti on the spot, he may call Donatti master, but he isn't interested in granting three wishes. He informs Donatti that he is bound to help the thief fulfill his life's purpose, and then he will be free. The problem is that neither Donatti nor Ian has any idea what exactly that purpose is.

At first Donatti's too concerned with his own survival to look a gift genie in the mouth, but when his ex-girlfriend Jazz and her young son get drawn into the crossfire, the stakes skyrocket. And when Ian reveals that he has an agenda of his own—with both Donatti and the murderous Trevor at the center of it—Donatti will have to become the man he never knew he could be, or the entire world could pay the price. - from Goodreads.com

This is book one in a three book series, with a short novella labeled as being between books one and two.

The description pulled me in, and I thought this could be good if the author can figure out how to get a Djinn story going versus the common shifters/magic wielders/fae stories all over the place. It just didn't happen. This is the first car that starts the train derailing from the tracks. There wasn't much character build=up, background (aside from him being a "lucky" thief at times, but unsuccessful at it (??). A Djinn shows up out of the blue with a story of why he there for the MC...kinda sketchy, but okay. All the additional characters? Nothing. There are just wallpaper for the MC to hang on, paint on, kill off when needed... pick something.

The story was a quick read, and does leave the traditional open-ending that there are additional tale(s) going to continue. The lack of substantial world-building just made me feel like "blech". The story description was the 2-minture long movie trailer, that contained every good part of the whole 3-hour movie. Needless to say, I won't be reading any of the other books in this series. The author does have some other series, and I may try one of them, hoping it was not like this one.

Book Review: "Ironskin" by Tina Connolly

 Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again. - from Goodreads.com

The book description above drew me into reading this book. The vague mention of Fey, a Great War (in capital letters no less), and a curses? Ohhhh, what have the Fey done now? Well, in short, the story really drew me in with what felt was a slow start. By the time I was about a third through, it felt like it was turning into a romance story, with not much action. I thought that was okay, since I do occasionally enjoy a good romance. The story line and characters developed in a decent amount of time, though some bits I feel were still kind of unclear - more of Rochart's past seemed muddied, but cleared somewhat towards the end.

Overall it was a good stand-alone story, and I see there are at least two additional books in this series. Unfortunately, though I enjoyed it, I just can't quite "get into" the series.

Book Review: "A Killing Frost" by Seanan McGuire

 

When October is informed that Simon Torquill—legally her father, due to Faerie's archaic marriage traditions—must be invited to her wedding or risk the ceremony throwing the Kingdom in the Mists into political turmoil, she finds herself setting out on a quest she was not yet prepared to undertake for the sake of her future.... and the man who represents her family's past. - from Goodreads.com

This is book 14 in the October Daye series, so if you are not familiar, there is a strong possibility of spoilers.

With most books, if there is a foreword, I usually skip to see who wrote it, and might go back and read it - depends on my mode. I saw this book had one, by the author, so I went back and skimmed it. About how hard it is to write keeping a series this long, yadda yadda yadda. I can understand that... I just want to get to the book and see what happens!

That being said, after finishing the book, I truly see what McGuire means about the story going somewhere. Truly, there is an event that is "on the horizon" and probably has been in some way shape or form, for several books. But short of writing that... then where does one go? Write about their children, do a spin-off of another character, etc etc. Yeah, there could be money in that.... but it wouldn't be October Daye.

McGuire has done a wonderful job in keeping up with the MC and the changes that have been wrought/brought into her life as the series has progressed. The whole world that has been built, and the many, many other characters that even I have to reference to remember what they are to whom... it is just an expansive amount of work. I am amazed, and honestly, quite love this series. 

Each book could be read as a stand-alone, as McGuire provides bits of background for the more complicated previous/past events, but I always felt a series is better read in order.... excluding the novellas in between. In fact, I was a bit surprised as the copy I read included a novella at the end, regarding some characters that were more in the forefront for this story. Either way, if this series were to end with this work, I would be let-down, but would understand. Here's to hoping there is one more story yet to finish for October!